44482 Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale.indd

Pontypridd RFC
Ebbw Vale RFC
Matthew Nuthall
Lewis I Williams
Gavin Dacey
Dafydd Lockyer - cpt
Owen Jenkins
Simon Humberstone
Tomos Williams
Chris Phillips
Liam Belcher
Dillon Lewis
Craig Locke
Chris Dicomidis
Wayne O’Connor
Rhys Shellard
Jake Thomas
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Dan Haymond
Owen Williams
Jordan Howells
Carl Meyer
Tom James
Iain Smerdon
Chris Thomas
John Lavender
Matthew Williams
Rob Sevenoaks
Damien Hudd - cpt
Ashley Sweet
Rhys Clarke
Ronny Kynes
Harrison Keddie
Replacements
16. Joel Raikes.
17. Jarrod Evans.
18. Alex Webber.
19. Huw Dowden.
20 .Dan Godfrey.
21 .Alex Jones.
22 .James Howe.
23 .Pat Palmer.
16. Ross Jones.
17. Rhys Francis.
18. Luke Leddington.
19. Gareth Williams.
20. Cameron Reagan.
21. Rhys Downes.
22. David Langdon.
23. Adam Jones.
Match Officials
Referee: Leighton Hodges Touch Judges: Sean Brickell • Wayne Davies
O l é ,
O l é ,
O l é ,
O l é . . .
P
£2 Issue 195
The Official Matchday
Magazine of
Pontypridd Rugby
PONTY RUGBY
Principality Premiership Play-Off Final
Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale
Sunday 17th May 2015
Kick off: 4pm
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PONTY RUGBY LTD.
The Clubhouse
Sardis Road
Pontypridd
Tel 01443 405006
Fax 01443 407087
Email [email protected]
CHAIRMAN
Roger E. Davies
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Stephen Reardon
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jack Bayliss, Carol Waughington,
Roger E. Davies, Guto Davies,
Theresa Davies, Peter Howells,
Alun Jones, Steve Reardon,
Perry Stephens, Chris Kingsbury,
Wayne Cullen, Martyn Morgan.
HEAD COACH
Paul John
ASSISTANT COACHES
Garin Jenkins
Gareth Wyatt
Robert Sidoli
CONDITIONING COACH
Darren Bool
TEAM MANAGER
Richard Langmead
CLUB CAPTAIN
Dafydd Lockyer
HON SURGEONS
D. Pemberton
S. Roy
S. James
D. Edwards
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Gareth Lloyd
HON DENTAL SURGEON
Lyndon Meehan
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Chris Watts
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Owen Williams • [email protected]
Welcome
This afternoon we extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and
supporters of Ebbw Vale RFC.
A fortnight ago, Pontypridd RFC travelled to the Millennium Stadium to defend the
SWALEC Cup against Bridgend Ravens RFC. Domination of the set-piece allowed
our team to command possession which fuelled our ambition to play our trademark
brand of rugby football. Although the intent was apparent from the outset, we failed
uncharacteristically to ‘fire on all cylinders’ and despite the Ravens resolve and impressive
display at the breakdown, we were undone ultimately by our prolific and self-inflicted
handling error count. Nonetheless, we take nothing away from the Bridgend Ravens RFC
and we congratulate them on assuming the mantle of SWALEC Cup winners for 2014-15
season.
Although a large proportion of the crowd departed the Millennium Stadium disappointed
with the performance and the outcome, the team returned to a packed, expectant
Clubhouse and a welcome that demonstrates the loyalty, adoration and true fanaticism
that many can only dream of. Ponty Rugby Limited would like to thank the Supporters for
another outstanding season of commitment.
The passing of time does much to temper disappointment and hopefully, some days
on, we can appreciate our team’s consistency throughout much of the season. Just to
reach the Cup Final is merit in itself and to get there on a fifth consecutive occasion is
such rarity that it only Llanelli RFC has rivalled it. ‘Team Pontypridd’ has also delivered
a fifth consecutive finish at the top of the Premier League and another quarter-final
appearance in the British & Irish Cup, knocked out only by the eventual winners for a
second consecutive season. If reaching a summit is an achievement in itself, maintaining
one’s position there for for five seasons is true testament to the success of the team.
Ponty Rugby limited would like to thank its coaches, players and support staff for another
remarkable season as the most consistent rugby football team in the elite game in Wales.
