Lloyd George found Monmouthshire an unresponsive area complaining in a letter to his wife during the campaign for home rule of 1895 “the sad folk of Tredegar seem permanently sunk in a morbid footballism”. He felt that the working classes were more interested in rugby than his crusade for home rule.
He used the phrase to criticise what he viewed as an unhealthy, excessive obsession with football—specifically rugby—in South Wales.Rugby football experienced a meteoric rise in the 1900’s. This period is recognised as the first “golden era” of Welsh rugby (1900-1911), marked by unprecedented international success, the development of a unique playing style, and the sport’s adoption by the working-class. The Welsh team won the Home Nations on six occasions, achieving three Grand Slams and beat the All Blacks in 1905. The match marked the first rendition of ‘Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’ as the National Anthem.
Newport Rugby Football Club was among the strongest in the land with one of the most demanding fixture lists regularly attracting large attendances.
The popularity of the game fed it its way into a proliferation of local clubs and league structures. In Newport most districts, associations and villages had a rugby team. In 1912 Newport RFC had three teams, Pill Harriers two, there were teams at Newport Crusaders, Corinthians, St.Woolos, St. Michael’s, St Stephen’s, Caerau, Commercial Road Methodists, the Catholic Institute and the Docks as well as in the south Monmouthshire villages such as Goldcliff, Sudbrook, Redwick and Caldicot. Newport was surrounded by many junior teams in the valleys and to the east.
Our focus is on Redwick, a village to the south of Newport on the Levels with a population of little more than 250 in 1911. Remarkably this village sustained two rugby teams for a season, Redwick United and Redwick Rovers, with players drawn from surrounding localities such as Magor and Bishton. In October 1910 Redwick United played their first match against the Catholic Institute. The venue is not known but after this the team played 21 matches recording eight wins, three draws and ten losses. 1911-12 saw the amalgamation of Magor and Redwick United and the formation of a separate Redwick Rovers team. United played some significant fixtures including a match against Newport Thirds led by Jack Wetter. By now it seems that the United club were playing their matches at Barecroft Common near to Llandevenny. Redwick Rovers were a separate team and called on many of the former Redwick United players. They competed in the newly formed Magor and District League. Many of the players were local farmers but some went on to greater rugby prominence playing for major clubs such as Newport.
By 1913-14 Magor and Redwick United and Redwick Rovers had amalgamated into one team with many of the old Redwick management took key positions.
The interruption of the First World War and the huge impact on the male population led to a reduction in teams after the end of the conflict. There is no record of a Redwick team, for example, after the war.
Line up – back row – W Jones, J Cox, J Lewis, R Payne, C P Burris (Hon Secretary)
Third row – H Wellington, S Potter, H G Tucker, S Cochrane, W E Baker (President), T L Stead, G H Baker, J Waters, Dr Vaughan, A R Baker
Second row – H Reese, G Harris, E C Cochrane, J Payne (Vice Captain), J C Reese (Captain), S Reese, T D Pritchard, F Payne, S G Brace,
Front row – S Cochrane, H Phillips, A Phillips
