Welcome to the Bridgend Athletic Firsts & Seconds Website.
12 Ewenny Road, Bridgend. Tel: 01656 652263
Number of vistors to BARFC Firsts & Seconds Website: 
Use the links on the left of this page to navigate the 1st and 2nd XV information.
Season 20089- 2010
1ST XV Captain -Rod Jones
Coaches -1ST XV - John Apsee - David Williams - Paul Yardley(Head Coach)
-2ND XV - Tony Griffiths 2nd XV Captain - Liam Griffiths
Team Managers - 1ST XV - Paul Hearne, 2ND XV - Ian Holman
Youth Captain - Stuart Eubrooke
Team Managers / Coaches - Mark Davies, Anthony Woodward,Phil Rees
First Aid - Samantha Apsee, Bob Lewis
Fixture Secretaries - Senior - Keith Thomas, Youth - Mark Davies
Club Trustees -David Burt, Malcolm Sawyer, Peter Woods, David Davison
Club Patrons
John Apsee (Senior), David Burt and Gareth Davies
Vice Presidents
Phil McAardle,Julian Gittins,Stephen Gentle, John David, Evan David,Anne Lowndes,Chris Wiliams, Martin Healer, Steve Healer
Life Members
Clive Easterbrook, Glan Hitchins, Roy Huntley, Brian Lewis, Mike Rennie,
Phil Rees, Barry Thomas, Huw Hathaway, Terry Coles, Adrian Burt
General Commitee
President - Phil Rees
Chairman - Terry Coles
Treasurer- Terry Coles
Secretary - Roy Huntley
Membership Secretary - Phil McArdle Entertainment Secretary - Tony Mustoe
Youth Fixture Secretary - Mark Davies
Club Maintenance - Keith Thomas
Lottery Organiser - Brian Lewis
Members - Steve Harris, Tony Bennett, Mark Davies, Phil McAardle, Neil Minchington, David Davison, Brian Lewis & Bob Lewis
Other Contributions
Press Officer / Web Editor - Mark Davies / Adrian Burt
Friends of Bridgend Athletic Promoter - David Burt
Super Lota Promoter - Roy Huntley
Sponsorship Organiser - David Davison
Commercial Manager - Neil Minchington
Bridgend Athletic RFC
(Reformed 1972)
A potted history - Updated Aug 2009
Following a Bridgend Youth Tour in March 1972, team spirit was so high that so as not to go their separate ways into senior rugby; the idea arose to form their own senior club.
A Bridgend Athletic side had existed up until 1939 and now the reformation process was to begin.
The legendary Dr Jack Matthews officially opened the clubhouse in September 1982. This was a nostalgic event for Dr Matthews as the building was his family home during the time he was a record breaking athlete at Bridgend Grammar school. This before he joined Cardiff to become one of the most famous of Welsh Internationals and British Lions of all time.
In 1983/84 the club was admitted to full membership of the Welsh Rugby Union.
A mini/junior section was started in 1991 and has developed over the years into a thriving and successful section of the club. These days over 250 youngsters regularly play on a Sunday morning, proudly wearing the green and gold of the Athletic. The standard of mini/junior rugby at the Athletic is recognised throughout Wales and the British Isles and is reflected in the number of tournaments invited to and subsequently won.
The Youth (U19) set up is still strong and this season the club ran two Youth sides. The A side were winners of the Welsh Youth Cup and Welsh Youth League both finals played at the Millenium Stadium, as well as winning the District Cup.
Tours include visits to Hawaii, California, Canada , Japan & Spain.
The majority of our senior squad have progressed through Junior and Youth rugby at the Athletic; in fact a few started rugby at under 8 level and have played at all age levels up to Senior rugby.
Many Regional and International Youth honours have been achieved along the way. Many have gone on to play premiership rugby with former full back, Lee Byrne becoming the first full Welsh Cap and British Lion from the Athletic having played Mini, Youth and Senior rugby for the club. Scrum half Rhys Webb and hooker Scott Baldwin have signed senior Ospreys contracts. Rhys was a member of the Wales 7’s squad that won the World Cup in Dubai. The current senior squad has 4 former Wales U18 / U19 players, brothers Rod and Johnny Jones who captained the Welsh Youth team and Lee Simms and Ben Howe.