In some sports, success breeds promotion, for Pontypridd RFC its meritocratic reward
is denial of opportunity. The Cardiff Blues Region has informed Pontypridd RFC that it
has joined the other Regions in lobbying the WRU, via the Rugby Management Board,
for Regional ‘A’ team representation in the British & Irish Cup next season. They claim to
support the move in order to, ‘bridge the gap between the Premier League and Regional
Rugby’. Pontypridd RFC rejects utterly the proposal to include ‘A’ teams in the BIC and is
prepared to use all the means at its disposal to combat it.
Ebbw Vale RFC arrives at Sardis Road on the back of a 27-17 victory over Cross Keys RFC
in the semi-final play-off a week last Saturday. Winning Division One East twice and
the National Championship twice in consecutive years, the ‘Steel men’ have completed
the regular season as runner-up, enjoying a successful return to the Principality Building
Society Premier League. For our part, nothing can be taken for granted as we strive to
rectify the disappointment experienced at the Millennium Stadium a fortnight ago.
The World of Groggs sponsors the ‘Golden Bob’ Man of the Match, while the Match Sponsor
is Ambassador Fire & Security Ltd. We trust that all our guests will have an enjoyable
afternoon at Sardis Road.
Stephen Reardon - Chief Executive Officer
w w w . p o n t y . n e t
3
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Welcome... Croeso
First of all, congratulations to Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale
on reaching this afternoon’s final. It promises to be a
wonderful occasion not only for the players, coaches and
backroom staff but for the supporters who have turned up
to back their team throughout the season.
Llongyfarchiadau i Bontypridd a Glyn Ebwy ar gyrraedd
y ffeinal heddiw. Mae’n argoeli i fod yn achlysur arbennig
nid yn unig i’r chwaraewyr ond i’r hyfforddwyr, y staff wrth
gefn a’r cefnogwyr sydd wedi dilyn eu tim trwy gydol y
tymor.
Pontypridd has been the dominant side in the Principality
Premiership and SSE SWALEC Cup for the past five years,
and rightly so. They continue to produce and develop
quality players, they have excellent coaches, a marvellous
culture and environment in which to work and the total
support of the town.
Their quality has been reflected in how well they’ve done
in the British & Irish Cup too.
Losing coaches hasn’t been an issue for Ponty as the
transition from one set of coaches to another has been
seamless, with promotion from within, Gareth Wyatt for
example, key to keeping the club’s values intact.
Ebbw Vale too can be proud of many of these factors.
While they are still in their first season back in the
Premiership, their success has not come overnight. Their
committee had the foresight and vision to put everything
in place off the field in order to give the players and
coaches the opportunity to achieve success on the field.
Jason Strange, captain Damien Hudd and many of the
players have been together as a unit for the past four or
five years and built a side well-prepared for their assault
on the Principality Premiership.
The WRU sees the Principality Premiership as an integral
part of the pathway to prepare players for the regional
and international game. We feel it’s important the clubs
in this league adopt a dynamic style of rugby and play
their part in the development of young talent. It’s great to
see Wales Under 20 players – Tom Williams, Jarrod Evans,
Liam Belcher, Dillon Lewis and Seb Davies for Pontypridd
and Harrison Keddie and Keagan Bale for Ebbw Vale –
playing a key role in their clubs’ campaigns.
Pontypridd excel at a 15-man approach to the game, while
they are also capable of playing a forward-orientated
rugby, while Ebbw Vale are extremely competitive and
have a very physical edge to their play, while remaining
willing to play the 15-man game when called for.
Home advantage will surely help Pontypridd, but I’m
sure Ebbw Vale too will be buoyed by a large contingent
from north Gwent. I can’t pick a winner but I hope the
champions will be the side that shows the greatest
adventure and creativity this afternoon.
Pob lwc i’r ddau dim heddiw.
Allan Lewis
Wales Under 20 Head Coach and WRU National
Academy Coaching Manager.
GTFM proud to be the
‘Official’ Radio Station of Pontypridd RFC
Listen on 107.9FM in RCT / www.gtfm.co.uk / via Tune-In
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w w w . p o n t y . n e t
7
SWFRS
We are South Wales Fire and Rescue Service:
so what matters to you?
As with most public sector organisations across South Wales,
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focus. Keeping our communities safe, through our prevention,
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54% over the past 10 years.
Our firefighting activities and attendance at road traffic collisions (RTCs) on our busy roads are a common sight for
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a number of initiatives and approaches such as; home fire safety checks, working with schools to educate children in
the risks associated with fire, working with partners to engage with young people to reduce deliberate fires and anti
social behaviour, as well as raising awareness of the risks we face on our roads.
