Garndiffaith Rugby Football Club are 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 ...

club based in

Garndiffaith Garndiffaith is a village located in Torfaen, south east Wales. It is a small rural area situated between Talywain and Varteg, three miles north of the town of Pontypool and 3.5 miles south of the town of Blaenavon (a World Heritage Site). The v ...

in South Wales. The club is a member of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running ...

and is a

feeder club In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

for the

Newport Gwent Dragons Dragons RFC ( cy, Dreigiau) are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport and at other grounds around the region. They play in ...

. The first games played by Garndiffaith RFC took place in 1922 against local sides such as

Caerleon Caerleon (; cy, Caerllion) is a town and community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies northeast of Newport city centre, and southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman ...

College and Pontypool Quins. The club disbanded after the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and reformed on 28 June 1946.

Early history

Garndiffaith Rugby Club (known to locals as Garn) consisted of prominent ex-schoolboys who served as a nursery side for many of the senior clubs. The boys changed and bathed at the Band Club (now the Garndiffaith Workingmen's Club). Washing in half barrel's, with hot water carried from a house opposite the club. Mr Josh Bannions trained the side and they played their rugby on a field which now houses Rock Villa Close. The first Garndiffaith Rugby side was formed in 1922 and their fixtures then consisted of sides like Caerleon College, Llanhilleth All Blacks and Pontypool Quins (who later became Pontypool United RFC) . All were respected sides in the

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

area and during these early years the Garn side were winning more games than they were losing. Gardiffaith's home record occurred in the mid-1920s to the mid-1930s when the club went without being defeated at home for nine seasons. That level of performance attracted a large following of supporters but the record finally broke when Pontypool Quins visited the Garn and won by 3 points to nil. The level of Garndiffaith's play during this period attracted other clubs of senior level, who came to watch them play, which resulted in them becoming a nursery side for other clubs. On one occasion

Pontypool RFC Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool, which plays in the WRU Championship (known as the SWALEC Championship for sponsorship purposes). Due to the regionalisation of Welsh rugby in 2003, Pontypo ...

committee watched the senior team play and within two weeks the whole of the back division turned out for Pontypool. Garndiffaith's top players include Billy Werret, who for five years was reserve inside half to

Wick Powell Wick most often refers to: * Capillary action ("wicking") ** Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp ** Solder wick, a copper-braided wire used to desolder electronic contacts Wick or WICK may also refer to: Places and placename ...

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, ...

and who went on to Captain Pontypool and Arthur Fynn went on to play at Pontypool and gain a Monmouthshire cap.

Post war history

Garndiffaith had to disband during the Second World War. When the war was over there was a local meeting to reform the team, and at a meeting on 28 June 1946 the club was recreated. Players paid one shilling to join and threepence contributions each week. Their ground was Pen-y-lan fields and the committee held their meetings at the Rose & Crown public house which became their headquarters. Their first game was against

Talywain Talywain () is situated in Garndiffaith, Abersychan and Pentwyn in Torfaen in south east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Old mining area It is a semi rural area that has a long heritage in coal mining. The old British C ...

on 1 September 1946. The result was Garndiffaith 5 Talywain 3.

International and first class players

Several players have started with Garndiffaith and have gone on to win international caps. One such player was W. A. Williams who played outside half. He went on to Pontypool where he picked up an injury, when fit again he was left out of the side to face Neath. He then moved to Talywain before moving on to Newport, where he gained three

caps in 1952/53. When his career finished his time with Newport he came back to play for the Garndiffaith at the age of 44. Wilf Parfitt played wing forward for the Garndiffaith and went on to captain Pontypool against the

Springboks The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabokoboko), is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jersey ...

in 1951. The second Welsh international to join Garndiffaith in the early 1950s was Graham Jones. He went from the Garn to

Ebbw Vale Ebbw Vale (; cy, Glynebwy) is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River in Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough. The Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr con ...

, where he won three caps. He returned to coach Gardiffaith and made them stronger in both fitness and ability. Other players from the Garn to go to first class clubs include, Arthur Fynn who went to Pontypool and Willy Beal who joined

Tredegar Tredegar (pronounced , ) is a town and community situated on the banks of the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in the southeast of Wales. Within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the In ...

. Brian Cordy, played his first game in 1953 when just 17 years of age. He captained the side in the 1964/65 season. He also played for Pontypool before returning to Garndiffaith as coach in 1969/70 where he coached the side for ten years. During which time they won the Monmouthshire Union League twice and were runners up twice. The club also won the Ben Francis Cup and came runners up during that period. Cordy went to senior coach and alongside his role at the Garn he helped coach the Monmouthshire Union and Monmouthshire County Sides. In 1979/80 he left the Garn to take up coaching duties at

Abertillery Abertillery (; cy, Abertyleri) is a town and a community of the Ebbw Fach valley in the historic county of Monmouthshire, Wales. Following local government reorganisation it became part of the Blaenau Gwent County Borough administrative area. ...

, who were then a first class club. Cordy is a Life Member of the club.

Club honours

* 2006/07

WRU Division Four East The Welsh Rugby Union Division Four East (also called the SWALEC Division Four East for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union league in Wales. Competition There are 12 clubs in the WRU Division Four East. During the course of a season (which last ...

- Champions * 2008/09

WRU Division Three East The Welsh Rugby Union Division Three East (also called the SWALEC Division Three East for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union league in Wales. Competition format and sponsorship Competition There are 12 clubs in the WRU Division Three East. Du ...

- Champions * 2011/12

- Champions

Notable former players

* W.A. Williams (3 caps, 1953/54)''Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981'', David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp473 * Graham Jones (3 caps, 1963) Current Squad :forwards :R. Jenkins - Hooker/Back Row :A. Lomas - Hooker/Back Row :A. Bayliss - Prop :A. Davies - Prop/Hooker :A. Jenkins - Prop/Centre :K. Saunders - Prop :I. Beale - Lock/Back Row :S. Bradbury - Lock/Back Row :L. Jefford - Lock/Back Row (C) :W. Waters - Lock :D. Carter - Back Row/Lock :C. Clark - Back Row :J. James - Back Row/Hooker :J. Sinnett - Back Row

References

{{Authority control Rugby clubs established in 1922 Rugby union teams in Wales