South Wales RLFC (1995)

Former rugby league club in Wales

South Wales RLFCClub information

Colours| Red, green and white
Founded| 1995
Exited| 1997
Former details
Ground(s)|

* Talbot Athletic Ground (3,000)
* Morfa Stadium (1,200)
* Cardiff Arms Park (12,500)

South Wales RLFC was a rugby league club formed in 1995. South Wales during their existence played at Morfa Stadium, Swansea, the Talbot Athletic Ground, Aberavon and Cardiff Arms Park.

A team formed in late 2009 also used the name South Wales RLFC before going on to become known as South Wales Scorpions then South Wales Ironmen before moving to West Wales and playing as West Wales Raiders.

## History

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### History of rugby league in South Wales

[edit]

The South Wales region had always been an attractive area to the rugby league because of its similarities to Yorkshire and Lancashire in having a mass industrial population which followed rugby enthusiastically. In 1907 a team representing Aberdare was formed, and by 1908-09 there were six Welsh rugby league teams with clubs based in Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Tydfill, Mid Rhondda, Treherbert and Barry. All of these clubs were defunct by 1912. Ebbw Vale survived the longest, five seasons.

Encouraged by the 22,000 strong crowd which attended the Wales vs England match in 1926, local promoters established a club in Pontypridd. The club initially experienced good sized crowds however poor results soon saw attendances drop, and the club only lasted eight games into its second season before folding.

A team was formed in Cardiff and played in the 1947/48 and 1951/52 seasons.

Rugby league would not revisit south Wales until 1981 to 1985 when the Cardiff City Blue Dragons existed as a club. Much like its predecessors initial interest waned when the club suffered from poor results, low attendances and a relocation to Bridgend before they finally disbanded at the end of the 1985 season.

### South Wales RLFC

[edit]

South Wales RLFC during their first season (1996) in the Rugby Football League were reasonably successful and came fifth in the second division; winning twelve games and losing ten. Games were played at Talbot Athletic Ground Aberavon, one game was played at Morfa Stadium Swansea against Bramley and all the games for the second half of the season were at Cardiff Arms Park. They were coached by Clive Griffiths and assisted by Danny Sheehy.[1]

Initially the club had no playing kit of their own so they borrowed the Welsh international team's kit for the first three games. After that they wore a specially designed plain red strip with the traditional three feathers logo to distinguish them from the national side.

The first home game played at Aberavon on 31 March 1996 saw an attendance of 1,876, when the club played Hull Kingston Rovers and lost 70-8. Crowds fluctuated depending upon where the club played, and the last home game of the season saw a crowd of only 400 witness the club defeating York 20-16 at Cardiff Arms Park.

Due to the relative success of the club and their geographical location outside the heartlands of British rugby league, the club had high hopes that it would be awarded a Super League franchise. A case was put forward by Mike Nicholas and Clive Griffiths and was initially accepted after a 16-11 vote by the RFL council. However at the beginning of September, the RFL Board of Directors refused a final endorsement of a Super League place with a £1 million guarantee of support deemed 'insufficient'. The franchise was then awarded to Gateshead Thunder instead. A meeting a few days later decided to place the South Wales in the second tier of British rugby league, the First Division, but the club decided that this would not be financially viable and the decision was made to disband the club altogether before the start of the 1997 season.

## Players

[edit]

During their first, and only, season South Wales utilised forty-two players.[2]

№ | Name | Date of Birth (Age) | Début | Position | Appearances | Tries | Goals | Drop goals | Points | Age on Début | Representative | Records/Notes

