News

It has been an exceptional season for Mountain Ash RFC with the 1^st, 2^nd and Youth XVs all winning a trophy, and the mini and junior sections also doing well.

1^st XV

Won the WRU Plate division at the start of the season with  a playing record of played 8, won 7, lost 1.

Finished the season as Division 1 East Central champions with a perfect record of played 10, won 10, scoring 352 points, which included 50 tries – which was 12 more than St Peter’s scored who were second highest try scorers with 38. Just 88 points were conceded.

Overall Playing Record = Played 26, Won 22, Lost 4, Points Scored = 754, which included 102 tries, Points Conceded = 346.

There were 6 tries and a good start away to St Joseph’s with a 35-14 win. There was a hard fought 19-10 win away to Porth, and a narrow 1 point loss to Neath, 21-20, at Duffryn Pennar Park. Rumney, who were top of the table at the time, were beaten 24-18 away, St Peter’s who were also vying for top spot were beaten 39-13 at Duffryn Pennar Park. There was an 18-15 win away to Cambrian, and for the third time in the club’s history, over 100 points was scored in the 104-0 League win at home to Barry. The League season was finished with a 23-8 home win against Treorchy, to make it 10 wins from 10 games played. The 11^th game, which should have been played away to Ynysybwl, was cancelled by the ‘bwl twice and never played. There was also a narrow 30-27 loss to Ystrad Rhondda in the Mid District Cup semi-final.

It’s been a very good season for a predominantly young Old Firm XV which augurs well for the future provided the team sticks together. Next season there will be 3 clubs promoted from Division 1 East Central into a newly structured Championship due to it being split into two.

Top Points Scorer = Outside half Callum Hall with 274. This included 12 tries. Top Try Scorer = Full / centre Jarrod Cushion with 15. Other try scorers were: Captain Jarrad Parfitt with 9, No.8 Jordan Burke with 7, and, Wing Morgan James with 6. Morgan Cartwright and Dai Richards scored 5 each.

Appearances

Second row Daniel Phillips played in all 26 games. Scrum half Morgan Cartwright and centre Jamie Long played in 25,

No.8 Jordan Burke, flanker David Richards, outside half Callum Hall, 24, Prop James Cowdry and second row Mitchell Barnard 23.

At the end of the season, both Jarrad Parfitt and Ross Davies were approaching 200 1^st XV games and a club cap. Jarrad has made 192 appearances and Ross 180. Backrow forward Chris Edmunds took his total up to 373 during the season, prop James Cowdry took his to 265, and Geraint Lock 210. Long-serving backrow forward Kriss Sanders retired after the home game versus Treorchy. He made his 1^st XV debut in 2007/08. He played a record 65 consecutive 1^st XV games between 2009 and 2011. He was capped when he made his 200^th 1^st XV appearance in 2015/16, captained the Old Firm from 2016 to 2018, and finished after playing his 319^th game. Good luck to Kriss for the future.

2^nd XV

The Athletic XV, captained by scrum half Jonathan Lock for the 11^th consecutive season played 25 games, won 15 and lost 10. They won the Rhondda and East Glamorgan’s Mel Davies Cup, beating Abercynon 2nds 20-19 in the semi-final, and then Ynysybwl 31-20 in the final in Abercwmboi to make captain Lock a happy man, as he at last got a first win in a cup final. The team’s best wins were against Bargoed 2nds away, 23-22, Merthyr 2nds at home, 27-12, Bedwas 2nds twice, Abercynon 2nds away, 42-17, and Aberdare 2nds away, 29-5.

Youth XV

The Youth XV, coached by a team of coaches led by Lee Dower, captained by No.8 Steffan Calderbank, and Andrew Calderbank as Secretary, played a magnificent 39 games, won 30, drew 3, and lost just 6. They scored 754 points, which included 114 tries, and conceded 425. They won the Cardiff Rugby North Championship before Xmas and the full Cardiff Rugby Championship after Xmas. Steffan Calderbank was the top try scorer with 23, full back Iestyn Robins and prop McGinley Price scored 10 tries each, and outside half Jayden Pugh was the top points scorer with 151. To complete an excellent season, flanker Kenzie Jenkins played for Wales Under 18s even though he was a year younger than the age limit.

Mini & Junior Section

It’s been a hugely successful season for the Mini & Junior Section. Post COVID restrictions the playing numbers have grown across several age groups, with in excess of 200 children registered and playing. Most age groups enjoyed end of season tours. Several players have represented Cynon Valley Schools at U11’s, U15’s & U16’s level, with Ethan Jones of the U16’s representing both the Boys Club of Wales and Cardiff Rugby U16’s. The U12’s & U16’s progressed to the semi-final of the Cardiff Rugby Shield & Plate competitions, and the U15’s got to the semi-final of the Bowl competition. Sincere thanks to all our coaches, parents, volunteers and supporters of the section for all their efforts this season. 

If you want to come along and either play or help out at Mountain Ash RFC, make it known to a coach, a player or an official. You’ll not regret it.

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