PLUS News Results Tables Fixtures Expert Advice Health NEW clubHouseTry it once and be converted All the League DROP Action THE DEBT Stay Trim EXCLUSIVE Without the Gym LIN 6 Nations Saturday www.clubhousewales.com SHANKFFromrom TTenbyenby toto tthehe toptop £1.30 Contents Welcome to This Issue Kick Off clubHouse FEATURED TEAM THE FIRST MAGAZINE 03 Division One Bonymaen RFC: Top of the table and entirely devoted to on their way to the title amateur rugby in NEWS Wales, clubHouse 04 This fortnight’s most important news from around is about bringing the the ASDA leagues game back to its roots. Three-inch bruises, frost- HEALTH AND FITNESS bitten hands and pints of Brains 09 Expert instructor Paul Gough answers queries on afterwards, we’re celebrating fi tness, weight training and how to stay focused people like you for whom rugby’s a religion and Saturday is sacred. Half Time And with the WRU looking increasingly incompetent, and rugby now more about squabbling than scoring tries, clubHouse couldn’t SIX NATIONSNATIONS SATURDAYSATURDAY have come at a better time. 11 From Robert Sidoli to Adam Jones’s mum, the Our listings section is the only place to get every result from insiders reveal their Six Nations routine every game in every ASDA league division. So you’ll never miss a BALANCING THE BOOKS try. But it’s not just facts, fi gures and news. We’ll bring you expert 14 Is your club facing a cash crisis? Follow these tips advice on everything from how to get your club back in the black Bonymaen on how to boost your bank account to how to booze and still be man of the match. So get in touch. Send in news, photos and gossip and LOCAL LEGEND: TOM SHANKLIN help us build the clubHouse community. And when 16 On Grand Slam celebrations, middle management you’re at work waiting for the weekend, log on to and his current injury frustration www.clubhousewales.com for your daily clubHouse fi x. Final Whistle LISTINGS 18 Results and tables from all fi ve ASDA leagues plus fi xtures for the coming fortnight Noticeboard YOUR VIEWS 22 Pictures, letters, news and views from you and your clubhouses Regular Fixtures BALLS TEST 06 ASDA league lad Gareth Davies versus Grand Back row (L-R): James Anthony (design), Laura Davies Slam star Robin Sowden-Taylor. Who’ll win? (listings), Oliver Pickup (features), Matt Aplin (writer), Andy Pierce (online), Alex Brownsell (deputy online), UP AND COMING PLAYER Hattie Brett-Miller (editor) Cut out and keep this page because Abercrave 07 Front row (L-R): Laura Male (writer), Hannah Gilchrist RFC’s Liam Price will be the next big thing (news), Bethan Davies (writer), Andrew Gwilym (deputy OI, REF! editor), Jill Park (features), Emma Shipley (writer), Mhairi 08 A chance for the merry whistle blowers to explain Montgomery (production editor), and out injured: Jamie themselves and their rules Darlow (chief sub) 5 WORST: WELSH SHIRTS 08 It should be a badge of honour but can end up Get in Touch being just plain bollocks [email protected] HOW 2: BEAT THE HANGOVER 07968 203 967 10 Get pissed, get man of the match and get bought more beer. Bargain www.clubhousewales.com 02 clubHouseclubHouse Kick Off BonymaenBonFFeaturedeatured TTeameamymaen The run-away Division One leaders are on their way to the Premiership promised land The Stats THE CHAMPIONS ELECT OF DIVISION because we over-coached,” says McCarthy. Nickname: Bony One, Bonymaen RFC have lost only one “We prepared by focusing on how to stop game all season. Currently 10 points clear them playing but we didn’t think about Colours: Red and black at the top of the table, clubHouse celebrates how we actually wanted to play the game.” Established: Around 1806 their success. Nonetheless, Bonymaen are looking but the records When rugby union turned professional, towards the top fl ight. Normally they were lost during Bonymaen lost 17 players to top fl ight would be guaranteed promotion but due to WW2 clubs. But they’ve rebuilt with a core group WRU league restructuring this season, the Star players: Darren Poland of youngsters and in fact, coach Matthew club will have to win a play-off against the and Darryl McCarthy believes this is the secret of third bottom Premiership team if they are to Williams their success. “We have kept the same reach their ultimate goal. group of players together for three seasons Their opponents could be any one of Famous old Richard Webster boys: (Swansea, now and have developed the core skills Pontypool, Llandovery, Ebbw Vale or Bridgend, and attitude to build a winning team,” he Cardiff, so it’s guaranteed to be tough. British Lions explains. “Now we have a cracking set of Only last month Bonymaen met Cardiff and Wales, young players, strength in depth and a in the last 16 of the Konica