Cwmbran rugby club is steeped with history dating back to the 1880's, producing some famous names in Welsh and international rugby. Ian Gough, who currently plays for Wales' first team played his junior and youth rugby at the club.
Consisiting of senior, junior and mini sections, the club enjoys a healthy respect within the rugby community in the South East Wales areas.
A brief history of Cwmbran town
Cwmbran is a new town in South Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. 'Cwmbran' means valley of the crow in Welsh or Bran's valley (Bran being a mythical prince mentioned in the mabinogion).
Based around the villages of Old Cwmbran, Pontnewydd, Upper Cwmbran, Croesyceiliog, Llantarnam and Llanyrafon, its population had grown to 47,254 by 2001.
Historically, Neolithic and Bronze Age people used the area with the Iron Age Silures tribe also occupying the region before being subdued by the Roman legions based at nearby Usk and Caerleon.
The town is perhaps most widely known now for its international sports stadium home to international athletics events in the 1970s and 1980s. The stadium is also the home of the football teams, Cwmbran Town and Cwmbran Celticas well as Cwmbran Mens Hockey Club & Cwmbran Ladies Hockey Club (which are independent clubs) . Separate grounds at Pontnewydd and Croesyceiliog house the town's two senior rugby teams, Cwmbran and Croesyceiliog.