Valleys rugby supporter - Construction & Infrastructure Cost Consultant and Proud Father of 3. Views and posts are my own and not the views of anybody else
My Final Post & Blog - Thanks for the good times.
You can find me on new account
@Oweninsouts
Unity, Affinity & Inclusion for all in Welsh rugby only way forward.
Dai Sport also published
The Great Welsh Rugby Regional Lie
Super Proud Dad Moment
My boy has made it through onto Year 3 Medicine course at Cardiff Uni.
Boy from Valleys beating the system.
Live those dreams butty and smash through every wall put in the way.
Penallta & the Medics !
I just hope this is the moment that creates change in Welsh rugby.
Please do not blame the players or coach.
This is all about the unviable mess of a structure in Welsh rugby.
This has been coming - Look at the defeats our Wales U20 & pretend regions been having.
Change Now.
Welsh rugby "regions" were created to win the European Cup.
We are out before quarter finals as per normal !
Total and utter failure and yet WRU keep funding this hybrid mess that excludes Valleys & North Wales.
Time for Change.
Super Proud Dad moment.
Daughter has just got her medic placement to East Glam Hospital - Back to Wales !
Exeter Uni Medicine final term to Outer Hebrides Elective to Costa Rica and back to Wales - Go Betty.
Live those dreams. Valleys girl done good.
Valleys still has some of the highest levels of poverty, health and housing in Europe.
Where is the European aid replacement funds ?
This is shocking and why I now call for Wales to break free from UK Union.
40 years ago went to Sardis Road
@Ponty3G
with my Dad to watch my 1st Ponty game. 21 years ago I played my last game for
@PontypriddRFC
at Sardis Rd. Tomorrow night I am back at Sardis Rd as my son involved with WRU RAG U16 game. Dad will be watching from above. Rugby for soul.
Somebody sent me this photo - Happy memories at all the great clubs I played for - Llantwit Fardre Youth RFC, London South Bank Uni RFC, London Welsh RFC, Melbourne Powerhouse RFC, Ponty RFC, Caerphilly RFC, Bedwas RFC. Hoping for 1 last game for Penallta RFC 2nds with my boy.
Been reminded of this game recently - Was a huge career highlight for me and helped me to make Student World Cup with Wales. Lucky to have played against Aus & SA when they were current World Champions.
Great times and some incredible players in this game.
6k crowd at Ospreys some saying. A good 9k crowd at CAP but 26k at Bristol vs Bath. You may not like my views but something is not working in Welsh rugby. Rugby is our National Sport.
Say goodbye to 1 of these boys today who went on great Penallta U16 tour to Basque rugby country last year. I will never forget him and his love for game.
Cardiff took our coal, jobs & wealth.
It will never take our rugby or soul - 1 day the Valleys will have a pro rugby team that represents them again.
Yes - I am a Valley Commando and proud of it.
SPORT FOR ALL
Gatland has called for
1) West Wales WRU region
2) South Wales WRU region
3) North Wales WRU region
4) Valleys & Gwent WRU region.
Integrated regions for all of Wales - Now that is SPORT FOR ALL.
The culture is very wrong at WRU but so is the structure.
My boys last day in school today.
25 years of school gone for me now with my 3 children.
A teachers last words today in a message to my son.
"Go change the World"
My sister was a teacher - She would have loved that. Teachers can inspire and make such a difference.
Incredible last night watching Sam represent Wales U20 - A wild 10 hour round trip but boy he played well and so proud of his Penallta pathway. In this picture are 2 current Pitmen players who have played with Sam since under 10.
Another proud moment as coach & Dad.
@PenalltaRugby1
U16 have got 5 No boys into final Dragons U16 squad and 1 No into final development squad. Valleys rugby academy on fire. Some of these boys started at Penallta aged 6 & 7 - rugby for the community.
We just had the best advert for merging and breaking up the farce of pretend regions in Welsh rugby.
A awful poor quality game with a souless crowd.
Dragons vs Cardiff - 1 of worst games in history of pro rugby in Welsh rugby.
We got no pro team in Valleys because of this !
This was my rugby moment I never thought was caught on camera.
It was my dream come true - scoring winning try for Ponty vs Cardiff in a Xmas derby.
The passion that day from players and crowd was off the scale.
So pleased it was found.
What I find incredible about Cardiff, Newport, Llanelli Rugby is the claim that only they can be a top tier rugby club and that they should get all WRU funding.
Neath, Bridgend, Ebbw, Newbridge, Pooler, Ponty and North Wales can't - Over 50% of Wales population excluded.
