Sport
The Welsh Rugby Union was formed at a meeting held at the Castle Hotel in 1881. Neath Rugby Football Club, the famous and very successful "Welsh All Blacks", play at The Gnoll who have managed to win 4 consecutive titles in the Semi Professional Principality Premiership and 3 Swalec Cup titles (Previously known as Schweppes and Konica Minolta Cups) and are now competing in a new competition The British and Irish Cup founded in 2009. Neath RFC still hold the World Records for most points scored in a season and most tries scored in a season which are unlikely to ever be beaten..
Motorcycle speedway was staged at the Abbey Stadium in Neath in 1962. The Welsh Dragons, led by New Zealander Trevor Redmond, raced with some success in the Provincial League but, because of local problems, a number of the "home" fixtures were raced at St Austell. The Dragons introduced the Australian rider Charlie Monk to British speedway. After a season at Long Eaton Archers, Monk went on to have considerable success at Glasgow. The team also featured South African Howdy Cornell. In the early 1960s there was also stock car racing held at Neath Abbey, opposite the monastery
Neath Athletic A.F.C. was the town's largest football team, playing at Neath RFC's ground, the Gnoll and played in the top-flight of Welsh football, the Welsh Premier League until the club was wound-up in 2012. In the 2006-07 season, Neath Athletic A.F.C. gained promotion from the Welsh Football League First Division, and to the Welsh Premier League. Neath Athletic A.F.C. got, on average, 300 supporters attending a domestic, Welsh Premier League game, which was normal with the rest of the Welsh Premier League.
South Wales Scorpions, formed in 2010 are a professional rugby league team who play their home games at the Gnoll.
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