Treherbert RFC

Rugby team
teamname = Treherbert RFC
fullname = Treherbert Rugby Football Club

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nickname = The Devils
location = Tynewydd, Wales
country

founded = 1879
ground = Tynewydd R.M. Park
capacity =
president = M. J. Hollifield
coach =
league = WRU Division Two East
season = 2007-08
position = 6th [ [http://www.wru.co.uk/1147_2160.php WRU Official web site] ]
url = www.treherbertrugby.com
pattern_la1=| pattern_b1=| pattern_ra1=| leftarm1=FF0000| body1=FF0000| rightarm1=FF0000| shorts1=000000| socks1=000000

Treherbert Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Tynewydd in the Rhondda Valley. Treherbert RFC play home games in red shirts with black shorts and black socks. Today, Treherbert RFC plays in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Two East league and are a feeder club for Cardiff Blues. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3877085.stm |title=Wales' regional rugby map |author=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=2004-07-08 |accessdate=2008-05-18]

Early history [ [http://www.treherbert-rfc.com/page5.html Treherbert RFC, The First Sixty Years by Desmond Barnett - Sourced 11/08/2007] ]

In 1875 the newly established coal mines of Treherbert brought workers from Aberdare and Merthyr and with them the game of rugby ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp102 ISBN 0 7083 0766 3] ; and that year saw their first recorded rugby game between a team of players from Treherbert and a team from Merthyr who already had a well established "town" side. On 18th January 1879 a team from Treherbert travelled to Cardiff to play the city team. By 1884 Treherbert had established regular fixtures with the Cardiff Second XV, Merthyr, Aberdare and Pontypridd.

The club's first major success came in 1889-90 by means of the Glamorgan League Championship, a title they were to win on another five occasions. In 1895 Treherbert RFC applied for and were successful in achieving WRU affiliation. ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp101 ISBN 0 7083 0766 3]

Early in the 1920s another club was formed in the neighbourhood, Blaen­rhondda. They played on a field belonging to a local farmer and under the guidance of Mr. T. L. Mort, the local Colliery Agent, the Hay Field was transformed into a rugby pitch. However, after struggling during a difficult period in the early 1920's the team was close to disbanding. Around this time the private company that owned the Treherbert R.F.C.'s field sold the Hay Field to Great Western Railway and the Treherbert Club found themselves without a home. With Treherbert homeless and Blaenrhondda struggling to survive, the future appeared rather dim. In 1929 Treherbert RFC disbanded due to financial troubles ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp259 ISBN 0 7083 0766 3] and the remains of the team moved the mile up the valley to Blaenrhondda to merge with the smaller club. The merged teams of Treherbert and Blaenrhondda (until 1954 known as Blaenrhondda when the Club changed back to Treherbert R.F.C.) now playing on Blaenrhondda Park won the Rhondda and East Glamorgan League in 1935-36 as well as winning the Coleman Cup twice.

Notable past players

* Stan Davies (1 Cap) ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp465 ISBN 0708307663]
* David 'Tarw' Jones (13 Caps) ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp467 ISBN 0708307663]

Reference