PONTYPRIDD TURN DOWN CHANCE TO HOST CARDIFF BLUES MATCHES

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2012/09/19/pontypridd-rfc-reject-chance-to-host-cardiff-blues-matches-91466-31862333/

(Caveat - this story was 'written' by Andy Howell)

"Pontypridd Rugby Club turned down an opportunity to host Cardiff Blues fixtures this season, it emerged last night.

The Blues, who yesterday held a hugely successful training day at Penygraig in the heart of the Rhondda Valleys, had wanted to stage two Anglo-Welsh LV Cup matches at Sardis Road.

Nearly 1,000 people, both adults and schoolchildren, watched stars like Sam Warburton, Jamie Roberts and Alex Cuthbert at work.

And, by the end, they were chanting “Cardiff Blues” as the squad joined some of them in a grandstand for photographs.

Blues chief executive Richard Holland and, equally, new coaching supremo Phil Davies have been the driving forces behind the moves to win over the rugby public outside Cardiff.

“I said, from the outset, we wanted to embrace all parts of the region,” said Holland.

“I sat down with Phil and looked at a how we could launch a ‘hearts and minds’ campaign.

“We talked about how we could get out into the region, develop the community game, age-grade and schools rugby.

“A part of that bigger picture was the staging of games at Sardis Road. A meeting was held with Pontypridd, but its rugby committee rejected the idea.

“I was quite surprised. I thought they would take negotiations to a higher level.

“I know funding is an issue, but my understanding was, if the Blues took matches there, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council might be prepared to help fund ground improvements.

“We wanted to explore it further, but, unfortunately, the idea fell at the first hurdle.

“Hopefully, we can rekindle it at some stage in the future because I think anybody present at Penygraig would acknowledge what a positive day it was.

“Children from about 33 schools across the region attended and you could tell by their reaction what they thought about it.

“People have to realise that there are not many people under the age of 15 or 16 who would have vivid memories of pre-regional rugby.

“It’s time to move on. We are doing our bit to engage and embrace all areas of the Blues’ region.

“Ultimately, it’s Pontypridd’s call. You can only try and get them on board.

“This exercise was such a success we’d like to repeat it elsewhere in the region.

“The players, coach and staff thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic welcome they received at Penygraig. It was wonderful.”

Pontypridd chief executive Steve Reardon confirmed his club had rejected overtures from the Blues to stage LV Cup matches at the House of Pain.

“We met with Richard Holland and Phil Davies not long after Phil was appointed,” he said.

“It was a very positive meeting. Part of it was they offered to hold two matches at Sardis Road.

“We declined that offer on the grounds of not being given the opportunity before. Let me put that into context. We need to look at the first steps. Although we didn’t take them up on it, we haven’t ruled out staging Blues games in the future.

“We first wanted them to do things like they did at Penygraig. Possibly there could be a Blues training session at Sardis Road later in the season.

“We have grounds for a good relationship with the Blues.

“We always have Blues Academy players playing for us and we talked about using the Blues’ training facilities.

“It’s a start. Although we felt Pontypridd hosting Blues matches this season was a step too far.”

Baby steps. Probs the right idea in the long run. Glad to see they're talking, i'd like to see matches in Merthyr aswell.

"We declined that offer on the grounds of not being given the opportunity before"

that there says it all.

rugbydreamer wrote:"We declined that offer on the grounds of not being given the opportunity before"

that there says it all.

Err, that is childish if it is what it sounds like it means.


Perhaps he's worried about all the Ponty fans hot footing it down the Taff Vale to the CAP to watch The Blues.

rugbydreamer wrote:"We declined that offer on the grounds of not being given the opportunity before"

that there says it all.

So true,

What is the chance of the Blues playing games in other places and isolate Ponty.

The WRU should tell Ponty that if the past determines the present and future that Ponty can't have a region as they'll only cause it to be disbanded after a year or two

The best thing to do is not over react I think. The Ponty board have done what they think is best for their club. The Blues have started to build bridges, next season or the season after it will happen as long as the Blues continue to engage with the local school kids and club teams.

There's quite a few quotes in the article so would seem more geniune than most of Andy Howells umm 'reporting'.

