Taibach RFC

Taibach RFC

Full name	Taibach Rugby Football Club
Nickname(s)	Tigers
Location	Taibach, Wales
Ground(s)	The Plough
Chairman	Mark Miles
President	Graham Jones
Coach(es)	Nigel Andrews (Head coach) Gareth John
League(s)	WRU Division Three South West
2013/14	3rd
Team kit
Official website
www.taibachrfc.co.uk

Taibach Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in Taibach near Port Talbot in Wales, UK. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is also a feeder club for the Ospreys.

Taibach RFC were the winners of the inaugural Glamorgan County Silver Ball Trophy competition during the 1956-57 season beating Skewen RFC.

Youth policy

Taibach has a history of producing young talent. Coached by Phill Terry and Steve Gadd the 1999-2003 team were a success. In recent years Taibach have produced two full British Lions, James Hook and Richard Hibbard, as well as three Welsh youth player (under 18's) Michael Kelly, Matthew Bradley and Richard Hibbard.

In 1999 no fewer than seven Taibach youth players gained international honours with the 'Boys Club of Wales' Andrew Gadd (Captain), Matthew Bradley, Richard Hibbard, Michael Kelly, Andrew Redmore, Daniel Cumberlin and Craig Harding.

In the youth team's first year, the young side finished second, losing a title decider on the last game of the season to Tonmawr, and losing in the final of the Neath/Port talbot cup to Aberavon.

In their second season the team proved to be unbeatable in the league, winning 18 out of 18 games and narrowly losing, again to Aberavon, in the cup final. The season saw notable performances from Michael Kelly, Matthew Rowland, Richard Lewis, and Richard Hibbard with Matthew Bradley and Mark Fender finishing joint top scorers with 26 tries apiece.

The final season saw the team promoted to the 'Premier' league of youth rugby, but a mix of injuries, international call ups and college rugby affected the teams results, who finished mid table and lost both cup final semi finals to Skewen and Resolven. The team did however claim the Neath/Port Talbot 7's and 10's tournaments.

Club honours

• Glamorgan County Silver Ball Trophy 1957 - Champions

Notable former players

International players

• Richard Hibbard
• James Hook
• Dan Jones
• Trevor Lloyd
• William Mainwaring
• Alan McCarley
• Bryn Phillips
• Walter Vickery
• Evan Williams
• Gerwyn Williams
• Andrew Millward

Senior players

Players who went on to represent 'Premiership' clubs at senior levels are.

• Swansea RFC- Richard Hibbard, Matthew Bradley, Mark Fender, Richard Lewis
• Aberavon RFC- Denzil Jones, James Jones, Matthew Bradley, Michael Kelly, Mark Fender
• Bridgend RFC-Michael Kelly
• Neath RFC-James Hook
• Ospereys-James Hook,Richard Hibbard