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Pontypridd RFC
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are a
Rugby Union team from Wales, playing in the
Welsh Premier Division .
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Pontypridd RFC are generally accepted to have been formed in 1876 by a number of young local men who had moved into the area during the
Industrial Revolution of the late
19th Century . They were represented at the formation meeting of the
Welsh Rugby Union in 1880 and had a player (Edward Treharne) named in the very first Welsh International side in 1881.
In their early days, Pontypridd RFC played their home games at Taff Vale Park in Treforest before moving to the ''People's Park'' alongside the Rhondda River. However in 1908 they moved once more to a new home in Ynysyngharad Park in Pontypridd itself, where they would stay for 65 years.
Often regarded as one of the more unfashionable Welsh clubs even then (unsurprising considering the stature of
Llanelli ,
Swansea ,
Neath ,
Cardiff and
Newport as the at the time), players often found it hard to break into the international team while at Pontypridd, meaning a number would leave for greener pastures each season. Despite this the club were consistently successful, pulling out a string of top-ten performances in the unofficial Welsh league, a competition they won for the first time in the 1962/1963 season.
However the 1970s would bring Pontypridd its first period of real success. Following the redeveloment of the A470 trunk road near their home ground, the team moved to its current home of Sardi Road in Pontypridd in 1974. This move was immediately followed by success in the unofficial league championship, winning it in 1975/76, 1977/78 and 1978/79 whilst never falling from the top four for seven years under the captaincy of two of Pontypridd's greatest ever players -
Bob Penberthy and
Tommy David .
The 1990s saw a huge change in Welsh rugby, especially with the inauguration of the first official Welsh leagues in 1990. Pontypridd were placed in the top (first) division for that season and have never yet been out of the top-level in the Welsh game. They consistently finished in the top five, quite an achievement considering some of the clubs around them were considered much bigger names. Third places in 1991/92, 1993/94 and 1995/96 plus a runner up finish to
Cardiff RFC in 1994/95 was a good a promising return for the club.
However it was in 1996 that the team would win its first official major honour, beating
Neath RFC in the final of the Welsh Cup, a match still considered one of the best ever and an achievement they matched again in 2002. The following season saw them win the Welsh League, narrowly over the same opponents. Both of these successes were obtained by what many consider Pontypridd's best ever team, lead by
Nigel Bezani and including players such as
Ritchie Collins ,
Neil Jenkins and
Dale McIntosh .
From then until 2003 finishes around 5th place were common place as Pontypridd struggled to cope with the added pressures of the nbewly professional game, losing a number of players to larger clubs and relying heavily upon its much admired youth academy system. However in 2003 the
WRU would change the game in Wales forever with the advent of
Welsh Regional Rugby .
After much negotiotion and rumour of a merger with the locally despised
Cardiff RFC that would have seen an end to top-flight rugby in the area, Pontypridd finally found themselves in a more agreeable partnership with
Bridgend RFC , forming the
Celtic Warriors region that would represent the whole of the South Wales Valleys region.
However financial diffiulties at Pontypridd lead the team to sell its stake in the Warriors to
Bridgend RFC benifactor Leighton Samuel and all games were moved away from Sardis Road before the hugely successful region was controversially dissolved by the
WRU in the summer of 2004, much to the horror of many in Wales.
They were then placed under the umbrella of Cardiff Blues 'regional' rugby side by the WRU, the very side that Pontypridd despise. Pontypridd continue to be the top team in the South Wales valleys and are considered by many throughout Wales to be the valleys representative side.
play their home games at '''Sardis Road''',
Pontypridd , South
Wales , with their junior section playing at Taff Vale Park and Coedylan School Fields, Cilfynydd.
Take Junction 32 onto the A470 following the signs for Merthyr Tydfil. Take the exit signposted Pontypridd and Ynysybwl and follow the road around to the left. At the traffic lights, head right towards the Rhondda Valleys. After passing Pontypridd Train Station on your left, the road veers around to the left under a bridge, take the first left at the traffic lights, and Pontypridd Rugby Football Club is on your right.
Follow the A470 for Cardiff, and take the exit signposted Pontypridd and Ynysybwl. At the roundabout take the third exit heading back towards the A470, at the next roundabout, take the second exit for Pontypridd and the Rhondda Valleys. At the traffic lights, head right towards the Rhondda Valleys. After passing Pontypridd Train Station on your left, the road veers around to the left under a bridge, take the first left at the traffic lights, and Pontypridd Rugby Football Club is on your right
The Cardiff trains will take you directly to Pontypridd.
Change at Cardiff Central or Cardiff Queen Street for trains to Pontypridd.
At Pontypridd station, leave through the main exit and head left past Capel Sardis (Sardis Chapel). The road veers around to the left under a bridge, take the first left at the traffic lights, and Pontypridd Rugby Football Club is on your right.
Ponty Rugby Ltd
The Clubhouse
Sardis Road
Pontypridd
Rhondda Cynon Taf
CF37 1HA
+44 (0) 1443 405 006
+44 (0) 1443 407 087
Western Mail Welsh Championship Winners - 1962/1963, 1975/1976, 1977/1978, 1978/1979
WRU Merit Table Winners - 1975/1976
WRU Merit Table Runner up - 1977/1978, 1978/1979
Welsh Premier Division -
1996/1997
Welsh League Runners Up -
1994/1995
Welsh Cup Winners -
1995/1996 ,
2001/2002
Welsh Cup Runners up -
1994/1995 ,
1996/1997
Champions Challenge Cup Winners - 1997
European Rugby Shield Runners Up -
2001/2002
