Glamorgan Wanderers RFC

For the invitational county club, see Glamorgan County RFC.
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC
Full name Glamorgan Wanderers Rugby Football Club
Nickname(s) The Wands
Founded 1893[1]
Location Cardiff, Wales
Ground(s) Memorial Ground
Chairman Alyn Humphreys
Coach(es) Wales Matthew Bolton
Captain(s) Wales Lee Highgate
League(s) WRU Championship
2011-12 8th[2]
Team kit
Official website
www.glamorganwanderers.co.uk

Glamorgan Wanderers are a Welsh rugby union club based in Ely, west Cardiff in Wales. The club is located just to the north of Western Cemetery. They currently play in WRU Championship, having been relegated from the Welsh Premier Division in the 2010-2011 season.

Glamorgan Wanderers began as the Old Monktonians, formed by ex-pupils of Monkton House School in 1893.[3] In 1913 the team changed their name to Glamorgan Wanderers to reflect the wider intake of their membership. The club played rugby on seven different grounds in the earlier years, including former Cardiff RFC ground Sophia Gardens and Llandaff RFC's pitch Bishop's Field,[4] until they were able to purchase their present ground in 1951.[5] The ground was purchased via various fund raising appeals and is named the Memorial Ground in honour of former players who had lost their lives in the two World Wars.[6]

Former President of the club, and of the Welsh Rugby Union, Sir Tasker Watkins Q.C., was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding bravery in the Second World War.

Rugby Sevens

The Wanderers were an important influence on rugby sevens in Wales, having hosted the country's first seven-a-side competition in April 1939. The game of seven-a-side rugby had been played in England since 1926, but the Welsh Rugby Union had blocked any attempts for the game to be played for profit. The profits from these first games by Glamorgan Wanderers were donated to charities stipulated by the WRU.[7]

Club honours

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Haval Ibrahim Prop Wales Wales
Ryan Beddows Prop Wales Wales
Darragh Cantillon Prop Ireland Ireland
Danny Douthwaite Prop Wales Wales
Carl Kimber Flanker Wales Wales
Ross Grimstone Hooker Wales Wales
Joseff Russell Prop Wales Wales
Mark Sheppard Prop Wales Wales
Jonathan Barley Lock Wales Wales
Tom Evans Lock Wales Wales
Alex Luff Lock Wales Wales
Richard Thomas Lock Wales Wales
Mazin Al-Azzawi Flanker Wales Wales
Nick Hampson Flanker Wales Wales
Josh Navidi Flanker Wales Wales
Lee Highgate Number 8 Wales Wales
Dan Richards Number 8 Wales Wales
Player Position Union
Rhys Griffiths Scrum-half Wales Wales
Tim Cronin Scrum-half Wales Wales
Gareth Cull Fly-half Wales Wales
Rhys Gosling Fly-half Wales Wales
Charlie Johnson Centre Wales Wales
Ciaran Driscoll Centre Wales Wales
Joe Xibberas Wing Wales Wales
Dan Lovell Wing Wales Wales
Rory Budina Wing Wales Wales
Ryan Healey Wing Wales Wales
Owen Marshall Fullback Wales Wales
Mike Stephens Fullback Wales Wales
Elliot Jones Fullback Wales Wales

Notable former players

The following players have represented Glamorgan Wanderers and have been capped at international level.

Coaches

Games played against international opposition

Year Date Opponent Result Score Tour
1987 28 October  United States Win 25-6 1987 United States rugby union tour of Wales[8]

References

  1. Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1981-82 ed. Vivian Jenkins ISBN 0-907574-05-X
  2. WRU Official Site
  3. The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0-09-173850-4
  4. The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0-09-173850-4
  5. Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 pp331, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
  6. The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0-09-173850-4
  7. Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 pp298, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
  8. Jones, Stephen (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988-89. Queen Anne Press. pp. 30–32. ISBN 0-356-15884-5.
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