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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Steffan Thomas

The rise again of iconic Welsh rugby club who nobody can beat once more

Rewind the clock some four decades and Pontypool RFC were among the most feared club sides in the United Kingdom, let alone Wales.

The 1987-88 is generally considered to be their peak where they won 35 out of 36 matches, while they were also crowned Welsh champions three times in a row between 1983 and 1986.

Under the tutelage of the no nonsense Ray Prosser, Pooler were almost unstoppable with the likes of the legendary Wales front-row of Graham Price, Charlie Faulkner, and Bobby Windsor among others wreaking havoc.

READ MORE: The other Wales warriors who could follow Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric into retirement before end of the year

After some tough times the halcyon days are finally back at Pontypool Park with the legendary club having brushed all before them to win promotion back into the Welsh Premiership after years stuck in the Championship.

"I think for the club in general from Peter (Jeffreys) down it's been a tough slog to get where we are today," Pontypool head coach Leighton Jones told WalesOnline.

"When I came in we sat down, and put a three-year plan in place. We knew we were in the Championship for three years so it was about rebuilding the club from the ground up, engaging with local schools, and the communities to get the fans back.

"At the start there was a lot of work going in off the field but we've also put a competitive squad together."

Pontypool ended an unbeaten season with a 83-7 annihilation of Ystalyfera but it has taken years of hard work to get them back to this point after plenty of near misses, and being denied entry to the Premiership despite dominating the Championship.

But rugby is at the heart of Pontypool where the sport cuts into the very fabric of the town.

Pontypool head coach Leighton Jones (Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

Jones, and the Jeffreys, who have bankrolled the club for years playing an integral part in their revival, knew it was important to tap into the history of the club.

"The season back after Covid we had a good look at ourselves because we massively underperformed," said Jones.

"Some boys left, and then we put a big focus on bringing as many Pontypool people as we could back to the club.

"The coaching group of myself and Andrew Quick stayed on board but we also brought Gareth Betts in as head of S&C.

"He's Pontypool born and bred. We also brought Lewis Roberts in as team manager, who is another from Pontypool while Shaun Connor came in as backs coach who has strong links with the club.

"So, we started with the management group, and then we identified some more local players to bring in.

"From past experience when you bring in local players who know each other, live in the town, and their families are from the town they go a little bit extra for the team.

"I think that's something that's played a big part in the success this season.

"Due to the fact a huge percentage of the squad were born and bred in Pontypool including their familes they've all got that strong attachment to the club.

"That's given everyone the driver to perform, and succeed.

"These players have fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, and aunties who watched Pontypool during their heyday so that brings a lot of pressure, and responsibility.

"That's been a big driver for us because we aren't just doing it for ourselves we are doing it for our families, our history, and the town itself."

The class of 2022/23 have done something not even the formidable Pontypool sides of the 1980's could achieve. They are genuine invincibles, albeit at a lower level, of course.

Jones' side have finished the season unbeaten which is the first time this has been achieved in their history, winning a league and cup double en route.

"The backroom staff and the club have worked so hard this season, and everyone deserves credit," said Jones.

"Our pack has gone really well this season."

Jones is in no doubt next season will be even tougher in the Premiership, but he is confident the club can more than hold their ground in the top tier of the semi-professional game.

"We have identified areas we need to improve and adapt to compete in the Premiership," he said.

"We also need to get a few things right off the field, and our recruitment on the field is well underway.

"Peter is looking at matchday experience so he's looking at putting on extra stuff on the ground for supporters so things are well in place for that.

"As a coaching group we are confident we can compete and move forward in the Premiership.

"From my point of view we've had some failures but Pete (Jeffreys) has been superb with regards how he's kept his faith in us and backed us.

"He's transformed the ground and year on year he's improved that. As a town we couldn't ask for a better person in charge than Peter Jeffreys."

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