Many of the services we deliver are non-statutory and not funded, which means they could be lost due to the
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wrth leihau risg yn parhau i fod yn brif ffocws i ni. Mae cadw’n cymunedau’n ddiogel drwy ein dyletswyddau atal,
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Mae nifer fawr o’r gwasanaethau a ddarperir gennym yn anstatudol a heb eu hariannu, sy’n golygu y gellir eu colli o
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Body and Soul, Butt
Every time the camera pans around the half-empty stands at
the tragic Parc y Scarlets it skips, half-apologetically, over the
sign proclaiming it as Heart and Soul Country. Once upon a
time, maybe. Not anymore, butt. The heart of Welsh rugby is
still broken. And the bodies of Welsh rugby supporters do not
turn up, unless that is in the ironically named Judgement Day
they come along for the Double-header Fire Sale, piled high and
cheap for a tenner. That’s a surprise then. Not. What it is, though,
is typical of the other missing ingredient in the Welsh rugby
hierarchy today: Mind.
By which I mean the intelligence, and yes the honesty, to see
that by any standards - attendances, achievements, affection Regional Rugby has been a disaster. So much so that the poor
old Black and Ambers give themselves, as Newport and Gwent
Dragons, more names than a poseur in Downton Abbey, and still
remain an echo of what they once truly were, whilst the Blue
and Blacks have had to skulk back to their old lair, don antique
stripes, run out to the (understandable) cry of ‘Kairr-diff! Kairrdiff!’ from their bewildered supporters, and can only sigh for the
lost glory. I don’t want to be-labour this any further other than
by remarking that the concept of Llanelli’s ‘Region’ extending to
North Wales had all the reality of a Soviet statistician inflating
steel production figures in outer Siberia, or that if the Ospreys
are indeed a bird that occasionally flies it is precisely because
they found a new club identity, not a joking regional one. Let’s
just say that if we want to put the heart back into our game we
need to respect the Body and rediscover the Soul.
How do we do that? Well, I was struck the other day when I was
making a documentary film for BBC Wales in their recent Valleys
series, how wish-fulfilment is never the father or mother of the
thought. We need, I argued in the film, to start with where we
are now and what we own as our legacy. So far as the maligned
Valleys are concerned they are, at almost a million people
resident, three times the population of greater Cardiff. And
so, unlike most other European City-Regions where that ratio
(think Dublin, or even Manchester or Barcelona) is reversed, our
Capital-Region is dependent on the Valleys for its bodies. All
attempts to suck those bodies permanently out of the Valleys
to live rather than just work south of the M4 have failed. Do not
think this has not caused resentment amongst estate agents,
city planners, academics, and some employers. They need us,
and for some incomprehensible (to them) reason, we don’t play
the game according to the rules they like to set. My architect
opponent in the film had a final solution - the ‘tough love’ that
would impel some 300,000 people to move, turn the upper
valleys into a National Park and create bijou market towns,
here and there, after bulldozing the terraced housing that is
as much our characteristic landscape as mountains and rivers.
My key point, amongst many, was that we should instead make
the unique proximity of our urban density not the problem
perceived by the unimaginative but the solution predicated by
our history, our culture, and yes, our soul. People live through
Time as well as in Space. That’s what we mean by a Culture.
Let’s be clear, then, when we say ‘We will Never be a Blue’, that
it is not an indictment of those of our players who, perforce,
were, are and probably will be such. It is not nostalgia either
for a Welsh rugby world that has gone as surely as our Valleys
have themselves changed. It is not, too, some kind of denial of
financial necessities in the game (countered in France by public
subsidies as well as private owners). What it is, is a clear-headed
and intelligent defiance of the sloppy wishful-thinking, imported
by an asset-stripping Wizard of Oz, which did not understand
that the only feasible ‘Regions’ in our rugby heartland were East
and West (if needs drive) and that club rugby, where the bodies
once gathered as crowds, was once the authentic heartbeat of
our game. It remains its Soul.
And that is why, when the Welsh XV triumph the broadcasters
still chirrup, ‘They’ll be singing in the Valleys tonight!’ Not, you’ll
note, in the Vale, or the City. Sometimes, as in this contemporary
Wales, there is no desirable Whole without the crucial Part.
