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Posted (edited)

From the moment the cup draw was made I intended to go to this fixture as it’s only 30-40 mins down the road from me in Cardiff. Life’s been hectic of late so was unsure I’d get there today but lo and behold I did and had my RU coaching brother in law in tow.

Driving down, he asked me what sort of result I expected to see. That depended on multiple factors A) availability for both teams B) the conditions C) how Blackbrook’s journey down was. I eventually reckoned Blackbrook by 30. I’ve watched enough of the Welsh domestic league to know how good Aberavon and Jets et al can be but also am aware of the wide gap of standard in the sole south Wales league and how this means the better teams always struggle for intensity and coherency through their seasons.

Any team journeying from up north are no mugs but Aberavon’s pack stood up tall and an impressive kicking game from their stand off gave them good footing to take a lead into the second half. At least 3 from AFI have played League One and that was crucial. Alan Pope and Archie Whillock strong and physical in a tough middle. 

Blackbrook had a few rough calls against them and some handling errors contributing to Aberavon’s foothold. Eventually fitness and guile got the St Helens club comfortably over the line with a late flurry of tries. What was most noticeable to me was how their attacking shape looked far more natural having been rehearsed through a ‘full’ season and tested week in week out. Aberavon only threw such shape successfully once or twice and that’s the impact of playing in the RU off season only - not that all of their players are dual code!

Aberavon is a town on the up, with a beautiful beach and a seafront with swanky bars and pubs (two of which are run by WRL head honcho Richard Hibbard!) - the hosts today Aberavon Green Stars RU are just off the front and it’s a cracking place to watch any type of rugby: ample car parking, spacious clubhouse, hot food hatch and snacks on offer outside, merchandise for Aberavon RL inside. 

A healthy crowd paying £5 entry was a welcome sight - maybe numbering 300/400 (Mr Hibbard one of them) - Lots of RU playing teammates in the crowd for AFI players can only be a good thing, the game itself was an enjoyable watch and hopefully one or two will be tempted to give league a try this summer either here or at another club in the Welsh league.

Evesdropping some of the conversations of the above, it reiterated to me how so many of the younger RU playing crowd in south Wales are knowledgable and very perceptive to League - thanks in part to them watching NRL on TV each weekend before playing union themselves and the legacy of Regan Grace who’s from these parts can’t be underestimated at all. South Wales towns champion their hometown heroes like no other. There’s a cracking mural just up the road of him at Aberavon Quins RUFC that is testament to that.

Blackbrook deservedly march on and conducted themselves brilliantly on* and off the pitch. The real winner today I felt was the new level of respect the south Wales leagues now deserve and hopefully close results like this continue. 5-10 years ago this is a drubbing! Hopefully those days are going as more and more kids play league and transition into the men’s game down here with similar upbringings to their counterparts in Leeds, St Helens and Wigan.
 

It must also be said that there was an element of ‘cup fever’ in town - all generations in the crowd from all corners of this part of the world, lots of jerseys represented. This felt like a big day for Aberavon Fighting Irish RFLC.
 

*Two of their interchanges decided to chat their way through a minutes silence at the start of the game. I know this was noticed by a few on the sideline and I hope a note of gentle guidance was afforded to both of them from somebody in their camp. 
 

 

Edited by welshmagpie
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Posted
15 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

From the moment the cup draw was made I intended to go to this fixture as it’s only 30-40 mins down the road from me in Cardiff. Life’s been hectic of late so was unsure I’d get there today but lo and behold I did and had my RU coaching brother in law in tow.

Driving down, he asked me what sort of result I expected to see. That depended on multiple factors A) availability for both teams B) the conditions C) how Blackbrook’s journey down was. I eventually reckoned Blackbrook by 30. I’ve watched enough of the Welsh domestic league to know how good Aberavon and Jets et al can be but also am aware of the wide gap of standard in the sole south Wales league and how this means the better teams always struggle for intensity and coherency through their seasons.

Any team journeying from up north are no mugs but Aberavon’s pack stood up tall and an impressive kicking game from their stand off gave them good footing to take a lead into the second half. At least 3 from AFI have played League One and that was crucial. Alan Pope and Archie Whillock strong and physical in a tough middle. 