We are losing our national sport in front of our eyes. The hybrid mess of regions are failing in front of us with tiny crowds, huge debts and large defeats whilst great WRU clubs like Neath not able to field a rugby team this week !
European Rugby Cup Winners since 2000
Eng = 7
Ire = 6
Fra = 6
Wales = 0 👀
We broke up our great WRU clubs and created "regions" to win the European Cup - It is a national disgrace.
This is the pitch
@CaerphillyCBC
want Penallta RFC to play on after removing Penallta from their green flag awarded main pitch. This is a utter disgrace - Last day to object today. Please save Penallta RFC.
Yes - That is a sewage outlet.
For me the regional academy structure in Welsh rugby needs to be integrated with clubs and academy management should have remit that involves Youth and adult rugby at WRU clubs. At present the structure is damaging Youth and Adult rugby at WRU clubs.
Really enjoyed a flying visit to my old club, London Welsh RFC, last weekend - Great to see club doing well at 1 of best rugby grounds in world. If in London make the effort to visit and enjoy the rugby, views and clubhouse.
11 still my lucky number ! So proud of my boy winning his 1st Medics Varsity game today. Played 11 and 9 in 2nd half.
Rugby can give you great memories for life.
Penallta & the Medics !.
Such a proud day for my boy & family. He has made WRU Dragons U16 training squad for June. Dad will be smiling from above. Valleys rugby academy on fire.
Another great and proud moment today as coach and Dad. 4 boys including my son from Penallta U16 in squad for WRU RAG U16 game tonite on Cardiff Arms Park & 1 moved up to U18 squad. My Dad will be watching from above again.
Great win for Penallta 1st team (28) against Cross Keys (14) today.
My boy played scrum half for Penallta after 10 years in M&J age groups for club & about 25 years after I last played at the great Pandy Park ground.
Super proud family day. Rugby through the generations.
Today was 1 of most difficult days in my life.
For people who know.
We will never forget. We will never give up. We will always listen.
Always talk.
Always ask.
Always speak.
In Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay yesterday for lunch and a few drinks. Great place and amazing history.
Hard to imagine the sheer scale of coal that passed through the docks - This picture sums it up. I can remember my Dad saying used to jump on these wagons when a boy in Rhondda
My Dad would have been 80 this week.
He loved his family, the Valleys, mountains, waterfalls & rugby.
I miss you butty
A photo from 1 of his favourite places - He rests in Valley below now.
Another really proud moment for me today as father and coach. My boy playing for Dragons U16 Black vs Scarlets West U16 and
@PenalltaRugby1
U16 have 4 in Dragons team with 1 on bench.
Another great day for me as a coach and dad.
@PenalltaRugby1
U16 have got 6 boys in final Dragons North U16 Squad (Called Black this year). My Dad will be smiling from above again tonite. Academy of Valleys on fire !
1st Class Honours in Maths & then
1 - Go Glasto
2 - Go Phonics
3 - Go the Banana Pancake Trail, South East Asia with Medicine student sister.
Go my Valley Girls
Reach for the stars and come home safe x
The game where my knee did come apart after 2 mins - I got there though and 1 of the highlights of my career.
The scale of support for both clubs was incredible - What have we done to destroy this.
I will say it again. Llanelli is a small town in West Wales. Cardiff will never be a region that represents Valleys.
Go WRU - Bring rugby home and end this farce of pretend regions in Welsh rugby.
16 years on since Welsh rugby lost it's soul.
We got rid of Valleys rugby for pretend regions in Welsh rugby.
The reason = We need to win in Europe.
This weekend
Llanelli S = Lost
Cardiff B = Lost
WRU Drag = Lost
Ospreys = Lost
Total Wipe Out.
What a moment for me as a coach and Dad.
@PenalltaRugby1
has 8 boys in WRU Schools District Bowl Final and Huw has made 9. My Dad would be so proud. He will be watching from above. Valleys Rugby Academy on Fire !
Top Tier Gwent Rugby
We have in Premiership
● Pooler
● Ebbw
● Newport
Then Championship
● Penallta
● Newbridge
● Cross Keys
● Bedwas
● Bargoed
● Newbridge
The Pitmen journey is beyond incredible - Could be a film.
You dream as a age grade coach is that 1 day a boy or girl will make a Wales rugby squad.
Today that dream came true.
Live that dream Sam.
So proud of you.
Somebody sent me this today - Great days.
London Welsh vs Western Samoa at Middlesex Sevens, Twickenham. Conway in picture is now President of Fiji rugby.
