Cwmgors RFC

Cwmgors RFC

Full name	Cwmgors Rugby Football Club
Nickname(s)	Cherries
Founded	1927
Location	Cwmgors, Wales
Ground(s)	Parc-y-werin, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
President	Michael Irons
Coach(es)	Barry Morgan Chris Jones Paul Caines Dorian Jones (Team Manager)
Captain(s)	Jamie Bradley
League(s)	WRU Division Five South West
2009–10	11th[1]
Team kit
Official website
www.cwmgorsrfc.com

Cwmgors Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club that represents the villages of Cwmgors, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen and Tairgwaith, West Wales. Cwmgors RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys.^[2]

Curwen Stars

Although Cwmgors RFC did not come into existence until 1927 rugby had been played in the town from 1895. A team called the All Blacks was formed in the town in 1895, this team would later change its name to the Curwen Stars. The Curwen Stars joined the Llanelli and District Rugby Union in 1900, and eventually joined the Welsh Rugby Union in 1913 showing the credibility of this team. In 1923 a second team formed in the village, made up from members of the Cwmgors Colliery called the 'Mond' team, named after the owner of the colliery Alfred Mond. The 'Mond' boasts future Welsh captain Claude Davey as one of its players. In 1927 both the Curwen Stars and the Mond both disbanded and severed all union connections. In that year a new team then emerged called Cwmgors RFC which joined the Swansea and District Rugby Union.

1930s–1990

In 1938 Cwmgors RFC collected their first notable trophy when they won the Swansea and District Challenge Cup and that year gained membership of the WRU. In 1950 the club changed their home ground from Parc Howard to Parc y Werin, also changing their headquarters from the on public house, the New Star Hotel, to another, the Caegurwen Arms.

Club honours

1st XV

• Swansea and District Challenge Cup 1938 – Winners
• West Wales RFU Challenge Cup – Winners
• West Wales Cup 1969/70 – Winners
• West Wales RU Section E 1987/88 – Winners
• West Wales RU Section C 1993/94 – Winners
• WRU League 7B West 1995/96 – Champions
• WRU Division Six West 2002/03 – Champions
• WRU Division Four South West 2003/04 – Champions
• WRU Tovali Bowl Winners 2003/4

2nd XV

• Swansea and District RU Section D Winners 1980/1
• Swansea and District RU Merit Table Winners 2005/6

Youth XV

• Amman Valley Youth RU League Winners 1968
• Amman Valley Youth RU Cup Winners 1968

Notable former players

• Claude Davey (23 caps)^[3] (as part of the 'Mond' colliery team)
• Will Davies (4 caps)^[4] (as part of the 'Mond' colliery team)
• Gareth Edwards (53 caps)
• Emrys Evans (3 caps)^[4]
• Denzil Thomas (1 cap)^[5]

References

1. ^ WRU official site
2. ^ BBC News (2004-07-08). "Wales' regional rugby map". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3877085.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-02. 
3. ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881–1981 pp464, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
4. ^ ^{a b} Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881–1981 pp465, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
5. ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881–1981 pp472, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)