Blackbrook had a few rough calls against them and some handling errors contributing to Aberavon’s foothold. Eventually fitness and guile got the St Helens club comfortably over the line with a late flurry of tries. What was most noticeable to me was how their attacking shape looked far more natural having been rehearsed through a ‘full’ season and tested week in week out. Aberavon only threw such shape successfully once or twice and that’s the impact of playing in the RU off season only - not that all of their players are dual code!

Aberavon is a town on the up, with a beautiful beach and a seafront with swanky bars and pubs (two of which are run by WRL head honcho Richard Hibbard!) - the hosts today Aberavon Green Stars RU are just off the front and it’s a cracking place to watch any type of rugby: ample car parking, spacious clubhouse, hot food hatch and snacks on offer outside, merchandise for Aberavon RL inside. 

A healthy crowd paying £5 entry was a welcome sight - maybe numbering 300/400 (Mr Hibbard one of them) - Lots of RU playing teammates in the crowd for AFI players can only be a good thing, the game itself was an enjoyable watch and hopefully one or two will be tempted to give league a try this summer either here or at another club in the Welsh league.

Evesdropping some of the conversations of the above, it reiterated to me how so many of the younger RU playing crowd in south Wales are knowledgable and very perceptive to League - thanks in part to them watching NRL on TV each weekend before playing union themselves and the legacy of Regan Grace who’s from these parts can’t be underestimated at all. South Wales towns champion their hometown heroes like no other. There’s a cracking mural just up the road of him at Aberavon Quins RUFC that is testament to that.

Blackbrook deservedly march on conducted themselves brilliantly on* and off the pitch. The real winner today I felt was the new level of respect the south Wales leagues now deserve and hopefully close results like this continue. 5-10 years ago this is a drubbing! Hopefully those days are going as more and more kids play league and transition into the men’s game down here with similar upbringings to their counterparts in Leeds, St Helens and Wigan. 
 

*Two of their interchanges decide to chat their way through a minutes silence at the start of the game. I know this was noticed by a few on the sideline and I hope a note of gentle guidance was afforded to both of them from somebody in their camp. 
 

 

Really pleasing to see what looks like a decent turnout there.

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Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

Really fair match report by Welshmagpie. I'm so glad you made the trip.

I wish you'd let me know, I'd have got you a pint. 

''I was there'' and it was a great day for us.

I thought Blackbrook were really slick and their individual skills and well rehearsed attacking and defensive formations, combined with their speed and physicality were a pleasure to behold.

Our lads made a good fist of it until (as is often the case in intense RL matches) they tired in the last 10 minutes and Blackbrook scored 3 tries.

A very positive and lasting impression was created in our little home town which will carry us forward into next season on a high. Thanks to Blackbrook for their enormous contribution. 

My only regret (and it's irked me for decades) is that 11 of our 17 players played RaRa the day before.

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Posted

Love your work, great report!  How is the Welsh participation in the CC usually determined?  Will it definitely be AFI again next year?  A different team?  Multiple teams?  How does it all work?  

I love it as well when the Welsh or Scottish teams get drawn at home.  I also hope in the near future they start allowing the Irish team to play at home, if that is what they are drawn (as was the case this year).  They have been participating for years now, surely they have earned it. 

Posted
2 hours ago, langpark said:

Love your work, great report!  How is the Welsh participation in the CC usually determined?  Will it definitely be AFI again next year?  A different team?  Multiple teams?  How does it all work?  

I love it as well when the Welsh or Scottish teams get drawn at home.  I also hope in the near future they start allowing the Irish team to play at home, if that is what they are drawn (as was the case this year).  They have been participating for years now, surely they have earned it. 

Usually winners of the local league. In years gone by it’s also been determined by the highest finishing Welsh club in the southern conference - namely Valley Cougars. 

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Posted
6 hours ago, langpark said:

Love your work, great report!  How is the Welsh participation in the CC usually determined?  Will it definitely be AFI again next year?  A different team?  Multiple teams?  How does it all work?  

I love it as well when the Welsh or Scottish teams get drawn at home.  I also hope in the near future they start allowing the Irish team to play at home, if that is what they are drawn (as was the case this year).  They have been participating for years now, surely they have earned it. 

