Blackwood Rugby Football Club is a
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
team. Blackwood RFC was established in
Blackwood in 1889 and in 1918 gained the status of membership of the
Welsh Rugby Union. They play their home games at Glan-Yr-Afon Park.
History and development
In the 1960s the club purchased an old police station and converted it for use as a clubhouse.
In 1997 a new 800-seater stand was constructed with the capital coming from match sponsorship and donations.
In 1998 Blackwood RFC purchased approximately one and a half acres of land adjacent to its playing field at Glan-Yr-Afon from
British Gas
British Gas (trading as Scottish Gas in Scotland) is an energy and home services provider in the United Kingdom. It is the trading name of British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited, both subsidiaries of Centrica. Servi ...
. This purchase also included an on site disused gas service centre. This property was purchased with the full support of the WRU.
In 2002 the club undertook a renovation of the gas service centre. The old clubhouse in Hall Street was closed in the May 2003 with the focus of developing a new clubhouse for the start of the 2003 season. The new clubhouse opened for the start of the new season in September 2003. Blackwood also run a Youth team and a large mini section.
Present status
Today, Blackwood RFC plays in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Two.
They won the 2008-2009 title Division 1 title with a win against Bargoed at Glan-Yr-Afon Park on 11 April 2009, but were unable to face
Carmarthen Quins in a play-off for promotion to the
Welsh Premier Division
The Welsh Premier Division, () known for sponsorship reasons as the Indigo Group Premiership, (''Uwch Gynghrair grŵp indigo'') is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) for the 1990–91 season.
Compet ...
as their ground was deemed to not meet WRU standards.
Carmarthen Quins and Blackwood are champions of Swalec league
Walesonline.co.uk 13 April 2009
Club honours
* 2008/09 WRU Division One East
The Welsh Rugby Union Specsavers Division One East is a rugby union league in Wales. It was 'born' out of a restructure of the former league system that had formally begun in Wales for the 1990/91 season. As a result of the restructure of 2006, t ...
- Champions
External links
Blackwood Rugby Football Club
References
{{Rugby Wales links
1889 establishments in Wales
Welsh rugby union teams
Rugby clubs established in 1889