Minolta Cup. The 1987-93) and wonderful junior set up.” Premiership club eventually triumphed, Malcom Dacey The players are close and team spirit has 23-16. But Bonymaen had three players sin- (Wales 1983-87) never been better. “It has been a real team binned and lost another three to injury over effort but Chris Jenkins has stood out,” the course of the game. Home ground: Parc Mawr McCarthy says. “He came into the team at This performance left the Division One the end of last season and he has been on leaders confi dent that at full strength they Top fact: Bonymaen are the only team in fi re this term. He is a tremendous all round would be able to beat any opposition in a Wales with two player and a real asset to the club.” potential Premiership play-off. youth teams Bonymaen’s best result this season was Though the club disagrees with league beating Beddau away 19-25. “We hadn’t restructuring, Bonymaen are determined www.bonymaenrfc.co.uk won there for three or four seasons and to succeed. “Our plan now is to get into the it’s not nice to go up there on a cold, rainy Premiership so we no longer have to be a night,” McCarthy says. “We won a hard feeder club,” McCarthy says. fought game and that set us on our way.” “We can defi nitely keep up our winning But justjust asas anan unbeatenunbeaten seasonseason appearedappeared streak. We have had a lapse but we expect Check out your club’s profi le to be on the cards, a defeat by UWIC ended to go full steam ahead again now until the on the clubHouse website: their winning streak. “We lost against UWIC end of the season.” www.clubhousewales.com clubHouseclubHouse 03 Kick off What? No north Wales? If you’re disappointed with our lack Aberystwyth of coverage of your area, then don’t WALES ARE NOT THE complain about it. Send your stories only team to return to [email protected] from Ireland empty handed this month. Aberystwyth RFC, who have returned from a mini tour of Limerick, are commiserating after Haverfordwest losing narrowly to Garryowen RFC’s second team. A 15 YEAR-OLD RISING Despite tries from Emlyn Jones star from Haverfordwest and a James Raw conversion, the RFC has lost his fi ght for Irish side eventually won 17-12. survival after suffering “Garryowen were a stronger team two brain haemorrhages. than we anticipated,” said team Luke Hawkins collapsed at his home steward, Geraint Evans. “But the in January. His parents made the deci- boys did remarkably well to lose by sion to switch off his life support ma- just the fi ve points. We were expect- chine after Luke spent three weeks in a ing to play the veteran’s side.” Cardiff hospital. LAURA MALE Luke was the U16 top try-scorer in the team that reached the Welsh Dis- trict Cup Final in Llanelli. He had been involved with the club since the age of seven, playing almost 100 games. Doctors say an unpredictable birth defect caused the haemorrhages. Pentyrch MHAIRI MONTGOMERY BUTE AND PENTYRCH RFCs have marked their long-standing friendship with the exchange of a specially craftedcrafted Cwmllynfell woodenwooden rugbyrugby ball. Halfalf ofof thethe trophytrophy waswas presentedpresented toto CWMLLYNFELL RFC’S eacheach sideside toto commemoratecommemorate thethe 25th25th captain, Martin Harries, anniversaryanniversary ofof theirtheir fi rstrst matchmatch. may be forced to retire “When“When WWalesales playplay at home theythey because of a serious knee injury that needs surgury. come dodownwn ttoo us and when WalesWales playplay The 34 year-old scrum-half, who picked in Edinburgh, wewe go up toto them,” said up a cruciate ligament injury last October, PentyrchPentyrch manager GareGarethth Williams. visited a specialist last week and was told The ceremonyceremony ttookook place at the sell- only an operation will save his career. out anniversaryanniversary dinner held in PPentyrchentyrch Club spokesman Eirion Richards, ex- village hall. plained that in the absence of private JILLILL PARKARK health care he is expecting to spend the next 12-18 months on an NHS waiting list and is unlikely to play again. “He is still the club captain but he is certainly out for the rest of the season.” Richards said. “Unless we can fi nd the money for private treatment there is very little that can be done.” ANDY PIERCE Ystrad Rhondda YSTRAD RHONDDA RFC HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT RECENT Want more? proposals to split Division One into East and West sections next year. The Visit www.clubhousewales.com plans mean Ystrad may be forced to play in West Wales. for all the latest news The club’s secretary David Carmichael voiced his anxiety about the distance supporters may have to travel, given Ystrad’s location in East Wales.“We don’t mind playing in a national league.