You mean in addition to North Wales Crusaders who have, of course, played in the Challenge Cup competition for the last 14 years.

 

Excellent report @welshmagpie. Glad to hear there was a decent turnout and that the Fighting Irish gave Blackbrook a decent game.

Posted
2 hours ago, gogledd said:

You mean in addition to North Wales Crusaders who have, of course, played in the Challenge Cup competition for the last 14 years.

Yes I was talking specifically about the community clubs.

Posted
6 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

Usually winners of the local league. In years gone by it’s also been determined by the highest finishing Welsh club in the southern conference - namely Valley Cougars. 

The Welsh, Irish & Scottish governing bodies choose who their invite goes to which is usually the grand final winners. Same with all the leagues. They chose who get the invites.

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Posted (edited)

From those pictures it looks like it could be anywhere in Cumbria or any of the Pennine playing RL towns, industrial units included. But for a quirk of history, they would have been “heartlands’ for a 120 years or so. 
 

Unfortunately, these areas seem to be passed over with the same lazy tropes about “posh’ people playing rugby. Clearly they’re cut from the very same cloth as the northern towns where RL holds sway.
 

Hopefully, with a little more time and development, in the future they can be looked on as a heartland team themselves!

 

Edited by The 4 of Us
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Posted
10 hours ago, fighting irish said:

Really fair match report by Welshmagpie. I'm so glad you made the trip.

I wish you'd let me know, I'd have got you a pint. 

''I was there'' and it was a great day for us.

I thought Blackbrook were really slick and their individual skills and well rehearsed attacking and defensive formations, combined with their speed and physicality were a pleasure to behold.

Our lads made a good fist of it until (as is often the case in intense RL matches) they tired in the last 10 minutes and Blackbrook scored 3 tries.

A very positive and lasting impression was created in our little home town which will carry us forward into next season on a high. Thanks to Blackbrook for their enormous contribution. 

My only regret (and it's irked me for decades) is that 11 of our 17 players played RaRa the day before.

Great to see Alan Pope still playing, fair play.

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, The 4 of Us said:

From those pictures it looks like it could be anywhere in Cumbria or any of the Pennine playing RL towns, industrial units included. But for a quirk of history, they would have been “heartlands’ for a 120 years or so. 
 

Unfortunately, these areas seem to be passed over with the same lazy tropes about “posh’ people playing rugby. Clearly they’re cut from the very same cloth as the northern towns where RL holds sway.
 

Hopefully, with a little more time and development, in the future they can be looked on as a heartland team themselves!

 

South Wales Rugby union has more in common with rugby league in England than it does with RU.

I drove past many rugby pitches today on the way to a job, villages like Ynysybwl, Rhydyfelin, Treharris - none would look out of place in Yorkshire, Lancs or Cumbria.

  • Like 4
Posted
17 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

South Wales Rugby union has more in common with rugby league in England than it does with RU.

I drove past many rugby pitches today on the way to a job, villages like Ynysybwl, Rhydyfelin, Treharris - none would look out of place in Yorkshire, Lancs or Cumbria.

If only they have sense to come over.

Posted
20 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

South Wales Rugby union has more in common with rugby league in England than it does with RU.

I drove past many rugby pitches today on the way to a job, villages like Ynysybwl, Rhydyfelin, Treharris - none would look out of place in Yorkshire, Lancs or Cumbria.

I still believe that if the Rfl approached several ru clubs they would at least go dual code and possibly defect. The clubs hate the WRU and if support was offered…

Posted
1 hour ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:

I still believe that if the Rfl approached several ru clubs they would at least go dual code and possibly defect. The clubs hate the WRU and if support was offered…

Thats what I have said all along with Wales and the Scottish Borders even Teeside.

Posted
3 hours ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:

I still believe that if the Rfl approached several ru clubs they would at least go dual code and possibly defect. The clubs hate the WRU and if support was offered…

When these clubs how much many they would be given they would just laugh at the amount. They only hate the wru because they won't give them the money they think they are entitled to.

  • Like 1
Posted
On 12/01/2025 at 19:50, welshmagpie said:

From the moment the cup draw was made I intended to go to this fixture as it’s only 30-40 mins down the road from me in Cardiff. Life’s been hectic of late so was unsure I’d get there today but lo and behold I did and had my RU coaching brother in law in tow.

