Penallta play their games in Ystrad Mynach, a town in the County Borough of Caerphilly, within the ancient county of Glamorgan, Wales, and is 5 miles north of Caerphilly town. It has a population of around 13,500 and stands in the Rhymney Valley. Before the Industrial Revolution and the coming of coal mining in the South Wales Coalfield the valley was rural and farmed. It lies in the community of Gelligaer.
Penallta Rugby Football Club
Penallta RFC is a rugby union club is based in Ystrad Mynach. The Rugby Club was inaugurated by a group of miners from Penallta colliery in 1952.
The club colours are blue and gold and the first team are known as the Pitmen, the club being immensely proud of its mining heritage.
Since 2000, Penallta RFC has been one of the most successful rugby clubs in Wales, winning numerous titles at all levels. Penallta won the Worthington Welsh District's Cup at the Millennium Stadium in 2001 and the Swalec Plate at the Millennium Stadium in 2012. Amid a string of league titles, including winning Division 1 East in 2015, Penallta has won two Silver Ball titles (one against a very good Rhydyfelin XV at Sardis Road), in 2005 and in 2015. Penallta Youth has also been extraordinarily successful for a 'village' club. The Youth played at the Millennium Stadium in 2014 and 2015, winning the coveted Welsh Youth Cup and then finishing runners-up a year later. In 2014 the Penallta Youth side, led by Scarlets player Jack Condy, won all seven competitions they entered, winning every single game.
The CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence was erected on Caerphilly Road in May 2014. The centre has taken its place on the land of the old Ystrad Mynach Hospital and was built in conjunction with many partners, including Heron Bros Ltd Of Northern Ireland, at a cost of around £6 million. The facility is run by Caerphilly County Borough Council and it is hoped the local community will use the centre to create a thriving sporting culture within the region.
This Season so far:
At the start of the season Penallta were most team’s yardstick for the campaign having seen the Pitmen finish in the top 2 for the past two seasons. They started the season well with comfortable 8-18 win away at Blaenavon before a comprehensive 62-3 win over Nantyglo. The first test of the season came in their visit to Hawthorn Rec and it proved to be as tough as they come with Rhydyfelin running out 42-5 winners inflicting the biggest defeat on the Pitmen for a few seasons at least if not longer.
That result was quickly forgotten though as Senghenydd were dispatched 27-5 before they overcame another tough test this time away at Ynsysybwl. The away tie at the Bwl has proved a sticking point for Penallta in recent times but the 24-41 victory earned all 5 points on the day. A narrow 20-11 win over Brynmawr was closer than some may have expected but on the flip side a 12-88 win the following week was just as unexpected but always within the capabilities of the Pitmen. Another big win on the road, this time at Risca, by 13-40 kept up the winning streak before dispatching mid table Caerleon by 29-10.
Just before Christmas came another big test when local rivals Nelson visited, and took home the spoils in a close fought 12-17 win. That defeat was put to bed when the double was completed over Blaenavon, 31-8 in early January, while also enjoying another great Plate run securing a quarter final match against familiar foe Nelson for mid February. Last weekend’s trip to Nantyglo unfortunately fell afoul of the weather with a frozen pitch.
Current league record:
Played 11 Won 9 Lost 2
Scored 373, Conceded 153
Tries 56, Conceded 21
Points 44
The Past Decade:
The past decade has seen the rise and fall (well not really a fall, just 1 division) of Penallta RFC. Penallta only became a full Welsh Rugby Union member in 2004 and since then it has won Divisions 3, 4 and 5 South East. During the 2007/08 season Penallta were promoted to Division 1 East (now the Championship).
Back in 2006-07 Penallta were down in Division 3 east, securing the title 9 points ahead of nearest rivals Newport HSOB, their 3 title in 3 seasons. Their stay in division 2 east was short lived too, a 2nd place finish 7 points behind winners Ystrad Rhondda secured promotion to the old Division 1. It was a tough season for the Pitmen but by no means a disastrous one as they competed right to the last couple of weeks of the season, eventually finishing in 11th place just 6 points off safety/Beddau RFC.
Their return to division 2 overseen a transitional period as the club settled in 8th place at the end of the 2009-10 season. The squad was being rebuilt and a 5th place finish the following season showed the improvement the club was making on the field. 2011-12 was another step towards the ‘promised land’ of the Championship as the Pitmen finished the season in 2nd position, again only being beaten to the top spot by four points to Ystrad Rhondda. While things may not have gone their way in the league, they did in the Swalec Plate as a victory at the Millennim Stadium v Nant Conwy secured the trophy for Penallta.
The 2012-13 & 2013-14 seasons seen the Pitmen finish in 3rd and 6th respectively in Division 1 East, before another title push came in the 2014-15 season. Finishing the season as champions, 23 points ahead of nearest rivals Rhiwbina, the Pitmen were put up against Division 1 East Central champions Beddau in a Championship play-off. The green and golds were victorious 22-13 and went on to take their place in the Championship.
Last season Penallta were again involved in a title challenge, this time coming up short to Bedlinog by 7 points. With only 2 defeats in 11 this term, and some big games coming up for all 3 title challengers nobody will be surprise to see the Pitmen at the top end of the table again come May.
Senior Club honours:
HEAD TO HEAD:
In 8 of the last 10 seasons we have been in the same division, in 4 of those 8 we have finished the season within 1 position of each other. Results in that time have been shared, with Penallta just edging it overall:
TOTAL – Rhydyfelin 6 Penallta 9
TOTAL @ Penallta – Penallta 5 Rhydyfelin 2
* Information obtained from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penallta_RFC, http://penallta.rfc.wales/ & http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/home.php.
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