‘Around the Boundary’ Feature:

 
 
At 51 years of age Richard Scriven is still heavily involved at Llangwm Rugby Club as Hon Secretary but is a great help on the Pill Parks pitch as The Wasps play their matches; even in these tough times when there is a great deal of effort just to keep the village club going because player numbers have decreased, as they have in a number of clubs across Wales.
 
Known simply as ‘Scriv’ he  can regularly be seen at training sessions and during league matches, where he has to leave a little early because another voluntary role is to make sure the clubhouse is open straight after the game for supporters and players to enjoy a pint or two.
 

Started early and showed his versatility

 
He has been involved with Llangwm since he was 15 and playing cricket for Burton alongside Henry Thomas and Neville Davies, who were playing youth rugby at Pill Parks and persuaded him to join them there.
 
He played for Pembrokeshire Schools as a prop and later on he progressed to the county’s youth, under 21 and under 23 teams with Richard ‘Stag’ Jones - and in that time showed his versatility by playing prop, No 8 and even full back at under 23 level when Wayne Higgon and Rob Jones were in the front row playing prop, and they found themselves without a full back.
 

Enjoyed his short spell at full back – and kicked 12 conversions in a match!

 
“I volunteered,” Richard told us, “and in the next season I wore the No 15 shirt and also took the place-kicking role on for most matches.
 
“We had a decent side that season and we won promotion - and in a match against Llanybydder, which we won by a massive margin, I managed 12 conversions out of 13, missing out when Andrew Harries scored right in the corner (for fun)- and I hit the post with the conversion!
 
“I also grabbed a hat-trick of tries in another match where I played at prop but the credit must go to Andrew Milne, who joined us from Neyland and was a real asset, He had a bullet pass and from a cracking penalty move, he could put you in which ever gap your ran at, he orchestrated the same move three times where I came into play from a wide angle and ‘Milly’s’ pass allowed me to plough over the line!


 

Great memories and a special award

 
“Another great memory was beating Narberth 9-3 in the Knockout Cup, the biggest upset for many years because that had a terrifically strong side. I came on a replacement and Nigel Hearne slotted our two penalties and a drop goal, as reward for a gritty performance by our pack - but it was memorable for Martyn Inward for the wrong reason as one of our best supporters got so excited he jumped in the air when the final whistle went and broke his leg!”
 
Ask ‘Scriv’ about other sporting memories and his winning of an award at The Annual Sport Pembrokeshire Awards would be right up there as well.

“I was surprised to be nominated in the ‘Unsung Hero’ category and pleased to attend the evening at Folly Farm as one of the top three nominees – and even more amazed when I won and had to go up on stage to receive the lovely trophy from Gordon Thomas!”



 

Grass wasn’t greener on the other side

 
‘Scriv’ has had just one short break from being a Wasp when he tried the ‘grass is greener on the other side’ formula with a few games at Fishguard for about a month and then moved to Milford Haven. But it wasn’t long before he was back at Pill Parks, where he has a great rapport with players and supporters alike, and he’s been involved there ever since!
 
“I also played a bit of footballer as a goalkeeper with Johnston alongside my rugby – and I enjoyed that too although it wasn’t quite like being involved in rugby.
 
“I retired from rugby when I was 45 with a final game at Cardigan but was mainly helping out on the bench in the last couple of seasons before that as I found it getting harder to recover from the knocks - and although my wife Emma and children Garin and Georgia had always been very supportive I knew my playing days were up.”
 

Followed in some big footwear

 
But ‘Scriv’ has always believed in helping off the field and he has been on Llangwm’s Committee for 20 years and Hon Secretary for seven years, as well as doubling up as fixture secretary, which he would rate as a tough task these days.
 
“I am simply following in the big footsteps of genuine club characters like Les Vaughan, Don Rees, Raymond Hunt and especially Brian ‘Jamer’ James - and I’ve played alongside quality players like Nigel Gough (who came from Milford Haven), Ian and Chris Thomas, John Nutting, Dave Duly, Paul ‘Beaker’ Roberts, Tim Pounder, Lee Davies, Henry Thomas, Simon and Johnny Kiff, to name but a few.”
 
Among his adversaries on the field, Scriv recalls, there were always great battles, with Jack Dudley, Eddie Bulger and the Richards boys in St Davids, Peter Davies (Neyland), Simon and Matthew Edwards, Pembroke. Too many to mention really in Haverfordwest, during Bishop Cup Games. Scott Walters, Gareth ‘Nuts’ Phillips and Alan McClelland in Milford; Alan Phillips and Romeo Colella, in Fishguard. Now all good mates and great characters off field.
 

And finally . . .

 
‘Scriv’ is also busy in local cricket as he still plays for Haverfordwest after a spell as an umpire, does the announcing for cup finals that come under the auspices of the county club, where he is a hard-working member of the executive committee, and entertains audiences with his singing at a whole range of events.
 
But it is rugby where he stays the most involved so visit Llangwm RFC to watch a match and you are sure to see him helping out on the touch line and afterwards chatting to the many friends from other clubs he has made after playing for The Wasps against them, as he opens the clubhouse bar.
 
PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can also vouch for the fact that Richard Scriven has always been a very good unofficial press officer and we are happy to pay tribute to that fact, as well as saying it is always great to enjoy a chat with ‘Scriv’ on the touchline whenever we visit Pill Parks, the home of Llangwm RFC!