New Head Coach for Penarth RFC
Penarth RFC is pleased to announce the appointment of former Glamorgan Wanderers captain
and Coach Matthew Bolton as the new Penarth RFC Head Coach. Last week, the 42-year old
St Cyres Comprehensive PE teacher, met the players for a wide-ranging discussion concerning
the coming season 2015-2016. “I am delighted that Matt has agreed to coach the club this season.
His credentials are quite impressive and he was highly recommended by all who worked with
him. We had a good meeting with the players and I am sure he will be able to harness the
potential of the club’s young and talented squad. We are actively looking for an experienced
backs coach and we hope to be able to make an announcement soon,” Penarth RFC Chairman
Mike Gooding said.
Born in Wolverhampton, Bolton started his rugby career in Shropshire, in the back row of
Newport RFC, where he also played hooker. In 1994 he went to UWIC, where he switched to
loose-head prop, position he retained for the rest of his playing career. During University he
developed under the guiding hands of several Welsh rugby luminaries of the likes of Alan
Martin, John Lloyd and John Huw Williams, in a successful team coordinated by Dr. John Pugh.
Occasionally that UWIC team was also coached by the legendary WRU and IRB Chairman
Vernon Pugh QC, whose passion for coaching was well-known.
In 1998, he captained Welsh Universities and played for England Students against both their
Welsh and French counterparts. After University, Bolton, by now a PE teacher with St Cyres
Comprehensive in Penarth, joined Caerphilly, where he played for three more years, with former
Penarth fullback Adam Rosser, as head coach. Eventually he joined Glamorgan Wanderers, club
for which he went on playing for six years, five of which as skipper. He ended his playing career
in 2009 and joined the coaching staff of the Wanderers as forwards coach, with Richard Hodges
as Head Coach. In 2012 he became the Wanderers Head Coach, position he relinquished in 2014,
when he joined Pentyrch for a year as forwards coach. His return to coaching after a year break
has coincided with Penarth’s efforts to identify a quality coach to help the club fulfil its
aspirations.
After Christmas Penarth Head Coach Paul Williams left the club to join Neath and former
forwards coach David Morgan took over as Head Coach. Penarth finished the season eighth with
39 points, in League 2, East Central, with both Treherbert and Gwernyfed relegated to League
3A East Central. “We will try to play an all-round game, trying to match the aspirations with the
level of skill of the players, “Matt Bolton said. “As a coach I do not like to complicate things
too much. I see my role as a facilitator, and I look forward to work with this young group of
players, to help them develop their potential,” he added.
END
Caption Photo:
New Penarth Head Coach Matthew Bolton (red top), with the players and chairman Mike
Gooding after last week’s meeting.
