Thank you for making this video. I can see a lot of work went into it. This is really worthwhile and will be here on TH-cam for anyone who wants to understand the history of Neath RFC. I don't think it's all bad being in the Welsh Premiership this season. There are some great clubs like Bargoed. The big 3 teams haven't had it all their own way. And apparently the attendances have been pretty good.
Thank you, very kind of you to say 👍🏼 Yeah that’s great. I hope the local fandoms get behind the teams again and make it work because the community game is what rugby is all about in wales 🏴👌🏼
As an English Rugby fan, I used to watch Welsh club Rugby on BBC2 Rugby Special from 86’ onwards. I always looked for to Welsh Rugby section and highlights. I never held the regional setup in the same regard. I missed, Neath, Swansea, Bridgend, Newport etc, these clubs were the heart of Welsh rugby and its fans. Regions may work well in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, but not in Wales and Scotland.
Yeah, it’s a tough one because I agree with you, but unfortunately there’s just not the money or the large fan bases to sustain the clubs in the professional era anymore which is shame because you lose the community aspect of things
As far as fan base goes, Neath used to get bigger crowds than the Ospreys do now, fair point about funding but with more clubs and the community behind them with proper supporters and benefactors not 'fans' im sure they could bring back some of the old clubs. There's 100s of thousands of people in the valleys with no team representing them and rugby is losing relevence in Wales because there's so many people and Places that have been disenfranchised by the WRU so the market in a small country is just going to get smaller equalling less money to go around, so its a downward spiral. @@TheWelshSportsPodcast
regions and latterly money have killed Welsh rugby. look at the league today and the state of the national side. there was nothing wrong with club rugby. sides were well supported and the rugby was exciting to watch, with many different styles and flair players. nowadays it's all this formulaic, forward based kicking game. no wonder no one watches. i remember the days of massive local derbies, the old Schweppes cup finals at a sold out national stadium and before that watching clubs like Bonymaen giving the "big" guns a serious run. nobody seems to know what the answer is sadly, and i fear it's now broken forever.
Yeah, I agree with everything you’re saying and you’re right nobody knows the answer unfortunately and I think that’s the crooks of the problem that we’ve had Unfortunately, as amazing as the old system is just not fit for purpose for the professional era and unfortunately for Wales being so small population wise less face it economically wise it’s difficult for us to compete with the bigger nations
Back before regional rugby was introduced there was a pattern to following your team. Every Saturday, 2.30 kick off. If it was an away game and your good lady fancied her shopping in a different town, off you went. You went to watch the game, she shopped. The key was that 2.30. Saturday kick off. Regional rugby introduced Friday night games, Saturday evenings and Sunday games. That disrupted routines, not to mention the hugely increased entry fees. Also, some people couldn’t handle the ‘feeder club’ setup. How come Llanelli could be playing Llandovery when Llandovery were fielding Llanelli players? Neath disliked Swansea yet both had players in the Ospreys side. The same with Pontypridd and Cardiff, Ebbw Vale and Newport, etc. so crowds dwindled and regional rugby has never really been supported. Incidentally, one of your pictures in the opening minutes shows Neath v Ebbw Vale. I spotted Vale’s scrum half, Steve Lewis, (left), (I think he was WRU boss when Mike Ruddock left), wily flanker Phil Gardiner, (nicknamed the silver fox). Don’t remember the name of the guy on the right, possibly winger Ian Evans. Those were great days!
Unfortunately, it just couldn’t be sustained the way it was and something needed to change. Whether the regional rugby was the right move, I don’t know but things couldn’t carry on the way. I do agree with a lot of what you said though, and thanks for the insight 👍🏼
Pontypool rfc where hard done by the wru a few years back and nearly bankrupt the club through legal fees but if it wasn’t for Ben Jeffries pooler would not be in src today so I understand want neath are going through
I'm 37 and from Neath. Spent many a'night freezing my tits-off in the Cowshed during my younger years, but in fairness, there's little interest since the mystique of rivalry was quashed by regional rugby. While NRFC's history is nice to know, it's not as important as improving the quality of the sport more broadly. Rugby within Wales needs to move on, and I'm sure the other ten people under the age of 50 living in Neath would agree with me.