Body and Soul. So, over to you Gareth, butt. In your heart you
know it makes sense, and so do all those bodies stubbornly,
proudly, still here, north of the M4, nursing the soul of Welsh
rugby, and waiting for the real Judgement Day to come. If you
want true rugby greatness, sooner rather than later, Mind will
need to come into play again, propped up by Body and Soul and
hooking the ball back so that we can all run forward together.
Professor Dai Smith
w w w . p o n t y . n e t
11
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SWALEC Cup Final
3rd May 2015
w w w . p o n t y . n e t
13
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Offices also at Cardiff, Caerphilly and Cowbridge
“To represent this club is an absolute honour”
Dafydd Lockyer - 6.4.2014
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Position: Lock
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Honours: None
Tomos Williams
Sponsored by:
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Position: Flanker
DoB: 11/11/1978
Height: 6ft
Weight: 14st
Honours: Wales Schools; Wales u 16
Player Sponsors:
Geraint Walsh
Grayson Mills
Aled Summerhill The Laytons
Matthew Nuthall BEMA Engineering
Dale Stuckey
Mr & Mrs S & C Jones / Hold the Flag Gang
Alex Webber
Oldies but Goodies
Lewis I Williams
Mr & Mrs S & C Jones
Chris Clayton
The Get It In Gang
Owen Jenkins
[email protected]
Gavin Dacey
Ann’s Gang
Garyn Smith
Mark & Cheryl Bar Managers
Gary Williams
KCCS
DoB: 16/12/1985
Weight: 17st 3lbs
Sponsored by:
Hold The Line
Gang
Position: Scrum Half
DoB: 01/01/1995
Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 11st 6lbs
Honours: Wales Youth; Wales u 20; Wales Sevens
Dafydd Lockyer
Adam Thomas
Harri Millard
Lewis Morgan
Jarrod Evans
Simon Humberstone
Lewis K Williams
Joel Raikes
Lloyd Williams
Tom Williams
James Howe
Chris Phillips
World of Groggs
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Player Profile
LIAM BELCHER
Getting Personal
Full name: Liam Daniel Belcher
Nickname: Belcher
Birthplace: Church Village
Occupation: Professional rugby player
In a relationship with: Michaela Powell
Favourite Things
Food & Drink: Dominos pizza & Coors light
Cartoon character: Cartman
Colour: Red
Smell: Petrol
Place: Ibiza
Liam Belcher is sponsored by:
Mr & Mrs S & C Jones
Outside the Box
What is the first thing you see when you wake up? The ceiling
If you were an animal, what would it be? Monkey
If you could meet any person, dead or alive, who would it be? Muhammad Ali
What is the weirdest thing you have ever done? I wouldn’t like to say
What is the most important thing in your life? My family
Bradley Thyer
Pat Palmer
Kieron Jenkins
Dillon Lewis
Liam Belcher
Aled Morris
Huw Dowden
Seb Davies
Alex Jones
Craig Locke
Chris Dicomidis
Jack Davies
Steve & Ann
Hold The Line Gang
GMB Union / Family of Terry and Ann Walters
Friends of Pontypridd
Mr & Mrs S & C Jones
GMB Union
Southward Business Computing Ltd/Steve & Ann
Grayson Mills
Ambassador Fire & Security
Mr & Mrs S & C Jones / Howards Birthday Party
Mr & Mrs S & C Jones
Pontypridd Post Office
Hemi Barnes
Dafi Davies
Ellis Jenkins
Jordan Sieniawski
Jake Thomas
Luke Crocker
Dan Godfrey
Wayne O’Connor
Owen Sheppeard
Rhys Shellard
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Vital Statistics
Fixtures And Results – 2014-15 Season
Date
Opponents
Competition
Venue
Result
For
Agst
Cardiff
Neath
Newport
Bridgend
Aberavon
London Scottish
Connacht
Bristol
Bedwas
Llandovery
Ebbw Vale
Llanelli
Bristol
Connacht
London Scottish
Cross Keys
Cardiff
B & I Cup Play Off
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
B & I Cup
B & I Cup
B & I Cup
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
B & I Cup
B & I Cup
B & I Cup
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Rodney Parade
Sardis Road
Talbot Ath. Ground
Sardis Road
Sportsground
Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Church Bank
Eugene Cross Park
Sardis Road
Ashton Gate
Sardis Road
Athletic Ground
Sardis Road
Arms Park
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Lost
Won
Won
Won
Won
Lost
Won
Won
Won
Won
40
38
34
27
35
23
42
13
16
23
27
34
26
29
25
27
14
12
7
12
17
17
17
16
24
13
10
19
10
31
10
17
10
6
Carmarthen Quins
Bargoed
Neath
Worcester Warriors
Bridgend
Bedwas
Ebbw Vale
Llandovery
Ebbw Vale
Llanelli
Llandovery
Cardiff
Cross Keys
Aberavon
Cross Keys
Newport
Carmarthen Quins
Bridgend
Ebbw Vale
Principality Prem.
