Cross Keys RFC () is a

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

club located in the Welsh village of

Crosskeys Crosskeys () is a village, community (Wales), community and an Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, electoral ward in Caerphilly county borough in Wales. Etymology The village was originally named Pont-y-cymer and this remains ...

. The club is a member of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the 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 of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ...

, and is a feeder club for the

Dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...

regional team.

History

The club achieved first class-status in 1909, winning the Monmouthshire league three times. By 1920 the team had their first international player, when Steve Morris won a cap for

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. Morris would win 19 caps and captained Wales in 1925. Caps followed during the 1920s for

Ossie Male Ossie Male (31 December 1893 – 23 February 1975)
Scrum.com was a Welsh international full back who played club rugby for ...

and Lonza Bowdler, both returned over several seasons for Wales, facing not only Five Nations Championships but also touring teams. In 1926 Cross Keys RFC found themselves in dire financial trouble, and requested help from the

. The WRU refused an appeal for a cash loan, but instead agreed to send the Welsh national team to play in an exhibition match at Pandy Park. The sell-out crowd assured Cross Keys future and resulted in an historic win for the home team thirteen points to eight. Rugby observers have noted the high level of talent in the Cross Keys pack, and criticised the fact they went under represented in the national team during the 1920sSmith (1980), pg 259. and 1930s.Smith (1980), pg 282. Cross Keys reached the final of the

2011–12 British and Irish Cup The 2011–12 British and Irish Cup was the 3rd season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. First round matches began on Wednesday 21 September 2011 and the final was held on Fri ...

, losing to Munster A. Cross Keys won their first Swalec Cup, defeating table topping

Pontypridd Pontypridd ( , ), Colloquialism, colloquially referred to as ''Ponty'', is a town and a Community (Wales), community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, approximately 10 miles north west of Cardiff city centre. Geography Pontypridd comprises the ...

at the Millennium Stadium in 2012.

Club honours

* Welsh Club Champions - 1921–22, 1935–36 * Welsh Division One Champions - 1992–93, 1999–00 *British and Irish Cup Runners-Up - 2011–12 *Swalec Cup Winners - 2011–12 * Swalec Cup Runners-Up - 2013–14 *Welsh Premier Division Runners-Up - 2013–2014 * WRU Admiral Championship East Promotion (3rd) - 2023-24

Current squad

Notable former players

The following list is made up of ex-Cross Keys players who have all won international caps as either a rugby union or

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

player. :''See also :Cross Keys RFC players'' * George Boots * Taulupe Faletau 38

caps, 1

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland, Scotland national rugby union team, Scotland, and ...

cap * Frederick Arthur Bowdler (15 caps)Smith (1980), pg 463. * Archibald "Archie" Brown *

Lloyd Burns Lloyd Burns (born 9 December 1984, Panteg) is a former Wales international rugby union player. Burns played in the hooker position and played his club rugby for Newport Gwent Dragons having made his debut in the 2008–09 season. He previousl ...

(7 caps) *

Mervyn Hicks Mervyn "Merv" John Hicks (born 1943) is a Welsh former rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played rugby union club football in Wales for the Cross Keys RFC, rugby league club football in ...

(Great Britain Rugby League) *

Ron Herrera Ron Herrera is an American labor leader, who served as the President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor (colloquially called the "Fed") until his resignation on October 10, 2022, following the disclosure of his presence during a conver ...

(8 caps)Smith (1980), pg 466. *

Jack Hurrell John Richard "Jack" Hurrell (17 August 1933 – 2003) was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Cross Keys RFC, Tredegar and Newport. He was awarded just one cap for Wales facing France in the 1959 Five Nations Cha ...

(1 cap) *

Ossie Male Ossie Male (31 December 1893 – 23 February 1975)
Scrum.com was a Welsh international full back who played club rugby for ...

(11 caps)Smith (1980), pg 469. * Steve Morris (19 caps) * Con Murphy (3 caps) *

Gerwyn Price Gerwyn Price (born 7 March 1985) is a Welsh professional darts player and former professional rugby union and rugby league player. He competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked PDC Order of Merit, world ...

* Dai Rees * Fred Reeves (2 caps)Smith (1980), pg 471. * Rex Richards (1 cap) * Russell Taylor (3 caps), 1938 British LionsSmith (1980), pg 472. * Joe Thompson (1 cap) for Wales (RU). Whilst at

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

( Great Britain RL 12 caps, Wales RL 8 caps, Other Nationalities RL 5 caps) * Trevor Williams (8 caps)Smith (1980), pg 473. * Stanley 'Docker' Winmill (2 caps)Smith (1980), pg 474.

Games played against international opposition

Past season performance

2006/06-2009/10 2010/11-2019/20 2020/21-

References

Bibliography

External links

Official Site of Cross Keys RFC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross Keys Rfc Rugby union teams in Wales Rugby clubs established in 1885 1885 establishments in Wales Sport in Caerphilly County Borough