Glamorgan Wanderers RFC

Glamorgan Wanderers RFC
Full name Glamorgan Wanderers Rugby Football Club
Nickname(s) The Wands, The Wanderers
Founded 1893[1]
Location Cardiff, Wales
Ground(s) Memorial Ground
Chairman Alyn Humphreys
Coach(es) Matthew Bolton
Captain(s) Lee Highgate
League(s) WRU Division One East
2010-11 14th (Welsh Premier Division)[2]
Team kit
Official website
www.glamorganwanderers.co.uk

Glamorgan Wanderers are a Welsh rugby union club based in Ely, west Cardiff in Wales. The club is located just to the north of Western Cemetery. They currently play in the 1st Division East, having been relegated from the Principality premiership in the 2010-2011 season. Glamorgan Wanderers are a feeder club to the Cardiff Blues.[3]

Glamorgan Wanderers began as the Old Monktonians, formed by ex-pupils of Monkton House School in 1893.[4] In 1913 the team changed their name to Glamorgan Wanderers to reflect the wider intake of their membership. The club played rugby on seven different grounds in the earlier years, including former Cardiff RFC ground Sophia Gardens and Llandaff RFC's pitch Bishop's Field[5], until they were able to purchase their present ground in 1951.[6] The ground was purchased via various fund raising appeals and is named the Memorial Ground in honour of former players who had lost their lives in the two World Wars.[7]

Former President of the club, and of the Welsh Rugby Union, Sir Tasker Watkins Q.C., was awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts in the Second World War.

Contents

Rugby Sevens

The Wanderers were an important influence on rugby sevens in Wales, having hosted the country's first seven-a-side competition in April 1939. The game of seven-a-side rugby had been played in England since 1926, but the Welsh Rugby Union had blocked any attempts for the game to be played for profit. The profits from these first games by Glamorgan Wanderers were donated to charities stipulated by the WRU. [8]

Club honours

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under IRB eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-IRB nationality.

Player Position Union
Ryan Beddows Prop Wales
Darragh Cantillon Prop Ireland
Danny Douthwaite Prop Wales
Carl Kimber Prop Wales
Mark O'Leary Prop Wales
Joseff Russell Prop Wales
Mark Sheppard Prop Wales
Ryan Prosser Hooker Wales
Jonathan Barley Lock Wales
Tom Evans Lock Wales
Alex Luff Lock Wales
Richard Thomas Lock Wales
Mazin Al-Azzawi Flanker Wales
Nick Hampson Flanker Wales
Josh Navidi Flanker Wales
Lee Highgate Number 8 Wales
Reuben Tucker Number 8 Wales
Player Position Union
Tom Rowlands Scrum-half Wales
Harry Trelawney Scrum-half Wales
Tomas Marks Fly-half Wales
David Lakin Fly-half Wales
Robin Lock Centre Wales
Jack Roberts Centre Wales
Joe Xibberas Centre Wales
Rory Budina Wing Wales
Ryan Healey Wing Wales
Owen Marshall Fullback Wales

Notable former players

Notable former youth players

Coaches

Games played against international opposition

Year Date Opponent Result Score Tour
1987 28 October  United States Win 25-6 1987 United States rugby union tour of Wales[9]

References

  1. ^ Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1981-82 ed. Vivian Jenkins ISBN 090757405X
  2. ^ WRU Official Site - Sourced 28 August 2011
  3. ^ BBC News (8 July 2004). "Wales' regional rugby map". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3877085.stm. Retrieved 2008-05-18. 
  4. ^ The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0091738504
  5. ^ The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0091738504
  6. ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 pp331, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
  7. ^ The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0091738504
  8. ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 pp298, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
  9. ^ Jones, Stephen (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988-89. Queen Anne Press. pp. 30–32. ISBN 0356158845.