It's good to see that the Blues are serious with reaching out. Its good news all round and hopefully they'll hold another few training sessions around the region during the season. (though what the hardcore Cardiff RFC supporters like Cardiff Dave will make of that...)

I'd love for the Blues to take this response and say "Ok we know where you're coming from Ponty, we'll promise to hold at least another training session at Sardis/Ponty area, and will continue to engage throughout the season and will do other things" But in the meantime offer to play LV Cup games in Merthyr and engage with Merthyr - as such they'll be reaching out to fans in their region and trying to attract the floating rugby fans in the area - then they can go back to Ponty from a better position, underlining the fact that Ponty don't represent all of the RCT valleys, but just Ponty (and the surround area).

Its a start, wish the Dragons would do something similar

I thought the Dragons did hold training camps and inter regional games around the region?

They have held training sessions around the Region yeah but not sure about games.

to be honest I think they will struggle while soley owned by Cardiff RFC, maybe if they offered Ponty a % of the region (instead of a valleys buinness plan) and agreed to enter the funds into the squad and development.

A possible rebranding moving away from Cardiff RFC, (like Ospreys), and some Pro 12 games at Saris, they maybe it would develop a bit quicker and open them up to a wider fanbase, sponsorship etc etc.

oh well. The blues should do more with Ponty but it's a two way street, we can only offer. You have to look at the ponty.net forum and have a chuckle at some of their favourite terms: B---S and WRUIN are my particular favourites. Old habbits die hard for some people.

Let's get those LV Cup games in Merthyr and reach out to the region that way, if ponty don't want to do it then that's fine. Merthyr deserve it more than ponty as they have never made a fuss about 'lack of regional rugby' and seem far more engaging when the blues have worked with them.

Anyone fancy a cheeky night out in Merthyr?

The problem the Blues have is that any move away from Cardiff RFC branding is fought by the old Cardiff RFC fans, who are annoyed that the team don't play in Blue and Black or just called Cardiff.

So there's a risk in promoting the team to possible fans who may not want them, they may be alientating a sizeable chunk of their current fanbase.

But I think Phil Davies and Holland are going about it the right way, keep doing the schools engagement and free tickets, and take baby steps towards full inclusion of the rest of the region, starting with these training camps.

As someone from Merthyr now living in Cardiff as I have previously mentioned before, Merthyr could be a hot spot for the Blues. It really is a mixture of Osprey's/Blues there, its the same with Swansea/Cardiff in football as its almost smack bang in the middle of the two cities. However, Cardiff is allot easier to get to due to the excellent transport links allowing fans to have a drink while they're down CAP.

If Blues could take games to merthyr or hold training sessions up the wern, they will win over allot of fans there imo, especially amongst the youngsters. There are allot of youngster's playing rugby in Merthyr and I think if the Blues can get involved now then those youngsters will be the fans turning up in 20 years time etc..

Its a great opportunity. I can't see games being played up the wern as I don't think its big enough, but they could certainly play games at Penydarren Park. Its a good size, the pitch is in tremendous condition (Always has been a good pitch) and they could attract easily 1-2000 there. Thing is, allot of the ground is standing, which will have the old fashioned rugby feel to it with the barriers etc..

Would it be fair to say that Cardiff Blues and the unhappest region?

I mean this as in Swansea Neath, created the Ospreys, and (a large protion of fans) have forgotten about the different club rivallerys an dget behind the team, calling the area osprelia. Is this down to them mostly being the topWelsh club as well

Scarlets fans claim they have always represented west Wales, and fans find it easy to come onboard, they let new fans believe its a new region, and old fans it's just Llanalli RFC rebranded, both are right, and it keeps both happy

Dragons, while presisting in keeping Newport in the name, and changed kit away from Newport RFC and make moves to reaching out, not sure how they are really doing to be honest- hear fans say they do plenty, but is it working at creating bigger crowds? more fans? would you see as many Dragons tops outside Newport, as you would Ospreys tops outside Swansea and Neath, or Scarlets tops out side Llanali?
If not would this be because they are normally Wales bottom club, and when in that position it is harder to attract new fans?

