page revision date : 30th June 2010
Borderers lead the way for Pembrokeshire
If there was a special award in our county for a rugby team of the season there is no doubt that Whitland RFC would be one of the prime candidates because the Borderers showed real grit, commitment and skill aplenty in gaining the runners-up spot in Division One (West) behind Tonmawr.
And let’s have no nonsense about whether they are geographically a Carmarthenshire club because they have been committed to Pembrokeshire for longer than I can remember, supplying players at all levels for representative honours, winning the Welsh Youth Cup on one occasion and coming runners-up in the 2008/09 season. My mates in Hendy Gwyn a’r Daf tell me that parts of the town are in Pembrokeshire but it doesn’t matter, because either way Whitland are staunch members of District H in the Welsh Rugby Union, which is the Pembrokeshire and District area.
Top of the list management team
As well as achieving such a high position with mainly local players, the Borderers also won the Junior Union Cup with a good win over Crymych, and their talented young players were again winners of the Youth Cup.
To achieve second spot has meant a great deal of hard work in the club, not least from their two coaches and team manager, who all played a big part in the ethos at the club because they have all given yeoman service previously as players. Dominic Setaro played regularly as an incisive centre, apart from his stint at Narberth, where he played some of his best rugby, Phil Morgan was a superb flanker whose ball-winning was legendary and saw him also enjoy a short spell at Llandovery, whilst team manager Frank Setaro joined brother Domenic in that Welsh Youth cup-winning side and played as a classy centre with Whitland and Tenby United, when they were at the top of the Pembrokeshire rugby tree. All three have brought together their vast experience to create a real ‘team’ atmosphere and they have been held in high regard by the current batch of players.
Excellent officers – and wonderful workers
The club is also organised well, with Arwyn Thomas as chairman, Richard Merriman as his vice-chairman, Rob Benjamin as Hon Secretary and Jenny Davies-Scourfield as Hon Treasurer. Brian Cook OBE is a real ‘hands-on’ president whilst Dai John does a great job as general manager. Tony Bowen is a former playing ‘legend’ who nurtures the field alongside former prop Gary Richards whilst his brother Terry is the resident touch-judge. Approach the ground on match days and you are sure to meet up with Haydn Llewellyn, Eifion Edwards, Sam Thomas, Gerwyn Eynon, Meirion James, Vaughan Morgan and Don James, all redoubtable characters indeed
Local players and strong youth policy
Whitland has done well to build its side around local players, with current skipper Lee Glanville a product of their excellent youth policy centred on coaches Roy Newton, Richard Jones and team manager John Griffiths. James Stephenson plays regularly for the senior side at full back and has amassed over 140 points - and is still eligible for the youth team, which beat Aberystwyth to win the Pembrokeshire Youth Cup for the fourth successive season and the fifth time in six years. Others from that youth squad who have played for the first XV have been flanker James ‘Cub’ Davies, No 8 Mike Jones and prop Brynley Toms.
Other ‘locals’ include Ryan Michael, Celt Thomas, Alan Proctor, Dion Thomas, Gary Evans, and Carwyn Davies – whilst the only real import is second row Raff Williams, who came from New Zealand but is now regarded as a ‘local lad’ in recognition of his high skill levels and commitment to the Borderers cause – a real compliment for the likeable Mr Williams!
No big stars and a good rapport with other clubs
The team ethos is such that there are no big stars at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn, with centre Aled Jones and wing Will Davies sharing the top try scoring title with eight tries apiece, followed by flanker Ryan Michael (6), winger Dion Thomas (5), Lee Glanville (4) and Huw Rees (4), with most other regulars also getting their names on the scoresheet at some time.
As well as the local players there are others from nearby clubs like Fishguard, Crymych and Cardigan, so that there is a ‘family feel’ to their play and there is often plenty of support from families and friends of those brought in to do a job.
Former skipper and key back row man Randall Williams typifies this approach because he hails from Fishguard and he not only led the side for four seasons but plays with a commitment that makes him ‘a local’ in the supporters’ eyes, as does fellow Fishguard recruit Romeo Colella, whose whole-hearted approach to the front row they really love.
Carwyn Jones and Huw Rees are half backs who arrived from Crymych alongside gritty hooker Trystan Griffiths, and all three have slotted in really well, whilst centre Aled Jones, prop Richard Smith and No 8 Dylan Richards arrived from Cardigan and are playing well in their respective positions.
Top six target but greater success
Whitland would have targeted a top six place at the outset of the campaign and they made a good start with a home win over Bridgend Athletic (31-10) and an away success against Corus (28-21) before a narrow 6-12 reverse at home to Tonmawr, who had recruited heavily pre-season and eventually were runaway winners of the section.
But the Borderers showed their resilience with a string of six successive victories over Cwmllynfell (32-16), Builth Wells (43-13), Narberth (26-10), Felinfoel (20-13), Carmarthen Athletic (8-0) and Bonymaen (31-18) to go top of the table. It was then that they hit a patch of bad form in losing to Llangennech (12-14), beating Bridgend (13-3) but drawing with Corus (10-10) and Builth Wells (12-12), losing to Narberth (23-28) and Bridgend Athletic (7-27).
A 20-5 away success against Felinfoel proved a boost and they also beat Bonymaen 40-21 after a 0-9 home defeat against Carmarthen Athletic. They finished off by beating Llangennech 22-9, losing to Bridgend (16-31) and then accounting for Cwmllynfell by 29-6 in their final match to give them a playing record of:
Played 22 Won 13 Drew 2 Lost 7 and a haul of 66 hard-earned points that secured their joint best-ever position of second place in national League Division One (West).
Well done the Borderers!
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