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1 | Ioan Bebb |  (1970-09-02) 2 September 1970 (age 54) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Fullback | 16 | 7 | 45 | 0 | 118 | 25 yrs 6 mths 29 days |  | Search for "Bebb" at rugbyleagueproject.org
2 | Ian Perryment |  (1972-11-28) 28 November 1972 (age 52) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Right wing | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 23 yrs 4 mths 3 days |  | Search for "Perryment" at rugbyleagueproject.org
3 | Andy Currier |  (1966-04-08) 8 April 1966 (age 59) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Right-Centre | 22 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 29 yrs 11 mths 23 days |  |
4 | Mike Riley |  (1970-11-22) 22 November 1970 (age 54) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Left-Centre | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 25 yrs 4 mths 9 days |  | [3]
5 | Sean Marshall |  (1968-06-01) 1 June 1968 (age 57) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Left wing | 21 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 27 yrs 9 mths 30 days |  | Search for "Marshall" at rugbyleagueproject.org
6 | David Rees |  (1965-09-23) 23 September 1965 (age 59) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Stand-off | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 30 yrs 6 mths 8 days |  | Search for "Rees" at rugbyleagueproject.org
7 | James Churcher |  (1973-05-28) 28 May 1973 (age 52) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Scrum-half | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 22 yrs 10 mths 3 days |  | for "Churcher" at rugbyleagueproject.org
8 | Barry Picton |  (1972-04-29) 29 April 1972 (age 53) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Left-Prop | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 yrs 11 mths 2 days |  | Search for "Picton" at rugbyleagueproject.org
9 | Byron Lloyd |  (1970-04-19) 19 April 1970 (age 55) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Hooker | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 yrs 11 mths 12 days |  | Search for "Lloyd" at rugbyleagueproject.org
10 | Hugh Waddell |  (1958-11-13) 13 November 1958 (age 66) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Right-Prop | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 36 yrs 6 mths 30 days |  | alternative (incorrect?) date of birth of 1 September 1959 given at walesrugbyleague.co.uk
11 | Matthew Taylor |  (1973-04-28) 28 April 1973 (age 52) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Left-Second-row | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 yrs 11 mths 3 days |  | Search for "Taylor" at rugbyleagueproject.org
12 | Andrew Lippiatt |  (1975-10-16) 16 October 1975 (age 49) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Right-Second-row | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 yrs 5 mths 15 days |  | Search for "Lippiatt" at rugbyleagueproject.org
13 | Dave Williams |  (1967-05-20) 20 May 1967 (age 58) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) | Loose forward | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 28 yrs 10 mths 11 days |  Heritage № 376 |
14 | James Alvis |  (1970-09-01) 1 September 1970 (age 54) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) |  | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 25 yrs 6 mths 30 days |  | Search for "Alvis" at rugbyleagueproject.org
15 | Mike Jarman |  (1971-09-14) 14 September 1971 (age 53) | 31 March 1996 (1996-03-31) |  | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 yrs 6 mths 17 days |  | Search for "Jarman" at rugbyleagueproject.org
16 | John McAtee |  (1975-11-11) 11 November 1975 (age 49) | 5 April 1996 (1996-04-05) |  | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 yrs 4 mths 25 days |  | [4]
17 | Anthony Hatton |  (1975-10-09) 9 October 1975 (age 49) | 5 April 1996 (1996-04-05) |  | 21 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 20 yrs 5 mths 27 days |  | Search for "Hatton" at rugbyleagueproject.org
18 | Nick Romanello |  (1968-04-22) 22 April 1968 (age 57) | 5 April 1996 (1996-04-05) |  | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 yrs 11 mths 14 days |  | Search for "Romanello" at rugbyleagueproject.org
19 | Mark Isherwood |  (1969-03-09) 9 March 1969 (age 56) | 5 April 1996 (1996-04-05) |  | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 yrs 0 mths 27 days |  | Search for "Isherwood" at rugbyleagueproject.org
20 | Clint Rylance |  (1973-09-01) 1 September 1973 (age 51) | 5 April 1996 (1996-04-05) |  | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 yrs 7 mths 4 days |  | Search for "Rylance" at rugbyleagueproject.org
21 | Anthony Thomas |  (1967-07-19) 19 July 1967 (age 58) | 5 April 1996 (1996-04-05) |  | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 yrs 8 mths 17 days |  | Search for "Thomas" at rugbyleagueproject.org
22 | Mike Healy |  (1965-08-29) 29 August 1965 (age 59) | 8 April 1996 (1996-04-08) |  | 8 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 40 | 30 yrs 7 mths 10 days |  | Search for "Healy" at rugbyleagueproject.org
23 | Mark Wysocki |  (1965-06-16) 16 June 1965 (age 60) | 8 April 1996 (1996-04-08) |  | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 30 yrs 9 mths 23 days |  | Search for "Wysocki" at rugbyleagueproject.org
24 | Neil Kelly |  (1973-01-20) 20 January 1973 (age 52) | 12 April 1996 (1996-04-12) |  | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 23 yrs 2 mths 23 days |  | Search for "Kelly" at rugbyleagueproject.org
