History
The Blue Bulls were formed in 2003 and joined the newly formed Welsh Division of the Rugby League Conference. Since then, guided under head coaches Karl Hocking & Jon Purnell, they have won the league every year until 2008. In 2003 and 2004 they won all their games. In 2005 they lost just one, before drawing one game and losing one in the 2006 and 2007 seasons respectively.
In 2003 and 2005 the team also won the Harry Jepson Cup, competing with teams from England, Scotland and Wales. In 2003 they beat Cardiff Demons, Aberavon Fighting Irish, Ipswich Rhinos and winning the final against Carlisle Centurions by 33-26 at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington. In 2005, this time at the Brewery Field, they clinched the cup in a record breaking 60-10 victory against Leeds Akkies. That match was seen by just over 1,150 people.
In 2007 they won the Welsh Grand Final at Brewery Field by beating the Newport Titans 24-18. The Blue Bulls were actually 6-0 down early on, but made an astonishing recovery to lead 24-6 at one point. They held their lead despite the Titans scoring two more tries.
The 2008 season saw Bridgend field a side that contained many new faces mainly youngsters that had not played league before. This led to more defeats than the club was used to and they eventually had to release their strangle hold on the Welsh title with it going to another team for the first time ever.
The 2009 season saw a marked improvement from the previous season, losing just one game during the regular season, they made it to the grand final against arch-rivals Blackwood Bulldogs at Virginia Park, Caerphilly, but fell at the last hurdle 38-22 in a bad-tempered encounter.
In the 2010 season, the Blue Bulls beat Cardiff Demons 28-56 to secure a home tie in the Welsh Premier Playoff Semi-Finals, after finishing second by points difference in the table, behind Valley Cougars, but went on to lose the final 46-44.
2011 saw the club crowned Welsh champions for the first time in 4 years after seeing off Valley Cougars in the final 48-24.
Despite a difficult start to the 2012 season which included heavy home defeats to Valley Cougars and Bonymaen Broncos, the Bulls surge in the second half of the season, a 22-all draw at Bonymaen (the only game that Bonymaen have ever failed to win) and win against the Cougars at Nelson RFC, saw the club reach their ninth final. The took on Bonymaen Broncos in the grand final, but were beaten 46-28.
The future of the club beyond 2012 is currently in doubt, following the retirement of long serving team manager Simon Green.
Read more about this topic: Bridgend Blue Bulls
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