Former Captain, outside half Stuart Morris (son of the late stalwart club servant Barrie Morris led the senior Bridgend Athletic side for seven consecutive seasons, and is still a member of the 1ST Squad today During his captaincy the club were promoted from Div 5 to Div 1 in successive seasons.. Promoted from Div 5 Central in 2001, Div 4 East champions in 2002, promoted through reorganisation in 2003 from Div 3 to Div 2 West and in 2004 promoted to Div 1.Since that promotion we finished fourth in our first season in Div 1 – but were relegated last season. However the club has again bounced back to Division 1 West after winning Div 2 West last season. In season 2005 the club chose its youngest ever captain in 21 year old Simon Mustoe, who has been with the Club since the age of nine. This coming season will be Simon’s 5th season in charge.The 2nd XV were also successful winning both the District League and District Cup.
Current Senior Coaches are Paul Yardley, John Apsee and David Williams , with Team Manager Paul Hearne Tony Griffiths and Ian Holman look after the 2nd XV 2nd XV coach. The Youth management /coaching team consists of Phil Rees, Anthony Woodward, Mark Watts and Mark Davies
Bridgend Athletic RFC Internationals
Senior Internationals
Lee Byrne 1st Athletic player to go all way from under8’s to Senior Team and become a full International.
ALSO A BRITISH LION
Adrian Durston and Mark Jones (Ospreys) also played their Mini and junior rugby at the Athletic before going to play their Senior Rugby with Bridgend and Neath
Alan Henson captained club in 1993/94 Season and so we should claim responsibility for Gavin his son???
We can definitely claim Jack Matthews one of the all time British Lion legends who was actually born in Clubhouse.
‘B’ International
John Apsee also played Junior and senior rugby with the Athletic before making his name with Bridgend where he was captain for 5 years and had his ‘B’ cap.
Other Internationals
Steve Lyons - Malta
John Doherty - Combined British & Irish Police
Ospreys Senior Contracts
Lee Byrne, Rhys Webb, Scott Baldwin
Under 21 caps
Tom Hearne v Argentina
Adrian Phillips Bridgend and Maesteg
Paul Jones Neath, Llanelli, Leeds and now Maesteg
Dinelle Francis Bridgend and SWPolice
Chris Davies now with Aberavon
Nicky Griffiths now with Worcester/Per-Temps in England.
Youth Caps/under19/under18/under16
A total of 27
Malcolm Hall was our first Youth cap. In 1977, he went on to play for Bridgend and London Welsh
But in the Last 2 seasons there has been a remarkable total of 9 caps - a record 5 Under 18caps last season and 4 under 19 caps and one under 18 cap this season. We think 10caps in 2 seasons must be a British record.
Under 19
Luke Hathaway
Phillip Price
Tom Williams
Rhys Webb
Under 18
Malcolm Hall
Paul Jones
Adrian Phillips
Dinelle Francis
Nicky Griffiths
Lloyd Ryland
Simon Cole
Dan Apsee
Tom Hearne
Andrew Kingdom
Kyle Maiden
Haloti Molitika
Rhys Webb
Lee Simms
Jonathon Jones (capt)
Jack Shaw
Lloyd Peers
Matthew Morgan
Under 16
Tim Thomas
Andrew Burns
Simon Cole
Ben Collins
Dean Griffiths
Andrew Kingdom
Jonathon Nation
Chris Davies
Welsh District Internationals
Alan Jones – Welsh Districts & Club Captain
John Boon
Huw Hathaway
Steve Preece
Nigel Dennis
Mike Miller
Welsh Premier League.
Luke Hathaway-Newport
Paul Jones Maesteg
Marcus Sainsbury Maesteg
Tom Hearne Maesteg
Scott Robinson Maesteg
Scott Baldwin Swansea
Dai Pritchard Aberavon
Chris Davies Aberavon
Simon Rosser Glamorgan Wanderers
Dylan Mafi Bedwas
Rhodri Jones Bridgend
Rhys Webb Bridgend
Kyle Maiden Pontypool
Phil Price Bridgend
Tom Williams Bridgend
Rob Coles Llanelli
Marc Bennett Aberavon
Contact: Adrian Burt. e-mail adrianburt2@aol.com