SWALEC Cup
Principality Prem.
B & I Cup
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
SWALEC Cup
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
SWALEC Cup
Principality Prem.
SWALEC Cup
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
Principality Prem.
SWALEC Cup Final
Premiership play-off
Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Gnoll
Sixways
Brewery Field
Bridge Field
Eugene Cross Park
Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Parc y Scarlets
Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Arms Park
Sardis Road
Pandy Park
Sardis Road
Y Parc
Millennium Stadium
Sardis Road
Won
Won
Won
Lost
Lost
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Lost
14
41
20
10
17
51
22
41
27
61
36
40
33
33
27
36
29
15
0
1028
6
13
18
24
23
14
10
3
0
13
0
10
27
14
19
0
12
19
0
473
2014
6 September
13 September
19 September
27 September
4 October
11 October
19 October
25 October
1 November
7 November
14 November
21 November
30 November
6 December
13 December
20 December
27 December
2015
3 January
10 January
17 January
24 January
31 January
14 February
21 February
28 February
7 March
22 March
28 March
4 April
11 April
14 April
18 April
21 April
25 April
3 May
17 May
Played 35, Won 30 , Drawn 0, Lost 5
22
P o w e r
|
P r i d e
|
P a s s i o n
This afternoon we meet the Steelmen of Ebbw Vale for the fourth time this
season. The record so far is very much to Ponty’s credit, with three wins – two of
them at the Ebbw fortress of Eugene Cross Park. The two clubs have met nineteen
times in the ‘modern’ era of Welsh club rugby, seventeen times in the league and
twice in the cup, and Ponty have won eleven of the league games and both the
cup battles. Ebbw Vale last won at Sardis Road on 3d November 2007.
Pontypridd Ebbw Vale
WON
POINTS
TRIES
13
440
60
5
252
56
Last Five Meetings
Date
31/03/2010
30/03/2013
14/11/2014
21/02/2015
07/03/2015
Venue
Sardis Road
Eugene Cross Park (Cup)
Eugene Cross Park
Eugene Cross Park (Cup)
Sardis Road
Result
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
For
27
23
27
22
27
0
Against
6
22
19
10
2014-15 Principality Premiership Table
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Team
Pontypridd
Ebbw Vale
Cross Keys
Cardiff Rugby
Bedwas
Carmarthen Quins
Aberavon
Llandovery
Llanelli
Neath
Bridgend
Newport
P
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
W
21
15
15
12
11
12
10
9
8
7
5
5
D
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
L
1
7
6
10
11
10
12
12
13
15
16
17
F
673
539
599
483
579
590
411
482
542
378
418
372
A
253
402
449
471
535
488
448
464
728
559
706
563
BP
14
13
9
12
16
11
8
9
11
8
9
9
PTS
94
73
71
60
60
59
48
47
45
36
31
29
Bema Engineering are proud to sponsor
Pontypridd RFC for the 2014-2015 season.
w w w . p o n t y . n e t
23
Vital Statistics
The
Laundrette
7 St Illtyds Road
Church Village
CF38 1DB
01443 205888
Keeping Ponty RFC Clean!
proud sponsors of
Alex Jones
PONTY.NET
The official
Pontypridd RFC website
www.facebook.com/pontypriddrfc
www.twitter.com/pontypriddrfc
24
Pontypridd Squad 2014-15
Appearances and Points to date
Name
Will
Liam
Marc
Chris
Luke
Gavin
Kristian
Dafi
Jack
Seb
Chris
Huw
Jarrod
Taufa’ao
Liam
Dan
Tom
James
Simon
Ellis
Keiron
Owen
Alex
Lewis
Robert
Tavis
Dillon
Craig
Dafydd
Harri
Craig
Aled
Matthew
Wayne
Pat
Chris
Joel
Lou
Rhys
Owen
Jordan
Garyn
Richard
Dale
Aled
Adam
Jake
Bradley
Geraint
Alex
James
Gary
Lewis I
Lewis K
Lloyd
Tomos
Penalty
P o w e r
BAIRD
BELCHER
BREEZE
CLAYTON
CROCKER
DACEY
DACEY
DAVIES
DAVIES
DAVIES
DICOMIDIS
DOWDEN
EVANS
FILISE
FREE
GODFREY
HETHERINGTON
HOWE
HUMBERSTONE
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JONES
JONES
JONES
KNOYLE
LEWIS
LOCKE
LOCKYER
MILLARD
MITCHELL
MORRIS
NUTHALL
O’CONNOR
PALMER
PHILLIPS
RAIKES
REED
SHELLARD
SHEPPEARD
SIENIAWSKI
SMITH
SMITH
STUCKEY
SUMMERHILL
THOMAS
THOMAS
THYER
WALSH
WEBBER
WHITTINGHAM
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
TRIES
|
Started Repl.