I am a Merthyr boy born and bred, and a Pontypridd fan, I can tell you now without a shadow of a doubt if the Blues played a game at Penydarren park I would be there like a rat up a drain pipe. Seriously, the Blues could be onto a gold mine in Merthyr because at the moment, believe it or not, it is mostly Ospreys up here, also Penydarren park is much more equipped and better facilitated and has a bigger attendance than most of the rugby grounds being used now, and I will add Rodney Parade, the Arms Park in that as well, the only two grounds being used in Wales that I see are better is the Parc Y Scarlets and the Liberty stadium, if they played up here they could be onto something.

Welsh rugby baffles me.

For 10 years - when the 'regions' had money to burn on southern hemisphere journeymen, unqualified coaches and backroom staff more numerous than Beyonce's entourage they didn't give a stuff about doing meet and greets around the patch.

Now money is tight, squad numbers have been decimated and there's a salary cap, rather than knuckledown and try and improve their rugby, they're off doing photo-opportunities at backwater clubs and inviting schools into the dressing rooms to do maths lessons (???).

Other countries are right to laugh at us.

(Ryan Jones summed it up in a BBC Wales TV interview - "...this is a great thing for the schools and the club...err...region...")

Casartelli wrote:Welsh rugby baffles me.

For 10 years - when the 'regions' had money to burn on southern hemisphere journeymen, unqualified coaches and backroom staff more numerous than Beyonce's entourage they didn't give a stuff about doing meet and greets around the patch.

Now money is tight, squad numbers have been decimated and there's a salary cap, rather than knuckledown and try and improve their rugby, they're off doing photo-opportunities at backwater clubs and inviting schools into the dressing rooms to do maths lessons (???).

Other countries are right to laugh at us.

(Ryan Jones summed it up in a BBC Wales TV interview - "...this is a great thing for the schools and the club...err...region...")

This is building for th efuture and a pretty smart thing to be doing, coach kids and have them blues fans for life, far better than hoping they will attend games when they are older

LordDowlais wrote:I am a Merthyr boy born and bred, and a Pontypridd fan, I can tell you now without a shadow of a doubt if the Blues played a game at Penydarren park I would be there like a rat up a drain pipe. Seriously, the Blues could be onto a gold mine in Merthyr because at the moment, believe it or not, it is mostly Ospreys up here, also Penydarren park is much more equipped and better facilitated and has a bigger attendance than most of the rugby grounds being used now, and I will add Rodney Parade, the Arms Park in that as well, the only two grounds being used in Wales that I see are better is the Parc Y Scarlets and the Liberty stadium, if they played up here they could be onto something.

My feelings exact as a fellow merthyr boy. They could fill it easily, there would be people using the areas in the corners that aren't used and as most of it is standing it would be great for them to play there. Although I wouldn't want it to affect Merthyr Town FC. Hopefully, somehow if a deal could be struck, Merthyr Town could get a portion of the money made out of the game. After all, Merthyr Town need the money and it wouldn't be too much to ask would it for a slice of the money made, it would be win-win for all involved, including the fans. Fingers crossed it happens.

Would Merthyr be interested in the Blues?
My understanding is Merthyr RFC are the Welsh Youth champions yet none of their players are deemed good enough for a Blues academy place! If your not in Pontypridd youth your not really wanted!

Where are all the Blues fans in Merthyr all of a sudden?
I only know Osprey and Scarlets fans in Merthyr.

I've said before on other threads, ponty fans (myself included) see Cardiff as a threat as that's the tradition. Supporting them will take some doing as most of Ponty and up through the valleys to Merthyr have switched their allegiance to the Ospreys or Scarlets.

Im not saying there isn't gold in them there hills but Im not surprised Ponty turned Cardiff down. A game in penydarren park though would surely be something to see. I may even pop down myself if there's noone better playing.

Osprey's do have a big following in merthyr. Haven't seen many Scarlets. To me, its always been like I said half and half between swansea and cardiff, Blue/Ospreys. Blues could get a whole lot of people on board in merthyr. One or two games in penydarren park would be superb.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:There's quite a few quotes in the article so would seem more geniune than most of Andy Howells umm 'reporting'.

It's good to see that the Blues are serious with reaching out. Its good news all round and hopefully they'll hold another few training sessions around the region during the season. (though what the hardcore Cardiff RFC supporters like Cardiff Dave will make of that...)

