Unsung Heroes

Adrian keeps things ticking over at Crymych RFC

Adrian Howells is an important cog in the success of Crymych RFC but is very much an unsung hero in his role as team manager, a job he has done quietly and efficiently for almost a decade.
In that time he has seen the Preseli Men’s meteoric rise into Division Two (West) for the start of the 2011/12 campaign after a season that Adrian himself could only describe as,
            “Amazing. We knew that we could do well in Division Three (West) but to go without a single defeat against some very physically strong sides was more than we could have hoped for – and to beat Aberystwyth in the KO Cup Final, when we were the underdogs, was the real icing on the cake.”

A real fan of rugby

Adrian played a little rugby as a winger in his school days but readily admits that he was always happy to volunteer to be touch judge when the school team was playing.
            “It got me out of lessons so it was great just to be involved!” he admits with a chuckle.
He was very much a fan of rugby in general and used to travel to The Gnoll to watch John Davies, Kevin Phillips and the late Brian Williams play in the front row for the Welsh All Blacks. He was there when John Davies made his debut against Cardiff and is still enjoying watching Mr Davies play for Crymych every week, and pulling Adrian’s leg on a regular basis.

Second XV start

Adrian started his involvement at Parc Lloyd Thomas when Brian Francis, another club stalwart, asked him to be involved and to start off Adrian used to watch the second XV and help select the team. Then he took over as first team manager after Mark Davies and Eifion Evans, and has been in the role ever since, setting off with Glyndwr Richards and Robin Davies, the Glyndwr and Matthew Hill,  and now with Lyn Williams and Elgan Vittle, all of whom he has got on with really well.

Busy weeks in the season

In a busy week that centres around games on Saturday, Adrian makes sure that all the kit is laid out on his way home from work and about 1pm he goes back down to the pitch and ensures the cones, pads, water etc is ready for the pre-match warm-up – then watches the game from the touch-line. He also fills in the team sheet correctly and acts as unofficial press officer in providing details, post match, home and away.
He usually watches one of the junior teams play on Sunday mornings and there is a committee meeting to attend every other week, training on Tuesdays and Thursdays, again where he gets all the kit sorted, followed by selection, and player availability to check on Friday evenings. Then he puts his feet up and watches a bit of Magners’ League rugby on television – and then it is a Saturday again!

Other jobs and other sports!

Towards the end of a busy season he also liaises with fixture sec Mark Davies to make sure that rearranged games are organised to suit the club – and Mark did a brilliant job at the end of this season because almost all of the matches were arranged for Saturdays. Adrian also arranges physio with Mark Oriel (St Clears) if players need it – and says it is a pleasure to be involved!

Outside of his rugby, Adrian is a family man whose dad Brian is also a keen supporter, and he enjoys watching Crymych play cricket, trotting down to Glandy Cross to watch Elgan Vittle and the rest compete during the summer.
Clay pigeon shooting is another sporting pastime, but not on a competitive basis – he has his own trap and uses local farmers’ land, with their permission, of course!

Rugby highlights

But it is rugby that remains his sporting passion and if you ask him about highlights and he would be bound to list this last season as they fended off the strong challenge of teams like Mumbles, Dunvant, Haverfordwest, Penclawdd and Gorseinon. Also high on his list would be the return to the club of John Davies and Brian Williams before him, the signing of influential skipper Simon James and Richard Sharpe-Williams, plus the emergence of so much young talent under the watchful eye of Robin Davies. He is also delighted that Gordon Eynon has just been elected as District H representative on the WRU.

And finally . . .

It seems that admiration is mutual because we asked Mr Eynon, who is Hon Sec at Crymych, about his team manager and he told us,
            “We are delighted that Adrian is with us because he does so much work in the background that takes the pressure off coaches, and he is held in high regard by them and the players – and everyone in Crymych RFC thinks highly of him.”
PembrokeshireSport.co.uk could pay Adrian Howells no higher compliment – and long may he continue to serve rugby in Crymych so well!

PHOTOS:

Adrian Howells (Far right) with coaches Elgan Vittle after the KO Cup Final.

Adrian (seated, far right) with the victorious Crymych squad.