Been helping out with coaching age grade rugby at Penallta RFC since my boy was about 6.
12 years ago now.
So proud of what the club stands for and the incredible community it supports.
Lost to game when retired from playing but Penallta RFC restored my love of the game.
I played for Ponty, Bedwas, Caerphilly & London Welsh. I also represented Wales U20, U21 & Wales Students. I help coach Penallta U16 & am a WRU level coach. To be attacked by the general manager of
@cardiff_blues
because I want a region all clubs & fans can support is a disgrace
Looking forward to this - Might be my final game for a while. Great to have affinity & identity for a club and so proud to see Sam from my Penallta age grade involved.. 2 great WRU clubs Pooler & Newport but always been a Pooler fan since a boy - Come on Pooler !
Very proud to say as a father and coach that
@Penallta_u16
Penallta U16 have 6 boys including my son into the next Dragons U16 block with 1 also training with Dragons U18.
Valleys rugby academy on fire.
Severn Barrage, Circuit of Wales, Tidal Lagoon Swansea, M4 Relief Road - If you take no risks you stay as you are. Wales is 1 of lowest in terms of economy, housing, health and well being in Europe !
I know - Let's pretend all we need to do in Welsh rugby is to change the tie through Governance reform.
Structure is the problem.
We need Gatlands regions that cover Valleys & North Wales - Just like NZ & Ire.
We need
SPORT FOR ALL
Final game for Penallta Youth Sat. We may not have won trophies this year but we won the greater prize of team spirt, friendship, pride, well being and development.
Now for the Pitmen March to the Stadium !
Ponty on record
Wow - What a win
Money can not buy you passion & pride. Now that is affinity & identity for you.
There is a victory in Welsh rugby and then there is beating city slickers Cardiff rugby - Well done to all involved.
30 boys at Penallta Youth training tonite before final game (vs the great Whiteheads RFC on Sat) after long and tough season.
So proud of them and efforts made.
Year 2 Youth boys still do not know if final Youth game after everything they have been through.
Go Young Pitmen
Cardiff Blues have just 4k season ticket holders. After 15 years of pain in Valleys that is all this Cardiff agenda region has created. 15 years of divide and disunity for 4k season tickets in a population of over 1m. WOW - Well done WRU and you want to keep this farce going ?
The Valleys has more rugby clubs than any other rugby region in World but has no pro team.
1 day somebody will ask - Why do Valleys & North Wales have no pro rugby !
21st Dec - Always a tough day. Dad told me that if a door opens then go straight through it and give it all you got.
Miss you Dad but going through that door now and I know be proud.
What a moment for Penallta Youth - This boy has been with Penallta age groups since a young age and so proud of him. Huge honour for him, his family & club.
So very proud of this young man. Sam Scarfe. He has only made the Wales u18’s squad and gets a start tomorrow v Scotland. A Pitman, Dragons and now Wales. Well done Sam 🔶🔷 🏴
@PenalltaRugby1
@NicolaScarfe
1 of my daughters was born 21 years ago today - 1999.
So proud of her.
Now training to be a NHS doctor.
When life gives you a chance grab it and run with it. Turn the car around if driving to a place you don't want to be.
The Pitmen Youth of 2022 - So proud of efforts and gave all for the great Penallta badge this season. The boys have been through so much and come out the other side a great rugby team.
5 recent Penallta Youth boys in starting squad in huge local derby vs Caerphilly - 2pm Sat KO on Trinity Green Field of Dreams.
Super proud of the Penallta Rugby Academy.
Go Pitmen !
Pitmen - 1952
Pitmen - 2022
70 years of the great Penallta RFC - 70th year dinner tonite.
The real academy of Welsh rugby - WRU clubs.
Love Valleys Rugby. Rugby for the Soul.
It is shocking the personal attacks I get for just saying what Gatland and many leading reporters, coaches and players say.
I attack nobody and will apologise to anybody who if offended by my tweets - Will always encourage people to mute or block me if do not like my views.
Rugby - We all used to tackle waist and below. That is how we were all taught upto when game went pro and power hits and smash up rugby became the norm.
Rugby was a great sport then and will be in future.
Heard 3,000 fans went to support Caerphilly Youth last week at WRU finals.
Sneggy or Penallta could pull same - Incredible level of rugby supporters in Valleys.
Ok Gar - Day 2
Always talk and never hold back if need help.
Anybody in
@LondonWelshRFC
ready to support and promote great cause of Mind Cymru - It is 25 pressups over 30 days.