Penarth RFC Annual Dinner and Awards
Friday 8 June 2018
Wing-forward Richard ‘Richie’ Bowen has been crowned as the Penarth RFC ‘Player of the Year’ having also won the vote of his peers, as the “Players’ Player of the Year” at the club’s Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony, held at the Lavernock Road clubhouse on Friday 8 June. The ‘Players’ Player of the Year’ award has been presented for the first time by club Chairman Mike Gooding. Former Youth captain Miles Jones, who had an outstanding season, was voted the ‘Most promising player of the season 2017-18’, while scrum-half Rhys Morgan received the ‘Clubman of the Year” award. Presenting the award, club Head Coach Matthew Bolton confirmed that Morgan will be the club’s captain next season, the 95th skipper in the history of the club.
Utility back Tom Hillman, was voted the Player of the Year of Penarth Athletic XV, with the award presented by Penarth Athletic Manager Richard Newman. The event, backed by club sponsors Martin Price and Anthony Bannon of ‘The Waterfront Dental Surgery’ in Barry, was a tremendous success, with Mr Colin Price, a well-known comedian (voted the best comedian in Wales on 12 occasions) as the main after dinner speaker.
After a muddled season, that saw Penarth RFC losing 17 of its 22 League matches, the Seasiders, beset by injury and absenteeism, have been relegated to Division 3A of the WRU Leagues. This was the third consecutive season the Seasiders had been involved in the relegation dogfight, but unlike the previous years when they managed to produce two remarkable acts of escapism, this time around was not to be their “third time lucky”.
A statistical look at the dwindling numbers attending training during the season may well reveal the unsettling cause of the club’s downfall. Having said all that, one has to bear in mind that this is an amateur club who survives on the commitment and loyalty of its players. It is recreational rugby at its best, be it in the third, the second or first division. Despite setbacks, the Spirit of Penarth defined by its former Chairman and President Dr. George Lindsey VC, as ‘We must look to the future, which will surpass the past, if we but remember that it is the spirt of the game that counts’, is still alive and thriving as underlined in his inspiring address by club Chairman Mike Gooding. The final act of the season 2017-18 was the Old Penarthians 7s, the longest running 7s tournament in Wales, in which Penarth RFC entered a team for the first time ever. The team, a healthy combination of senior and Youth players, coached by Youth coach Simon Rees, and captained by Alex Thau finished runner up in the Shield section. Next season (2018-19) Penarth will play in Division 3 East Central listed below
Division 3 East Central A
1. Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd
2. Penarth RFC
3. Pontyclun RFC
4. Pentyrch RFC
5. Penygraig RFC
6. Gwernyfed RFC
7. Fairwater RFC
8. Old Illtydians RFC
9. Treharris RFC
10. Cefn Coed RFC
11. Tylorstown RFC
12. Cowbridge RFC