Thanks for the insight from the Cole face, mate. I think Welsh rugby has lost this identity slightly, but it seems unfortunately the identity that we’ve managed to keep hold of is that of a basket case 😂 Let’s hope as time moves on sport I Wales develops and we see us start to compete again at the top level
Yeah, me too, mate. I didn’t know much about the club before doing this video to be honest, but the main thing that stuck out for me was the loyalty fans through thick and thin
@@TheWelshSportsPodcast Legend. This video has already made the rounds amongst some locals. You actually summarise the history remarkably well for somebody who's not followed them. It's very much appreciated. Have a good one.
As a Neath fan I have no love for the WRU or regional rugby. Wales is not big enough for regions and most of the rugby watching public agree.If the WRU pulled the massive funding the regions get they would quickly fold.
Yeah I take your point. I guess it’s self evident with the dire straights all the clubs have found themselves in at different times. I just don’t know what the alternative could be 🤷🏻♂️
@@TheWelshSportsPodcast personally I would like to have Welsh teams in the English Premiership. That would be good for professional rugby in England and Wales. I think it would be doable but I don't think the RFU or the WRU want to do it.
@@kennethjames9416 I see some similarities between Welsh Rugby and NZ rugby, The Regional teams are like the Super Rugby teams and the Welsh Premiership is like the NPC. All the effort and sponsorship goes to the URC/Super teams and the Premiership/Npc gets what's left and have to be run very carefully to survive.
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Thank you for making this video. I can see a lot of work went into it. This is really worthwhile and will be here on TH-cam for anyone who wants to understand the history of Neath RFC.
I don't think it's all bad being in the Welsh Premiership this season. There are some great clubs like Bargoed. The big 3 teams haven't had it all their own way. And apparently the attendances have been pretty good.
Thank you, very kind of you to say 👍🏼
Yeah that’s great. I hope the local fandoms get behind the teams again and make it work because the community game is what rugby is all about in wales 🏴👌🏼
As an English Rugby fan, I used to watch Welsh club Rugby on BBC2 Rugby Special from 86’ onwards. I always looked for to Welsh Rugby section and highlights. I never held the regional setup in the same regard. I missed, Neath, Swansea, Bridgend, Newport etc, these clubs were the heart of Welsh rugby and its fans. Regions may work well in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, but not in Wales and Scotland.
Yeah, it’s a tough one because I agree with you, but unfortunately there’s just not the money or the large fan bases to sustain the clubs in the professional era anymore which is shame because you lose the community aspect of things
@@CalSota i don't think it works in Australia either. It worked 20 years ago but not now.
As far as fan base goes, Neath used to get bigger crowds than the Ospreys do now, fair point about funding but with more clubs and the community behind them with proper supporters and benefactors not 'fans' im sure they could bring back some of the old clubs. There's 100s of thousands of people in the valleys with no team representing them and rugby is losing relevence in Wales because there's so many people and Places that have been disenfranchised by the WRU so the market in a small country is just going to get smaller equalling less money to go around, so its a downward spiral. @@TheWelshSportsPodcast
Regions work in Ireland because of how old the Irish provinces are, the Irish provincial teams go back to the foundation years of the IRFU.
Interesting deep dive mate 👏
Thank you 👍🏼
Neath were my fave team in EA Rugby 2004.
Loved that game 👌🏼
Good video. Cuddy owned neath before regional rugby .
Thank you 👍🏼
regions and latterly money have killed Welsh rugby. look at the league today and the state of the national side. there was nothing wrong with club rugby. sides were well supported and the rugby was exciting to watch, with many different styles and flair players. nowadays it's all this formulaic, forward based kicking game. no wonder no one watches. i remember the days of massive local derbies, the old Schweppes cup finals at a sold out national stadium and before that watching clubs like Bonymaen giving the "big" guns a serious run. nobody seems to know what the answer is sadly, and i fear it's now broken forever.
