Cross Keys RFC
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| Full name | Cross Keys Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Keys | |
| Founded | 1885[1] | |
| Location | Crosskeys, Wales | |
| Ground(s) | Pandy Park (Capacity: 3,000) | |
| President |
 Mike Dudley | |
| Coach(es) |
Morgan Stoddart Greg Woods David Manley | |
| Captain(s) | Leon Andrews | |
| League(s) | Welsh Premier Division | |
| 2010-11 | 6th[2] | |
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| Official website | ||
|
www | ||
Cross Keys RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.[3]
History
Cross Keys are a team that have a remarkable history of achievements for a small and fairly unfashionable club. They first achieved first class-status in 1909, almost forcing their way into the top flight by winning the Monmouthshire league three times. By 1920 the team had their first international player, when Steve Morris won a cap for Wales. Morris would win 19 caps and captained Wales in 1925.[4] Caps followed during the 1920s for Ossie Male and Lonza Bowdler, both returned over several seasons for Wales, facing not only Five Nations Championships but also touring teams.
In 1926 Cross Keys RFC found themselves in dire financial trouble and requested help from the Welsh Rugby Union. The WRU refused an appeal for a cash loan, but instead agreed to send the Welsh national team to play in an exhibition match at Pandy Park. The sell-out crowd assured Cross Keys future and resulted in an historic win for the home team thirteen points to eight.[5]
It has been noted by many observers that the Cross Keys pack during the 1920s was extremely talented but unfairly under represented in the national team.[6] and 1930's[7]
Cross Keys reached the final of the 2011–12 British and Irish Cup losing to Munster A.[8]
Cross Keys won their first Swalec Cup, defeating table topping Pontypridd at the Millennium Stadium in 2012.[9]
Club honours
- Welsh Club Champions - 1921–22, 1935–36
- Welsh Premier Division Runners-Up - 2013–2014
- Swalec Cup Winners - 2011–12
- Swalec Cup Runners-Up - 2013–14
- British and Irish Cup Runners-Up - 2011–12
- Welsh Division One Champions - 1992–93,[10] 1999–00[10]
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Notable former players
The following list is made up of ex-Cross Key players who have all won international caps as either a rugby union or rugby league player.
- See also Category:Cross Keys RFC players
- George Boots
- Taulupe Faletau 38 Wales caps, 1 British and Irish Lions cap
- Frederick Arthur Bowdler (15 caps)[11]
- Archibald "Archie" Brown
- Lloyd Burns (7 caps)
- Ron Herrera (8 caps)[12]
- Jack Hurrell (1 cap)
- Ossie Male (11 caps)[13]
- Steve Morris (19 caps)[13]
- Con Murphy (3 caps)
- Dai Rees
- Fred Reeves (2 caps)[14]
- Rex Richards (1 cap)[14]
- Russell Taylor (3 caps), 1938 British Lions [15]
- Joe Thompson (1 cap) for Wales (RU).[15] Whilst at Leeds (Great Britain RL 12 caps, Wales RL 8 caps, Other Nationalities RL 5 caps)
- Trevor Williams (8 caps)[16]
- Stanley 'Docker' Winmill (2 caps)[17]
Games played against international opposition
| Year | Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | October 9 |  Fiji |
Loss | 12-26 | 1985 Fiji rugby union tour of Wales and Ireland[18] |
References
- ↑ The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales page 178, John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6
- ↑ WRU Official Site - Sourced 12 July 2011
- ↑ BBC News (2004-07-08). "Wales' regional rugby map". BBC. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ↑ A Century of Welsh Rugby Players 1890-1980, Wayne Thomas; Ansells (1979) pg.61
- ↑ The Rugby Clubs of Wales pp149, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0-09-173850-4
- ↑ Smith (1980), pg 259.
- ↑ Smith (1980), pg 282.
- ↑ "BBC Sport - British and Irish Cup: Cross Keys 20-16 Cornish Pirates". BBC Sport.
- ↑ "Swalec Cup: Cross Keys 32-19 Pontypridd". BBC Sport. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
- 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2014-06-06.
- ↑ Smith (1980), pg 463.
- ↑ Smith (1980), pg 466.
- 1 2 Smith (1980), pg 469.
- 1 2 Smith (1980), pg 471.
- 1 2 Smith (1980), pg 472.
- ↑ Smith (1980), pg 473.
- ↑ Smith (1980), pg 474.
- ↑ Stephen Jones, ed. (1986). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1986-87. Queen Anne Press. p. 38. ISBN 0-356-12361-8.
Bibliography
- Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.