A group of former rugby teammates and opponents enjoyed a morning of hugs, handshakes and lots of laughs at a Christmas breakfast in Cwmbran.
The event was held to celebrate another year since a weekly walking group began in 2021. During lockdown in the summer of that year, former Pontypool, Wales and British Lion Graham Price, and John Evans, former Newbridge RFC match secretary, Tredegar RFC player and dentist, started doing a walk along the Afon Lywd river path in Croesyceiliog. They contacted Clive Davis, former Newbridge RFC and Wales, who joined then.
The numbers grew as more old friends and former players heard about the walk. Around six to eight people regularly turn up and others take part when they can.
The majority of the group played for Gwent clubs including Pontypool, Cross Keys, Ebbw Vale, Cwmbran, Newbridge and Tredegar at some point during the 1960s to 1990s.
They met on Thursday 21 December 2023 to enjoy a breakfast at Goode’s Fitness Club. Around 35 men who played during the 60s to 90s sat together and spent a couple of hours sharing stories and catching up with each other. The attendees included Paul Turner, the current head coach of English side Ampthill RFC who has just returned to the Dragons RFC in a part-time role, Wales internationals Mark Brown and Ken Waters, and Jim McCreedy, former Newbridge and Newport RFC player and later Newport and Dragons team manager.
Mr Davis told Cwmbran Life that the walkers meet in the car park outside Goode’s Fitness Club every Thursday at 10am and enjoy a one-hour stroll. Since it started in 2021 they’ve only not walked on three occasions times, and that was because of the clash with their Christmas breakfast.