0
15
0
10
15
25
0
2
1
10
6
16
4
4
0
22
4
16
21
3
12
18
15
5
0
3
10
19
30
0
0
4
17
18
6
13
3
4
24
5
8
6
0
9
21
1
16
9
9
8
1
3
17
9
15
9
P r i d e
Total
2
4
2
3
7
4
1
1
0
2
0
9
3
1
1
5
4
10
6
0
5
1
4
0
1
0
10
7
3
2
1
12
4
8
7
18
6
0
6
1
9
5
1
8
1
0
8
11
1
2
0
2
1
7
12
2
2
19
2
13
22
29
1
3
1
12
6
25
7
5
1
27
8
26
27
3
17
19
19
5
1
3
20
26
33
2
1
16
21
26
13
31
9
4
30
6
17
11
1
17
22
1
24
20
10
10
1
5
18
16
27
11
|
T
0
7
0
1
3
3
0
2
1
1
0
2
1
0
0
16
0
2
2
1
0
4
0
1
0
2
0
3
5
0
0
1
2
0
1
0
2
0
4
4
1
4
0
8
13
0
10
0
3
3
0
0
8
0
7
4
5
139
C
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
0
0
0
0
0
55
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
18
0
0
0
87
P
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
29
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
12
0
0
0
49
DGs
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
P a s s i o n
Total
0
35
0
5
15
15
0
10
5
5
0
10
45
0
0
80
0
10
219
5
0
20
0
5
0
10
0
15
30
0
0
5
10
0
5
0
10
0
20
20
5
20
0
40
65
0
50
0
15
15
12
0
40
72
35
20
25
1028
The View From Here ...
I seldom go near the bookies, but even I know it’s been a bad
time to back the favourite. Ask Ed Miliband. Instead of riding
to triumph by a short head in a photo finish, the co-favourite
was dumped on his bottom by the punters who switched horses
with less than a furlong to go.
Ask Real Madrid, hot choices for European and domestic glory
two weeks ago, now struggling with either. And oh yes, ask us.
In my office I have a large cardboard-mounted blow up of
a maul crossing the touchline in the 1979 cup final against
Bridgend. It’s a great picture. Chris Seldon in the thick of things,
Bob Penberthy standing off. Touch judge Clive Norling has got
his flag up ( it’s a rear view but no one else had white shorts
THAT tight) and ref Ken Rowlands is putting the whistle to his
lips.
I took it down and put it behind the filing cabinet last week. I
couldn’t concentrate. To lose bravely once is fine, but twice?
Form says Pontypridd are firm favourites for the title today. But
that’s what form said about the Cup Final.
What I think we can say with some certainty is that we’re
in for excitement.While we finished a lofty 21 points above
the challengers, the last few weeks of the play-off race was
genuinely exciting as East comfortably got the better of West.
Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery fell away while Cardiff
flattered to deceive.
In cup and league encounters, I think it’s fair to say that matches
between Ponty, Ebbw and Cross Keys have been the highlight of
the season. In particular the cup semi final at the Arms Park was
astonishingly good to watch. And people are watching. Fifteen
hundred at Ebbw Vale for the play off last Sunday and once
again a cracking game.
This evening, people will have points to prove. One of them
is Dafydd Lockyer. The cup final was a bad day at the office
for everyone, but Dafydd seemed to have gone to work with
someone else’s hands. Someone who couldn’t hang on to the
ball. Over the years, he has been without doubt the centre of
choice at this level of the game. If we ran one of those “most
valuable “ player titles, Daf would have been a shoo-in for MVP.
It just wasn’t his day.
