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 the WRU Admiral Championship. 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,[3] until they were able to purchase their present ground in 1951.[4] The ground was purchased via various fund raising appeals and is named the Memorial Ground in honour of former players who had died in the two World Wars.[3]
| Full name | Glamorgan Wanderers Rugby Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Wands | ||
| Founded | 1893[1] | ||
| Location | Cardiff, Wales | ||
| Ground(s) | Memorial Ground (Capacity: 3000) | ||
| Chairman | Alyn Humphreys | ||
| Coach(es) |  Paul Matthews | ||
| Captain(s) | Joshua Male | ||
| League(s) | WRU Championship East | ||
| 2023/24 | 9th[2] | ||
| |||
| Official website | |||
| www | |||
Former President of the club, and of the Welsh Rugby Union, and Deputy Lord Chief Justice, Sir Tasker Watkins, V.C., G.B.E., D.L. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding bravery in the Second World War.
Rugby Sevens
editThe 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.[5]
Club honours
edit- Snelling Sevens 1986 - Champions
- Glamorgan County Silver Ball Trophy 1999-00 - Winners
Coaches
edit- Head Coach (and backs coach) - Paul Matthews - Forwards Coach - Lee Highgate - Ceri Jones - S&C Coach - Team Manager - Mark Gould
Current squad
editNote: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
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Notable former players
editThe following players have represented Glamorgan Wanderers and have been capped at international level.
Games played against international opposition
edit| Year | Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 28 October |  United States
|
Win | 25-6 | 1987 United States rugby union tour of Wales[6] |
References
edit- ^ Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1981-82 ed. Vivian Jenkins ISBN 0-907574-05-X
- ^ "Tables : SWALEC Leagues | Welsh Rugby Union | Official Website". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ^ a b c The Rugby Clubs of Wales p. 122, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0-09-173850-4
- ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 p. 331, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
- ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 p. 298, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)
- ^ Jones, Stephen (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988-89. Queen Anne Press. pp. 30–32. ISBN 0-356-15884-5.