Yeah, I agree with everything you’re saying and you’re right nobody knows the answer unfortunately and I think that’s the crooks of the problem that we’ve had
Unfortunately, as amazing as the old system is just not fit for purpose for the professional era and unfortunately for Wales being so small population wise less face it economically wise it’s difficult for us to compete with the bigger nations
Back before regional rugby was introduced there was a pattern to following your team. Every Saturday, 2.30 kick off. If it was an away game and your good lady fancied her shopping in a different town, off you went. You went to watch the game, she shopped. The key was that 2.30. Saturday kick off. Regional rugby introduced Friday night games, Saturday evenings and Sunday games. That disrupted routines, not to mention the hugely increased entry fees. Also, some people couldn’t handle the ‘feeder club’ setup. How come Llanelli could be playing Llandovery when Llandovery were fielding Llanelli players? Neath disliked Swansea yet both had players in the Ospreys side. The same with Pontypridd and Cardiff, Ebbw Vale and Newport, etc. so crowds dwindled and regional rugby has never really been supported.
Incidentally, one of your pictures in the opening minutes shows Neath v Ebbw Vale. I spotted Vale’s scrum half, Steve Lewis, (left), (I think he was WRU boss when Mike Ruddock left), wily flanker Phil Gardiner, (nicknamed the silver fox). Don’t remember the name of the guy on the right, possibly winger Ian Evans.
Those were great days!
Unfortunately, it just couldn’t be sustained the way it was and something needed to change. Whether the regional rugby was the right move, I don’t know but things couldn’t carry on the way.
I do agree with a lot of what you said though, and thanks for the insight 👍🏼
Pontypool rfc where hard done by the wru a few years back and nearly bankrupt the club through legal fees but if it wasn’t for Ben Jeffries pooler would not be in src today so I understand want neath are going through
Yeah plus they got held out of the top division for ages didn’t they. Such a storied club too. Glass to see them back at the top table 👌🏼
I'm 37 and from Neath. Spent many a'night freezing my tits-off in the Cowshed during my younger years, but in fairness, there's little interest since the mystique of rivalry was quashed by regional rugby. While NRFC's history is nice to know, it's not as important as improving the quality of the sport more broadly. Rugby within Wales needs to move on, and I'm sure the other ten people under the age of 50 living in Neath would agree with me.
Thanks for the insight from the Cole face, mate. I think Welsh rugby has lost this identity slightly, but it seems unfortunately the identity that we’ve managed to keep hold of is that of a basket case 😂
Let’s hope as time moves on sport I Wales develops and we see us start to compete again at the top level
@TheWelshSportsPodcast lol basket case indeed, too true. Hopefully Neath and other clubs will return to top level.
Yeah, me too, mate. I didn’t know much about the club before doing this video to be honest, but the main thing that stuck out for me was the loyalty fans through thick and thin
@@TheWelshSportsPodcast Legend. This video has already made the rounds amongst some locals. You actually summarise the history remarkably well for somebody who's not followed them. It's very much appreciated. Have a good one.
As a Neath fan I have no love for the WRU or regional rugby. Wales is not big enough for regions and most of the rugby watching public agree.If the WRU pulled the massive funding the regions get they would quickly fold.
Yeah I take your point. I guess it’s self evident with the dire straights all the clubs have found themselves in at different times. I just don’t know what the alternative could be 🤷🏻♂️
@@TheWelshSportsPodcast personally I would like to have Welsh teams in the English Premiership. That would be good for professional rugby in England and Wales. I think it would be doable but I don't think the RFU or the WRU want to do it.
@@kennethjames9416 I see some similarities between Welsh Rugby and NZ rugby, The Regional teams are like the Super Rugby teams and the Welsh Premiership is like the NPC. All the effort and sponsorship goes to the URC/Super teams and the Premiership/Npc gets what's left and have to be run very carefully to survive.