25 | Ian Moffatt |  (1970-06-30) 30 June 1970 (age 55) | 12 April 1996 (1996-04-12) |  | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 yrs 9 mths 13 days |  | Search for "Moffatt" at rugbyleagueproject.org
26 | John Fieldhouse |  (1962-06-28) 28 June 1962 (age 63) | 21 April 1996 (1996-04-21) |  | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 yrs 9 mths 24 days |  |
27 | Gerald Williams |  (1968-01-04) 4 January 1968 (age 57) | 21 April 1996 (1996-04-21) |  | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 28 yrs 3 mths 17 days |  |
28 | Nigel Morris |  (1974-10-02) 2 October 1974 (age 50) | 5 May 1996 (1996-05-05) |  | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 21 yrs 7 mths 3 days |  | Search for "Morris" at rugbyleagueproject.org
29 | Paul Williamson |  (1969-11-27) 27 November 1969 (age 55) | 12 May 1996 (1996-05-12) |  | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 26 yrs 5 mths 15 days |  | [5]
30 | Steve Warburton |  (1969-02-06) 6 February 1969 (age 56) | 12 May 1996 (1996-05-12) |  | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 27 yrs 3 mths 6 days |  | [6]
31 | Paul Moriarty |  (1964-07-16) 16 July 1964 (age 61) | 17 May 1996 (1996-05-17) |  | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 31 yrs 10 mths 1 days |  Heritage № 350 |
32 | Gerald Cordle |  (1960-09-29) 29 September 1960 (age 64) | 26 May 1996 (1996-05-26) |  | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 35 yrs 7 mths 27 days |  Heritage № 357 |
33 | Mark Wallington |  (1972-07-12) 12 July 1972 (age 53) | 26 May 1996 (1996-05-26) |  | 14 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 23 yrs 10 mths 14 days |  | [7]
34 | Paul Mills |  (1974-04-17) 17 April 1974 (age 51) | 16 June 1996 (1996-06-16) |  | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 22 yrs 1 mths 30 days |  | Search for "Mills" at rugbyleagueproject.org
35 | Nick Jenkins |  (1974-02-24) 24 February 1974 (age 51) | 16 June 1996 (1996-06-16) |  | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 22 yrs 3 mths 23 days |  | [8]
36 | Stewart Cash |  (1973-01-12) 12 January 1973 (age 52) | 16 June 1996 (1996-06-16) |  | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 yrs 5 mths 4 days |  | Search for "Cash" at rugbyleagueproject.org
37 | Shane McIntosh |  (1968-12-22) 22 December 1968 (age 56) | 23 June 1996 (1996-06-23) |  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 yrs 6 mths 1 days |  | Search for "McIntosh" at rugbyleagueproject.org
38 | Neil Mawdsley |  (1972-07-28) 28 July 1972 (age 53) | 30 June 1996 (1996-06-30) |  | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 23 yrs 11 mths 2 days |  | [9]
39 | Marcus Barnard |  (1970-10-07) 7 October 1970 (age 54) | 30 June 1996 (1996-06-30) |  | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 25 yrs 8 mths 23 days |  | Search for "Barnard" at rugbyleagueproject.org
40 | Nigel Edmunds |  (1969-06-27) 27 June 1969 (age 56) | 14 July 1996 (1996-07-14) |  | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 yrs 0 mths 17 days |  | Search for "Edmunds" at rugbyleagueproject.org
41 | Paul John |  (1970-01-25) 25 January 1970 (age 55) | 14 July 1996 (1996-07-14) |  | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 yrs 5 mths 19 days |  | Search for "John" at rugbyleagueproject.org
42 | John Doherty |  (1977-01-06) 6 January 1977 (age 48) | 28 July 1996 (1996-07-28) |  | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 19 yrs 6 mths 22 days |  | Search for "Doherty" at rugbyleagueproject.org

## Seasons

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Season  | League  | Play-offs

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Division  | P  | W  | D  | L  | F  | A  | Pts  | Pos
1996 | Division Two | 22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 528 | 548 | 24 | 6th  | Did not qualify

## See also

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* Sport in Cardiff
* Rugby league in Wales

## References

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* Fletcher, Raymond (1997). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1997. Headline Book Publishing. p. 120\. ISBN 978-0-7472-7764-4.
* Farrer, Dave (1995). Touch and Go: A History of Professional Rugby League in London. p.6: London League Publications Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9526064-0-6.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location (link)
* Golden, Ian (2009). A Welsh Crusade: Building Rugby League in Wales 1990 to 2009. London League Publications Ltd. ISBN 978-1-903659-47-2.

1. ^ "The final (so far) attempt to establish a Welsh professional Rugby League team was the South Wales Club which played for the 1996 season in the Second Division". members.tripod.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. ^ "South Wales RLFC 1996". walesrugbyleague.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. ^ "Mike Riley Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. ^ "John McAtee Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
5. ^ "Paul Williamson Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
6. ^ "Steve Warburton Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
7. ^ "Mark Wallington Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
8. ^ "Nick Jenkins Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
9. ^ "Neil Mawdsley Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.