- Blaina RFC
Rugby team
teamname = Blaina RFC
fullname = Blaina Rugby Football Club
nickname = Lambs
location =Blaina ,Wales
country
founded = 1875
ground = Central Park
capacity =
president =
coach =
league =WRU Division Three East
season = 2007/08
position = 5th [ [http://www.wru.co.uk/1149_2152.php WRU Official Website - Sourced 18th May 2008] ]
url =Blaina Rugby Football Club are a Welsh
rugby union club based inBlaina in the county borough ofBlaenau Gwent inWales . They presently play in theWelsh Rugby Union Division Three East league and are a feeder club for theNewport Gwent Dragons . [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]History
Towards the end of the 19th century industrialism in the late
Industrial Revolution was spreading through theSouth Wales Valleys . With the migrant workers into theSouth Wales coalfield came the game ofrugby union and in 1875 players from local sides amalgamated to form a club which played on a ground provided by the Lancaster company.Their chief patron and founder was a Mr. Sidney Lancaster. ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980), pp27 ISBN 978-0708307663] The club applied for and was accepted into the
Welsh Rugby Union in 1895. ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp101 ISBN 978-0708307663 ]In May 2006 Blaina RFC were one of the 13 'Rebel' clubs who brought a vote of no confidence against the
WRU , which centered around financing and the handling of former coachMike Ruddock 's departure. The vote failed heavily with only 20 votes for the motion and over 300 against. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/4768525.stm Welsh clubs give backing to Union - BBC Sports, sourced 16th Aug 2007] ]Notable players
*
Tom Clapp (14 caps) - Wales captain
* Mike Ruddock
* Jack Williams (7 caps) ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981", David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp473 ISBN 978-0708307663 ]References
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