Last week I was delighted to be part of an evening on which
13 Ponty players received their caps as centurions. Dafydd
was presented with his cap for joining the Ponty 200 club. In
all there were 13 caps handed out by Russell Robins, Graham
Gittins , Tom David and Bob Penberthy, who was thrilled to
hand over an elite 300 club cap to Wayne O’Connor. As Bob
said: “300 plus and still playing .That’s pretty amazing.” Quite.
Skipper Lockyer took the microphone to speak on behalf of
the centurions, but managed to speak for us all when he said
quietly at the beginning of his speech - “I don’t want to talk
about last week that’s for sure.” We understand. We lost. OK.
It’s important but it’s not life or death. We move on to the next
game where today Dafydd and the team can let their skills do
the talking. Loud and clear.
For their part, Ebbw Vale will be delighted to have cemented
themselves into the top level of the semi -pro game after those
turbulent years where survival, not prosperity, was the issue.
Welcome to the top table gentlemen , but don’t take it to heart
if you end up with the crumbs. It’s good to see you back. After
all,who could be averse to any side nicknamed “The Steelmen”
yet fielding a prop called Lavender and a second row called
Sweet?
As Shakespeare put it in Romeo and Juliet : ‘That which we call
a rose, By any other name would smell as Sweet.’ Not a word
though about Lavender. The current Ponty team can’t compete
with that, though we did once carry our own Rose on the wing.
Remember Alan?
Hopefully, victory this evening will be our rose, strong enough
to overcome the whiff of wintergreen and long enough to
provide the sustaining smell of success over the summer. See
you in September everyone. And if Shakespeare’s not your bag,
how about the Beach Boys? Let’s get together and do it again....
Peter Johnson
w w w . p o n t y . n e t
25
Proud
sponsors of the
Principality Premiership
www.principality.co.uk
YEARS
Principality Building Society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the
Prudential Regulation Authority, reference number 155998. Principality Building Society, Principality Buildings, Queen Street, Cardiff, CF10 1UA.
www.principality.co.uk
PPPA5 08/14-1
PPPA5 08-14-1.indd 1
12/08/2014 15:48:11
p
the
UA.
4-1
8:11
The Opposition
EBBW VALE
This season has been a dream come true for Ebbw Vale
so far, coming up from the Championship and storming
their way to the second position in the Premiership table
then beating an experienced Cross Keys team in the Play
Off eliminator last Saturday. The supporters at Eugene
Cross Park have been numerous and vocal and the playing
squad is tightly knit and totally committed to the club. This
Premiership Play-Off Final this afternoon is a great end to
Ebbw’s season and a totally deserved chance to compete
for prestigious silverware. Pontypridd’s supporters would
probably rather welcome Ebbw Vale here than any other
Premiership team – the clubs share a local community
ethos and a deep sense of loyalty exists within their playing
squads and the ranks of their supporters. Certainly the visiting Ebbw fans will make more noise than those of any other
Premiership club.
The victory over Cross Keys last Saturday evening showed
exactly why the Steelmen have powered their way to the
top end of the Premiership. Although the first twenty five
minutes offered little flowing rugby with the two outside
halves, Ian Smerdon for Ebbw and Ethan Davies for Keys
bagging a couple of penalties apiece, by half time Ebbw had
suddenly gone up a few gears and had spent the last fifteen
minutes of the first half battering the Cross Keys try-line.
Their reward was a brace of tries, by winger Tom James
and prop John Lavender and the half time home lead of
21-9 seemed a forbidding one. In the second half Keys did
mount a tremendous fightback but Ebbw’s commitment to
last ditch defence and remorselessly pressurising the visitors
into constant errors ensured a final score-line of 27 – 17 to
the Steelmen. Head coach Jason Strange knows that his side
are again on a formidable run of form, having also won their
last three league games impressively, all of them away from
home. He also has key players on top form. In the victory
over Cross Keys, captain Damian Hudd was an imposing
figure and his fellow lock Ashley Sweet had a rampaging
first half. Probably the most influential Ebbw player was
their South African centre Carl Meyer who had a fantastic
game with ball in hand and from the boot and also kicked
two long range penalties in the second half to guide Ebbw
to victory.