Driving down, he asked me what sort of result I expected to see. That depended on multiple factors A) availability for both teams B) the conditions C) how Blackbrook’s journey down was. I eventually reckoned Blackbrook by 30. I’ve watched enough of the Welsh domestic league to know how good Aberavon and Jets et al can be but also am aware of the wide gap of standard in the sole south Wales league and how this means the better teams always struggle for intensity and coherency through their seasons.

Any team journeying from up north are no mugs but Aberavon’s pack stood up tall and an impressive kicking game from their stand off gave them good footing to take a lead into the second half. At least 3 from AFI have played League One and that was crucial. Alan Pope and Archie Whillock strong and physical in a tough middle. 

Blackbrook had a few rough calls against them and some handling errors contributing to Aberavon’s foothold. Eventually fitness and guile got the St Helens club comfortably over the line with a late flurry of tries. What was most noticeable to me was how their attacking shape looked far more natural having been rehearsed through a ‘full’ season and tested week in week out. Aberavon only threw such shape successfully once or twice and that’s the impact of playing in the RU off season only - not that all of their players are dual code!

Aberavon is a town on the up, with a beautiful beach and a seafront with swanky bars and pubs (two of which are run by WRL head honcho Richard Hibbard!) - the hosts today Aberavon Green Stars RU are just off the front and it’s a cracking place to watch any type of rugby: ample car parking, spacious clubhouse, hot food hatch and snacks on offer outside, merchandise for Aberavon RL inside. 

A healthy crowd paying £5 entry was a welcome sight - maybe numbering 300/400 (Mr Hibbard one of them) - Lots of RU playing teammates in the crowd for AFI players can only be a good thing, the game itself was an enjoyable watch and hopefully one or two will be tempted to give league a try this summer either here or at another club in the Welsh league.

Evesdropping some of the conversations of the above, it reiterated to me how so many of the younger RU playing crowd in south Wales are knowledgable and very perceptive to League - thanks in part to them watching NRL on TV each weekend before playing union themselves and the legacy of Regan Grace who’s from these parts can’t be underestimated at all. South Wales towns champion their hometown heroes like no other. There’s a cracking mural just up the road of him at Aberavon Quins RUFC that is testament to that.

Blackbrook deservedly march on and conducted themselves brilliantly on* and off the pitch. The real winner today I felt was the new level of respect the south Wales leagues now deserve and hopefully close results like this continue. 5-10 years ago this is a drubbing! Hopefully those days are going as more and more kids play league and transition into the men’s game down here with similar upbringings to their counterparts in Leeds, St Helens and Wigan.
 

It must also be said that there was an element of ‘cup fever’ in town - all generations in the crowd from all corners of this part of the world, lots of jerseys represented. This felt like a big day for Aberavon Fighting Irish RFLC.
 

*Two of their interchanges decided to chat their way through a minutes silence at the start of the game. I know this was noticed by a few on the sideline and I hope a note of gentle guidance was afforded to both of them from somebody in their camp. 
 

 

Good to hear this post getting a mention on the League Express podcast. 

Posted
On 14/01/2025 at 21:49, Impartial Observer said:

When these clubs how much many they would be given they would just laugh at the amount. They only hate the wru because they won't give them the money they think they are entitled to.

Yep.

"Hi can you can join our league please?"

"What, who's this?"

"Rugby Football League. We'd like to invite you to join our League One, we think you'd be a great fit."

"Kind I'm sure. What will you offer?"

"Absolutely nothing. Not a bean. And within a couple of years of you joining, we will change the rules so your participation is conditional on you paying for the travel and subsistence of all the Northern clubs."

"Hwyl!"

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I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

Posted
4 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

South Wales RL is thriving under the WRL. I think that the immediate help the RFL can provide is to set up a regional comp so that South Wales has a team to represent them. 

Genuine Q - why does the RFL need to do that, not the WRL? Is it because the region would be cross-border?

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

Posted
2 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

Genuine Q - why does the RFL need to do that, not the WRL? Is it because the region would be cross-border?

Exactly, yeah - get a South Wales rep team to play against English regions. Regular Wales vs England tests is too big for a first step.

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