I'd love for the Blues to take this response and say "Ok we know where you're coming from Ponty, we'll promise to hold at least another training session at Sardis/Ponty area, and will continue to engage throughout the season and will do other things" But in the meantime offer to play LV Cup games in Merthyr and engage with Merthyr - as such they'll be reaching out to fans in their region and trying to attract the floating rugby fans in the area - then they can go back to Ponty from a better position, underlining the fact that Ponty don't represent all of the RCT valleys, but just Ponty (and the surround area).

Me "hardcore"? Don't know about that.
Anyway the Penygraig venture I think is brilliant and why would I say any different? As i've said before on here a few times, Cardiff Blues and just Cardiff before that have ALWAYS had support from up that way. That is still the case.

rugbydreamer wrote:"We declined that offer on the grounds of not being given the opportunity before"

that there says it all.

I wouldn't say all, but it does say something and there's tons more between the lines.

Shifty wrote:Would Merthyr be interested in the Blues?
My understanding is Merthyr RFC are the Welsh Youth champions yet none of their players are deemed good enough for a Blues academy place! If your not in Pontypridd youth your not really wanted!

But that's were you get the natural progression that has always happened in Merthyr, you play for one of the village sides, Cefn Coed, Dowlias, Nelson ect, then if your good enough you end up at Merthyr, then the Pontypridd scouts come up and watch Merthyr and you go there, the only difference now is the fact that Pontypridd are no longer the pinnacle for valleys rugby, even when you get to Pontypridd you now have to get picked for your region. The last example of this is Tom James, but he did not go to Ponty he went straight into the Blues academy, if you are looking for players over the years the Sidoli brothers come to mind, Johnny Bryant, Mefin Davies, they all came through Merthyr at some point and ended up at Pontypridd, there might be more but I cannot think of any.

Why are they so bitter?

Doesn't the Cardiff Blues do it for them?

It's their Region after all, maybe they should get behind them.

HERSH wrote:

Why are they so bitter?

Doesn't the Cardiff Blues do it for them?

It's their Region after all, maybe they should get behind them.

if bath were absorbed by some sort of west country region with the likes of gloucester , would you get behind it and travel to kingsholm every other weekend?

But the Blues were coming to them, and they said no thanks, Frak off.

and yes I would,

If I wanted to watch top class rugby at Kingsholm!!!!

There’s a sentence I never thought I'd say!

The Ponty board were never going to accept the first offer for the Blues to play at Sardis Rd. The board members will want to remain on the board. If they had snapped at it straight away they would look desperate and the hardcore fans of Ponty wouldn’t accept that.

Now an offer has been made they cannot decline the offer on the grounds that it is the first time the offer has been made and they have shown to their fans that they won't do things just for the money. So they look good to their fans whilst at the same time not saying never to the Blues. It was the right option for both parties at this period in time.

Coleman wrote:The Ponty board were never going to accept the first offer for the Blues to play at Sardis Rd. The board members will want to remain on the board. If they had snapped at it straight away they would look desperate and the hardcore fans of Ponty wouldn’t accept that.

Now an offer has been made they cannot decline the offer on the grounds that it is the first time the offer has been made and they have shown to their fans that they won't do things just for the money. So they look good to their fans whilst at the same time not saying never to the Blues. It was the right option for both parties at this period in time.

Unless the Blues do what they should do and go to Merthyr and hopefully have some success staging games up there

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

Coleman wrote:The Ponty board were never going to accept the first offer for the Blues to play at Sardis Rd. The board members will want to remain on the board. If they had snapped at it straight away they would look desperate and the hardcore fans of Ponty wouldn’t accept that.

Now an offer has been made they cannot decline the offer on the grounds that it is the first time the offer has been made and they have shown to their fans that they won't do things just for the money. So they look good to their fans whilst at the same time not saying never to the Blues. It was the right option for both parties at this period in time.

Unless the Blues do what they should do and go to Merthyr and hopefully have some success staging games up there

I would predict that the game would be a sell out if they played it up in Merthyr.

Personally i think the Blues should play all LV Cup games there as well as stage a few Academy games - i know they're split in to blues north & south at some ages but not under 18's i don't think?. Then in a few years, say 2, we move 1 or 2 Pro 12 games there.

