Bridgend - Sport - Rugby Union

Rugby Union

Bridgend Ravens

Bridgend RFC (now known as Bridgend Ravens) are a semi-professional rugby union which formed in 1878 and currently play in the Welsh Premier Division which is the top tier of club rugby in Wales. They play their home matches at the Brewery Field, which has been their home on and off since 1920. The club have been Welsh champions five times and have won the WRU Challenge Cup on two occasions, whilst also winning the WRU Division One West league in 2011 and numerous sevens competitions over the course of their existence. They have also played against international teams, New Zealand won on their visit in 1978, but Bridgend have beaten Italy, Western Samoa and Australia. The club has also supplied a high number of players to the Welsh national teams (seniors and age grade). The club has also hosted international matches at women and age grade.

Bridgend Athletic

Bridgend Athletic RFC was reformed in 1972, after the Bridgend Youth team members in that year wanted to form a senior team so they didn't have to go their separate ways into senior rugby, hence the formation of the club which had previously existed up to 1939. The club become full members of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1983. 1991 saw the creation of the club's mini and junior section which is renowned for being among the best in the country. The club were promoted from Division 5 Central in 2001, were WRU Division Four East Champions in 2002, were then promoted from Division 3 to WRU Division Two West in 2003 through the league organisation and were promoted to Division 1 in 2004. They have suffered relegation from that league once, but bounced back in 2009, winning WRU Division Two West. They currently play in WRU Division One West.

Bridgend Sports

Bridgend Sports Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Bridgend. Formed in 1938 by Victor Blick, the team survived the cessation of club rugby in Wales between 1939 to 1945, during the Second World War. There has been in existence at least two other clubs in Bridgend throughout the clubs history providing local competition. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and presently play in the WRU Division Four South East. They won the Glamorgan County Silver Ball Trophy on three successive years between 1979 and 1981, and were champions of WRU Division Five South Central in 2010.

Celtic Warriors

The Celtic Warriors, formed in 2003, are a defunct regional rugby union that was mainly based at the Brewery Field in Bridgend. When regional rugby was enforced by the Welsh Rugby Union, Bridgend RFC and Pontypridd RFC, who were both professional clubs at the time, merged to create the Celtic Warriors as one of the five new regional rugby teams. However, the club were dissolved after one season due to financial problems that had plagued the club during its short existence. Pontypridd RFC had sold their share of the region early on due to their own financial difficulties, with remaining share which had been owned by Bridgend RFC being sold off to the Welsh Rugby Union at the end of the season, however, they decided to chose the region due to financial problems. There were high points for the region, 10,000 turned up to watch them face European champions-in-waiting London Wasps, and the team finished a respectable 4th out of 12 in the Celtic League.

Ospreys Rugby

The Ospreys were formed in 2003 after the merger of Neath RFC and Swansea RFC, which took place after the Welsh Rugby Union forced through regional rugby at the top level of Welsh rugby. Bridgend became part of this region following the demise of the Celtic Warriors. Although the Ospreys play their home matches at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, they have since 2010 played their home Anglo-Welsh Cup home games at the Brewery Field, which is normally two games a season.