Cardiff rugby

Rugby is played in Cardiff in both rugby league and rugby union forms.

Cardiff RFC and the Arms Park

The rugby union side Cardiff RFC was formed in 1876 and has always been one of Wales's leading sides. Playing at the famous Arms Park ground, Cardiff RFC became well known throughout the rugby world due to the large number of notable players who donned the team's colours as well as for the club's results against touring international sides.

Since 2002, there have been two XVs based at the Arms Park with Cardiff Blues playing in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup while Cardiff RFC play in the Welsh Premier Division.

Glamorgan Wanderers And Other Rugby Union Clubs

Glamorgan Wanderers RFC are another Welsh Premiership club based in the city. They play in the Ely area and are a well established first class club having been part of the old Merit Table structure.

Other WRU affiliated clubs in the Cardiff area are:

UWIC RFC (1st Division),
Fairwater RFC and Old Illtydians (WRU Division Three South East), Rumney RFC (WRU Division Three East).
Cardiff HSOB RFC and St. Peters RFC (both Division 4 East)
Llandaff RFC and Llandaff North RFC (both Division 4 South East)
Canton RFC and Rhiwbina RFC (both Division 5 East)

CIACS

One of Cardiff's more notable minor Rugby Union teams is Cardiff Internationals Athletic Club, normally shortened to CIACS (pronounced "kayaks"). Despite never being affiliated with the WRU, they have a rich history. Formed in the docks area of the city known as Tiger Bay in 1946, CIACS has always reflected the multicultural nature of the docks area, hence the name Cardiff Internationals. The club is best known for having produced Billy Boston, who went on to become a legendary rugby league player in the 1950's.

Cardiff Demons

Rugby league in Cardiff is currently represented by the successful Cardiff Demons side, a team that has produced a handful of Super League players and Welsh internationals in its short existence. They have played at three grounds in and around the Cardiff area. Having previously been at Taffs Well RFC and Old Penarthians RFC, they have now settled at the brand new St Peters ground in the East of Cardiff.

UWIC Rugby League

UWIC are consistently one of the best university sides in Great Britain having won the national title twice in the early part of this century. They have produced a number of players for Cardiff Demons and the successful Wales Students side.

Cardiff's Rugby League history

The first attempt to bring rugby league to the capital was in 1949 when a Welsh League was formed. Cardiff were joined by teams from Amman Valley, Llanelli, Aberavon, Bridgend, Ystradgynlais, Neath and Pontarddulais.

Cardiff were champions of the very first competition in 1949-50 but were denied a double after Ystradgynlais beat them in the Final. Llanelli were winners of the competition the year after but that didn’t stop Cardiff being elected to the Rugby Football League Championship in 1951.

The League at the time consisted of 31 clubs in one division who each played a 36 game season. Cardiff finished 30th with a record of 5 wins and 31 defeats – only Liverpool City were below them.

With that the club and Welsh Rugby League at club level, was wound up for 30 years.

In 1981, Cardiff City Blue Dragons were formed and played out of Ninian Park, Cardiff under the captaincy of David Watkins. The club enjoyed reasonable success and attracted high-profile Rugby Union converts such as Steve Fenwick, Tommy David, Brynmor Williams and Paul Ringer. In 1984 the club was moved to Bridgend where it lasted just one more season before folding.

The success of Wales at international level in the 1990s led to the formation of South Wales RLFC. Coached by Clive Griffiths and managed by Mike Nicholas, the team played at Morfa Stadium, Swansea, Aberavon RFC’s World of Hurt and at Cardiff Arms Park. However, the club only lasted one season in Rugby League’s debut summer season of 1996. Finishing fifth in Division Two, the club had high hopes that it would be awarded a Super League franchise and although a strong case was put forward by Nicholas and Griffiths the Super League clubs refused to award it a place for the coming season and the club was wound up but the Cardiff Demons under-21 academy side were formed the year after. This side lasted for four seasons and were then replaced by the current open-age side who play in the Rugby League Conference.

ee also

*Sport in the United Kingdom
*Rugby union in Wales
*Rugby league in Wales
*Cardiff RFC
*Cardiff Blues
*Cardiff Demons