There was a real surprise for the pupils at Penrhyn Church of Wales School in Hundleton recently as a special guest turned up one morning to officially open the rugby pitch that was the brain-child of Jonathan Williams, who is the caretaker, mini-bus driver and also helps out with the sport for the 80 or so pupils who are taught there.
 
Because arriving at the school to undertake the opening was none other than Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas CBE, the former Wales’ player and captain of the British Lions who was the first player to represent Wales 100 times. His list of rugby successes is endless and he has now turned his hand to appearing in pantomime for the festive season at The Boulevard Theatre in Milford Haven.




 

Family connection brought Gareth to Hundleton

 
Jonathan played rugby for Pembroke and is still a key cricketer with Hundleton, following in the footsteps of his late father John. He lives just a cricket ball’s throw from the school and when it was being built, and since he had retired from working as a self-employed carpenter, he took on his first two roles, followed by the games’ aspect since he is a natural communicator and is now very busy at the school as he works with Ms Jo Jones of the teaching staff, and sings the praise of support of head teacher Mrs Julie Davies, from all at the school and the parents as well!
 
He and Jo organise all the sports events like rugby and cricket festivals, rounders and football tournaments, and it is fair to say that their pupils do really well for such a small school!
 
Gareth plays ‘The Genie’ and alongside him in the cast as ‘Wishee Washee’ is Rhys Williams, who hails from Hundleton and is Jonathan’s son; hence the link which brought ‘Alfie’ to the school on  what seems to have been the only sunny day in Pembrokeshire over recent times – and it wasn’t long before he was creating mayhem on the school field with the school’s adoring youngsters, which included giving them advice on the skills of the game.
 
He even took part in a race over the full length of the school field and he actually came in a creditable fifth or sixth place in a close finish where Vinnie Wilson was the winner and Gareth was just shaded out of a podium finish – but it was generally agreed that he was the best visitor to school they had ever had!



 

Ideal pitch with special posts purpose built!

 
Lots of sporting activities have taken place on the school field and John thought that there was an ideal place there to also have a rugby pitch of its own, the only junior school in the county to have one, which is only 45 metres long and 15 metres wide, but is ideal for the under 11 ‘tag’ version, which sees teams of six playing this form of rugby so it is an ideal size.
 
So, a couple of years ago, after being given the go-ahead., he constructed posts out of drain pipes welded together, with excellent  fittings to hold the cross-bars safely. Safety pads to protect any possible collisions with the posts during play were donated by Pembroke RFC and a proper marking machine to delineate the lines was ‘donated’ from a good cause.
 
Since then, a number of games against other schools have been played there, with Jonathan adding to his roles at the school by becoming the referee, and he also coaches the team , which has a wonderful playing record. There have already been successes because former pupils Tyler Ayers, Thomas Russell and Kody Culshaw were regulars with the Pembrokeshire Under 11s squad who reached the Welsh Final before losing narrowly to Neath at the Millennium Stadium, as well as being winners in The Scarlets Regional competition.
 
Now ‘Alfie’ and Rhys are in the middle of their month-long season at The Boulevard and Penrhyn School in Hundleton is closed for the Christmas holidays but it is a fair bet that a number of its pupils will be asking their parents for the special Christmas present of tickets to watch  Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas in ‘Aladdin’ in Milford Haven!