CWMCARN UNITED RFC HISTORY

This is a brief  very condensed History of the club and is only meant to give a feel for the club, I must apologize if I have not mentioned all events or characters or persons related to the club but hope to include more detail as it becomes available.

Rugby has been played in South Wales for about 150yrs, the game is not a Welsh game but is in fact an English public school and university game.

With the expansion of South Wales as an industrial area there was a great migration of people from the English counties next to South Wales, with this migration came the game of Rugby Football.

Rugby was first played in Cwmcarn in the 1880's and in 1888 the Cwmcarn Stars Rugby Football Club was formed from which Cwmcarn United developed. Not much of the history of this club is known and is lost in the annals of time, what we do know is that the team was in existence until the outbreak of the Second World War having won the Monmouthshire Rugby Cup in 1917 and  the Cyrus Davies Cup in 1933. The Clubhouse for many years for the "Stars" was Cwmcarn Hotel and they played their home games on a field adjacent to Chapel Farm, which later became the Abercarn and Cwmcarn Miners Welfare Ground "The Welfare". We also know that they played in black kit with a amber star emblem.

One notable player from this time was John William Taylor who was a schoolmaster at Pontywaun Intermediate School, Mr. Taylor had been a reserve wing threequarter in 1901 for the Welsh national side and captained the Cwmcarn Rugby team where he played at both wing and outside half, he was also a Lieutenant in The 2nd Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment, a TA reserve regiment which was called up at the beginning of The First World War, Lt Taylor was Killed in action at Ypres on the 12th of March 1915 and is remembered with many other men of Cwmcarn on the war Memorial in the "flower park" Cwmcarn, we can only wonder how many more of the remembered played for the "Stars"

With the outbreak of the second world war the "Stars" went into hibernation like most clubs in South Wales and did not play any games during this time, when the war finally came to an end in August 1945 it was decided to restart the side by a group of miners at Cwmcarn Colliery the "Stars" was dropped from the name and the "United" was added, because of clothes rationing at the time it was impossible to get hold of any kit so it was decided to dye any kit, that could be begged, stole or borrowed, black. Unfortunately the dye was not very good and had a habit of running in wet weather ! this had the unfortunate result of dying the players black and combined with the number of colliers who played for the side they became known affectionately as the "Cwmcarn All Blacks". The Cwmcarn Hotel was again used as the clubhouse and games were played on Worthingtons' Field for the first season as the Welfare ground had been partially turned over to food production for the duration of the war and was unplayable. The emblem that was chosen for the team at this time was a Phoenix rising from the ashes, signifying the reforming of the side after the Second World War, this was later dropped, probably because it looked a little bit like a German eagle, for the current emblem of two Lions rampant reguardant supporting a shield and rugby ball on a field of green. The lions are representative of Owain Glyndwr and the banner he carried in his battles against the English.

During the first couple of years "United" made steady progress in the Junior Union ranks with the side developing steadily and as interest in the club grew in the village and the surrounding areas, the player base became stronger. The results improved with several good runs in the local cup "The Cyrus Davies Cup" and the fixture list became one to be admired with Cwmcarn playing not only local sides but a number of first class sides 2nd XV's, WRU 2nd class sides and sides over the border in the Forrest of Dean and the West country the down side of this was that several players were "poached" by these sides, with several players going on to have success at first class club level, county and international level, for which everyone at Cwmcarn United are very proud.

The closest Cwmcarn came to a perfect season was in 1953/54, when they won all their matches except one, a Cyrus Davies cup match against Crosskeys United.

The first cup final win for Cwmcarn United was in 1957-58 when they won the Cyrus Davies Cup for the first time post war, we have since won the cup another three times 1962-63, 1963-64, 1972-73. The following season the Club competed in the preliminary round of the W.R.U. Challenge Cup Competition narrowly losing to Oakdale RFC 9 - 10. From 1960 to 1966 we entered the Newport and Districts Cup which we won a total six times, at the end of the 1966 season the rules for entering the competition were changed so no Clubs north of Risca could enter, the following year we entered the Pontypool and District cup and duly won the same the following season the rules were changed!! Several attempts were made at this time to gain full WRU status, but all attempts were vetoed by other local WRU clubs.

During the 1960's/70's Cwmcarn United had several clubhouse bases including the famous "Downstairs in the Commercial Inn". In the middle of the 1970's it was decided that a New clubhouse was needed close to our ground as this was in those days a requirement to gain WRU status so a plot of land at the north end of the Welfare was obtained and building work began in 1979/80 with all work being carried out by players and officials of the club. The Clubhouse finally opening in 1983, with Cwmcarn United playing a match against a Mike "Spike" Watkins International XV. The Clubhouse was successful in the first number of years but with changing drinking habits, social change and the problems that came with running a clubhouse, the clubhouse was forced to close in 2001. It now houses the Newbridge Boxing Club made famous by the world boxing champion Joe Calzaghe. Cwmcarn United are currently playing out of Crosskeys RFC.

When the game of Rugby Union turned professional in 1995 every young player believed that they had to be paid for playing rugby union, this had a adverse affect on Clubs like Cwmcarn United, recruitment of players became difficult because we were unable to pay players, some clubs who did pay found to their cost that this did not work. The result for us has been some lean years results wise but in the last two seasons there has been some light at the end of the tunnel with realization by younger players that it is possible to play and enjoy rugby union without being paid for the privilege. We have now a loyal player base who would be a credit to any Club.

Bill Evans and Ray Davies

A special mention must be made of Bill and Ray who were involved with the club for over 40yrs each.

Bill took up the position of Secretary and later Clubhouse Trustee after injury finished his playing career at 23yrs, he served the club from 1953 until the mid '90's when ill health forced him to step down, he was affectionately known as "Mr. Cwmcarn United" and was well known and liked throughout the the communities of Cwmcarn, Abercarn, Newbridge and Crumlin.

Ray never played rugby for Cwmcarn but he was a fervent supporter and Rugby Treasurer for over 40yrs from the early 50's. He worked as a collier at Cwmcarn Colliery and later as a steel worker at Llanwern Steelworks, Ray had a very cutting wit ,would not suffer fools gladly and was the backbone of the club. He was still working as Rugby treasurer until his untimely death in the mid 1990's.

Six generations

to be continued...........................................