It would be good gcBlues - but I imagine it would cost to play each game up there, and maybe the 'southern' based Blues fans might want to see the next batch of Blues youngsters but might not travel for more than a few games.

It's definately an area with lots of potential though.

Yeah but i doubt it would cost too much to play there, as someone has mentioned it may just mean throwing a few bob towards Merthyr FC.

Or if it the ground owned by the council, the blues could ask to play there for free in return to committing to travel the merthyr area holding 'coaching/skills' clinics for local clubs and schools etc. Council's love anything they can get for free so i don't see why they wouldn't go for something like that, you could even say they could keep the ticket money and the blues keep the bar money.

As for the travelling, i imagine it's only the parents who will constantly go to games so why not stage 3 games of both Academy squads there. You'll get the families of the players there but also if you treat it like a pro game (with the mini's tag rugby at half time involving 2 local clubs, blues player signing booths etc) you might generate a bit of revenue which can go straight back in to the Merthyr area.

We should definitely be looking to get involved up there, no doubt.

Sorry I meant travelling for LV Cup games.

But North Academy and u18s and some u20s games are a great idea - and the training camps/skills sessions would be very good as well.

Like you say it would be good to get involved

Well i guess the hope would be that the demand up in Merthyr helping. I would certainly go up for the games, check out what it's like up there. Being a Cardiff boy, don't know if i'm ready for it

It's not that bad up there gcBlues so long as you avoid eye contact.

Merthyr is a large town with a big rugby heritage, I really think the Blues could get allot of fans on board if they took LV games/training sessions/U-whatever's there for games. Pendydarren Park would be full pretty much and the atmosphere would be very good. It is for football matches anyway and that's with 300-400 people.

gcBlues wrote:Well i guess the hope would be that the demand up in Merthyr helping. I would certainly go up for the games, check out what it's like up there. Being a Cardiff boy, don't know if i'm ready for it

If you have at least half-a-dozen pairs of white socks, you're ready

PenfroPete wrote:

gcBlues wrote:Well i guess the hope would be that the demand up in Merthyr helping. I would certainly go up for the games, check out what it's like up there. Being a Cardiff boy, don't know if i'm ready for it

If you have at least half-a-dozen pairs of white socks, you're ready

I haven't heard that in years

Oi you lot, stop taking the pee of my great and fruitful town. Only joking, on serious note Merthyr has had a massive turn around in recent years, as one of the most deprived places in Europe the Welsh assembly have piled money into the town and it is attracting a lot of businesses. Merthyr could easily host a regional game and the potential here is massive, after all Merthyr is the CAPITAL of the valleys.

Also, can I add, that Merthyr is directly connected to Cardiff by the A470 and with train links, Cardiff is only 35 mins away by car/bus and an hour away by train so there is easy access for the southern city big wigs to be able to come up here to watch them.

Like i said, i would go to the games in Merthyr as my parents house is near a train station on the valley's line so it would be no trouble for me.

LordDowlais wrote:Also, can I add, that Merthyr is directly connected to Cardiff by the A470 and with train links, Cardiff is only 35 mins away by car/bus and an hour away by train so there is easy access for the southern city big wigs to be able to come up here to watch them.

Dowlais, a lot of Blues' fans couldn't be ar$ed to walk 20 mins to the Cardiff City Stadium, so I don't think they'd be up for a totally incomprehensibly long journey of over half-an-hour

Smirnoffpriest wrote:There's quite a few quotes in the article so would seem more geniune than most of Andy Howells umm 'reporting'.

It's good to see that the Blues are serious with reaching out. Its good news all round and hopefully they'll hold another few training sessions around the region during the season. (though what the hardcore Cardiff RFC supporters like Cardiff Dave will make of that...)

I'd love for the Blues to take this response and say "Ok we know where you're coming from Ponty, we'll promise to hold at least another training session at Sardis/Ponty area, and will continue to engage throughout the season and will do other things" But in the meantime offer to play LV Cup games in Merthyr and engage with Merthyr - as such they'll be reaching out to fans in their region and trying to attract the floating rugby fans in the area - then they can go back to Ponty from a better position, underlining the fact that Ponty don't represent all of the RCT valleys, but just Ponty (and the surround area).

Agree with all of that.