Dyma ni eto yn croesawu camerau a thim cynhyrchu Clwb
Rygbi S4C ar ddiwedd tymor hir a a chyffrous arall. Roedd
hi’n hyfryd gweld yr haul yn cynhesu Parc Eugene Cross
dydd Sadwrn dwetha ar gyfer y gem gyn-derfynol, a’r
awyrgylch yn tanio wrth i ddau dim o gewri Gwent ymgiprys
a’i gilydd. Roedd hi’n gem gyffrous ac fel y soniodd Rob
Walters roedd yr angerdd a’r tensiwn yn cynnal y diddordeb
o’r dechre i’r diwedd. Braf oedd gweld newydd-ddyfodiaid
yr adran, Glyn Ebwy yn ennill y dydd yn haeddiannol. Fe
ddwedodd Rhys Downes wrth Morgan Isaac ar ddiwedd y
gem falle fod Pontypridd wedi ennill y teitl ddigon o weithie
yn barod ac mae’n amser i rywun arall fynd draw ‘na nawr
a chymryd y tlws. Ym meddwl Rhys a bois Glyn Ebwy nhw
yw’r tim i wneud hynny. Cawn weld!
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27
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28
P o w e r
|
P r i d e
|
P a s s i o n
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29
Noticeboard
Match Sponsor
Golden Bob Award
Our match sponsor for this afternoon’s
Premiership Play-Off Final against Ebbw Vale
is Ambassador Fire & Security Ltd. The local
company are by now well established and
valued partners of our club. We trust that
representatives and guests will have an enjoyable
time with us at the game today.
The “Golden Bob” award for this afternoon’s
match against Ebbw Vale is sponsored by The
World of Groggs.
The Man of the Match for the last home
Premiership tie
against Newport
was dynamic
forward Luke
Crocker, as
nominated by
sponsors Mr and
Mrs S & C Jones.
Match Hosts
Our Match Hosts for this afternoon’s Premiership
Play-Off Final are Lafarge Tarmac Ltd. We thank
the company for their continued and valued
support, and trust that representatives and
guests will enjoy the match and hospitality with
us today.
Cup Final Mascots
Our two mascots for the SWALEC Cup Final at
the Millennium Stadium were Logan Lockyer
from Abercwmboi and Ioan Burns from Merthyr.
Both did the club
proud by leading
out the team with
skipper Dafydd
Lockyer, and
enjoyed the big
match experience
- apart of course
from the result!
30
P o w e r
|
P r i d e
Bucket Collection
This afternoon’s bucket collection is in aid of ‘CRY’:‘Every week in the UK at least twelve young people die
of undiagnosed heart conditions. Since its formation in
1995, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) has been working
to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death
(YSCD).
CRY supports young people diagnosed with potentially
life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers
bereavement support to families affected by YSCD.
CRY promotes and develops heart screening programmes
and funds medical research.
CRY publishes and distributes medical information
written by leading cardiologists for the general public.
CRY funds fast track
referral, screening and
cardiac pathology services
at leading UK hospitals.’
www.c-r-y.org.uk
Please give generously.
|
P a s s i o n
Today’s Mascot
We welcome Rhodri Hext aged eight as our match
mascot this afternoon. Rhodri attends Ysgol
Pontshonorton and plays for Ponty Minis under 8s. He
has nominated Dafydd Lockyer as his favourite player,
and has family ties with the club as team manager
Richard Langmead is his uncle.
Testimonial Match
The season will end at Sardis Road with a star
studded Testimonial Match in honour of club
stalwarts Dai Thomas and Wayne O’Connor. The
game between Wayne’s Ponty Select XV and Dai’s
All Stars XV takes place on Saturday 30th May
kicking off at 2:30pm. Tickets are on sale priced at
£10 (£8 concession) with hospitality packages also
available. For more information please contact
Wayne Cullen: 07828672385 / [email protected]
Thank you for
the days...
Another epic season of rugby draws
to a close at Sardis Road. Whatever
the outcome of today’s game in
terms of winning trophies, it has
been another successful campaign for
Pontypridd RFC in terms of the squad
performance, the fantastic support
generated and the commitment of
our club sponsors. Ponty Rugby Ltd
extends a sincere vote of thanks
to the players, coaches and staff,
the volunteers and supporters, the
sponsors and partners who continue
to make Pontypridd RFC what it is simply the best!
Club Shop
Another season is almost over, but you can keep your
Ponty kit on all year round! Show your true colours this
summer with a new item of club branded clothing - there’s
something to suit everyone!
Call into the shop this evening to pick your kit - the shop is
stacked full of replica shirts, leisure and training wear, gifts
and accessories. Browse around the shop, or make your
purchase at the click of a mouse by logging on to: www.
ponty.net/e-shop
w w w . p o n t y . n e t
31