PLAYERS REUNION DINNER

It was over 50 years ago that Tom Lloyd Ellis, Jack Evans and Bev Thomas took the field wearing the gold and black colours of North Wales. On Friday, 17th April, at the Imperial Hotel, Llandudno, they were able to celebrate their achievements, for the first time, at a unique players reunion dinner.
Over the past 2 months Rygbi Gogledd Cymru CIC, the Cooperative established to take the regional team to the Premiership, has assembled a list of over 600 players who have represented North Wales. Three hundred and fifty of these have been traced and on Friday over 60 were present at the dinner.
The guest of honour was Robin McBryde but British Lions Geoff Evans and Mike Roberts were also there as were Internationals Tony Gray and Ian Buckett.
It promised to be a night to remember. There were clips of North Wales v Tonga and North Wales v Western Samoa, programmes, memorabilia and press clippings were shown, there were live links with Australia and Robin McBryde ended the evening with a forthright and challenging speech.
"Much has been achieved," commented McBryde "But it is commitment which will see this through. By commitment I mean the ability to keep doing the things that need to be done long after the enthusiasm has disappeared. North Wales has the opportunity to be innovative and to do something different and it needs to decided exactly what sort of region it will be"
Addressing the players, Kenton Morgan, Rygbi Gogledd Cymru CIC, Chair said, "It your effort and your achievements that have kept the torch of North Wales rugby burning. We are proud of you and we want to celebrate and reward your achievements."

U20 WOMENS INTERNATIONAL: WALES 8 - ENGLAND 26

On a sunny warm April afternoon, Parc Eirias welcomed future stars of the women’s game. Wales U20 played their English counterparts in front of an enthusiastic and vociferous crowd of around 500.

From the kick off it was clear that this was going to be a hard fought game with crunching tackles from both sides. Wales took and early lead through a penalty by Elinor Snowsill but an infringement soon after allowed England to equalize; Claire Garner kicking the goal.

The first half remained a close encounter with both sides penalized repeatedly for infringements in the contact area. Gogledd Cymru centre, Ceri Redmund and partner Adi Taviner were impressive but their penetrating runs were thwarted by a defiant English defence. An unconverted try, out wide, by England second row Harriet Mills put the visitors 8-3 ahead at the half time break. It was clear that this was going to be no walk over for the English side.

During the break, the crowd were entertained to an U15 sevens match between Colwyn Bay Mermaids and Sandbach with both teams providing a great advertisement for the community game.

Wales remained in contention in the second half. Even with the score at 19-8 the end result was uncertain.

England extended their lead at the beginning of the second half through a try by Hunt followed by a penalty by fly half Garner. Wales kept up the pressure with input from Gogledd Cymru substitutes Sian Williams and Yasmin Leung and in the 53rd minute a try by centre Taviner put the home team back in the game.

The game as sealed by a last minute break which put Lizell Heather over for a try. Final score 26-8

Scorers:
Wales: Try – Taviner; Pen – Snowsill
England: Tries: Mills, Hunt, Heather; Con: Garner; Pens: Garner (3)

Wales Team
15 Kerin Lake, 14 Charlotte Murray, 13 Adi Taviner, 12 Ceri Redman+, 11 Paris Nicholas, 10 Elinor Snowsill (C), 9 Natalie Watkins, 1 Alex Stokes, 2 Amy Lawrence, 3 Lowri Harries, 4 Sian Williams, 5 Sioned Harries, 6 Kathryn Joseph, 8 Vicky Owens, 7 Carys Thomas. Replacements: 16 Cory Toule, 17 Sophie Mangano, 18 Sian Williams+, 19 Yasmin Leung+, 20 Bethan Preece, 21 Levi Hallett, 22 Rhianydd Morgan.+ Gogledd Cymru Player

Gogledd Cymru 21 VVA Monino 76

A feast of rugby was enjoyed last night at Parc Erias when Gogledd Cymru hosted Russian club champions VVA Monino. The match was only confirmed onThursday 2nd April when Steve Diamond former Sale and Saracens coach asked his previous clubs and Worcester to suggest a fixture at short notice. Both had no reservations in recommending Gogledd Cymru. WRU permission was given on Monday and Rygbi Gogledd Cymru's management team and Conwy Council are to be congratulated on staging such a prestigious game at short notice. Monino are Russia’s premier Club boasting the majority of the Russian national team .Russia are ranked 16th in IRB ratings ahead of Japan and Rumania.

The bright spring evening commenced with the national anthems. The Russian visitors sang with passion bringing echoes of their famous anthem heard on the victory podium of past Olympic games.

They took their passion onto the field of play and after weathering the home side's enthuastic start they came to the fore with sublime rugby skills and power. At the end of the first quarter they had scored three well worked tries which brought the appreciative crowd to their feet. The home side to their credit stuck to their task and against the run of play scored two breakaway tries through Rhodri Carlton Jones and wing Richie Hopkins both converted by Jones.

The Russian visitors then moved up a gear and scored further tries to make the halftime score 49-14 in their favour.

After the interval they carried on in the same vein with fast open rugby which provided great entertainment to the appreciative crowd. Their outstanding half backs orchestrated scintillating moves. At times the Gogledd Cymru boys were struggling to keep up the pace. Although outgunned, in their usual dogged fashion, they persevered and after going through good phases of play they scored a converted try through their impressive centre Jack Moorhouse.

In the last quarter the Russian visitors ran in further tries to make the final score 76-21.The match was excellently refereed by local official Kevin O’Mara who made himself understood despite the language barrier.

Kenton Morgan the GC manager said, “We are showing that we are capable of welcoming high quality teams to North Wales . Our results to date may seem disappointing but it is part of a process. Much of our efforts so far have been on improving skills and offering local players and supporters the opportunity to experience high quality rugby. Tonight was a good example of this”

MCBRYDE AND LIONS GET TOGETHER

North Walian British Lions Mike Roberts and Geoff Evans will join fellow Welsh internationals Tony Gray, Steven Moore and guest of honour Robin McBryde for a unique North Wales players rugby reunion dinner in Llandudno on April 17th.

Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, the company set up to take the Regional team to the Premiership have attempted to trace everyone who has ever played for North Wales and to invite them to the dinner. 590 players have been identified and over 300 have been traced and invited.

Fifty years of rugby will be represented and players, who last took the field in the 1950’s will be photographed alongside those currently in the Gogledd Cymru team. A photographer will recapture the teams that played Tonga(1974), Samoa (1988) and Romania, along with those which won the Counties Cup on 3 occasions.

In an evening of celebration of North Wales rugby there will be a showing of highlights of the Tongan game, exhibits of memorabilia from the last 50 years and anecdotes from the past. It promises to be a night to remember.

Tickets are still available. Any players who have not been contacted but wish to attend should call or txt 07973247986 or email hybugogledd@gmail.com