Llanharan RFC

Rugby team
teamname = Llanharan RFC
fullname = Llanharan Rugby Football Club
nickname = Black and Blues, Dairymen
location = Llanharan, Wales
country

founded = 1891
ground = The Dairy Field
capacity =
chairman = Adrian Tattersall
coach =
league = WRU Division One East
season = 2007-08
position = 6th [ [http://www.wru.co.uk/1146_1089.php WRU official site - Sourced 18th May 2008] ]
url = www.llanharanrfc.org.uk
pattern_la1=_blue_hoops| pattern_b1=_tpe1984_home| pattern_ra1=_blue_hoops| leftarm1=000000| body1=000000| rightarm1=000000| shorts1=000AAA| socks1=000FAA

Llanharn Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Llanharan, South Wales. Llanharan RFC were formally established in 1891-92 when Llanharan was little more than an agricultural hamlet. The earliest photograph on the club house wall is dated 1898. Llanharan RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3877085.stm |title=Wales' regional rugby map |author=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=2004-07-08 |accessdate=2008-05-18]

Early history

The earlier years of Llanharan RFC's history saw the club use local hostelries such as the High Corner and Turberville as a base. Llanharan RFC achieved the status of membership of the Welsh Rugby Union. Llanharan RFC applied for Welsh Rugby Union membership in 1919 along with Pontyclun and Taffs Well. All three clubs were awarded membership on August 22 of that year, but were told to "put your grounds in order". [Hard Kicks but Good Touches - A Celebration of 100 years of Rugby at Pontyclun R.F.C. 1887-1987, John David (1987) pg28 ISBN 0905928776]

In 1948 the first purpose built headquarters/changing rooms, were transported from RAF Llandow airfield. A clubhouse was built in 1962 on the site of the old British Restaurant. The original building was a wartime hut, transported piece by piece from the RAF Stormy Down camp and progressively enlarged into three bars and a concert hall. Llanharan RFC moved out of the old club in 2002 into new premises in the former British Legion club on the opposite side of Bridgend Road.

Grounds

Llanharan RFC play their matches at "The Dairy Field", so called because of the adjacent CWS, Milk Depot which closed in the late 1960s after 50 years of milk processing. The club purchased the ground in 1989, having played all its previous seasons on the Welfare Ground. Llanharan RFC marked the advent of the national league by playing their first game on the new field against Aberavon Quins to open the 1990-91 season.

Colours

Llanharan RFC play in black shirts and shorts with three light blue horizontal hoops across the chest. The choice of colours is said to relate to impoverished bygone years when a sympathetic Cardiff gave a set of their kit to the club– the black and Cambridge Blue has been worn ever since. In respectful appreciation Llanharan henceforth called themselves the “Black and Blues” as opposed to the “Blue and Blacks.”

Club badge

The badge is symbolic of the village’s history and culture. The four quarters show:
• A sheaf of corn – pre coal mining Llanharan was very much a pretty agricultural village with its picturesque stone cottages clustered around important buildings such as the church, corn mill and blacksmith, much of the economy related to the needs of the Llanharan House estate.
•A Llanharan spaniel - reputed to be a distinctive breed at a time when the estate also boasted its own pack of hunting hounds.
•The parish church of St Julius and Aaron - an ancient foundation that boasts a Tudor chalice.
•A pit head winding gear - reflecting the coal mining that dominated the village for almost a century.

The Llanharan crest also houses a black cross to commemorate the six players who lost their lives on 12th March 1950 in the Llandow air disaster.

Club honours

*Glamorgan County President's Cup - 2004/05 - Winners

Notable former players

* Gareth Llewellyn
* Glyn Llewellyn
* Garfield Owen

External links

* [http://www.llanharanrfc.org.uk/ Llanharan Rugby Football Club]

References