Rugby in Cardiff and Swansea
Posted on: March 24, 2012
Before Cardiff Arms Park was modernised the rugby internationals were shared between Cardiff and Swansea at the old Arms Park and St. Helens. I never went to Cardiff to see internationals but I enjoyed going to the ones in Swansea and always stood on the slope called the Tanner Bank. This was not named after Haydn Tanner, the Welsh scrum half who played for Swansea, but because that’s what the charge was to watch the Swansea All Whites play their club games.
I remember going with my mate Will Jones (Edith Jones’ husband) to see England in 1934 or 1935. It was not a nice day and rain was expected. St. Helens was an open stadium and the Tanner Bank was where most of the crowd stood, with no shelter at all. We used to be packed so tight that if there was movement in the crowd the ripple effect sent the crown swaying from one end of the bank to the other. Many times, due to crowd movement, I would find myself, like many others, turned around and facing away from the pitch, and it was a devil of a job turning back the right way.
The game started, the rain came and we were soaked. Afterwards we had to walk to St. Thomas railway station, wait for the train and eventually got home. I had a bath, went to bed, and was there for several days. You should have heard my mother’s comments.
Here are some of the rugby stars of the time. Wilfred Wooller; Vivian Jenkins, who was to score the first try as a full back in an international, which I saw him do at Murrayfield; Ronnie Boon on the wing; Dr Jack Mathews and Claude Davey at centre, two brick walls in defence. Davey was from Cwmgorse and went to Pontardawe Grammar School. I used to go to watch the grammar school matches on a Saturday morning. Davey used to be a forward then and he was a big chap even at 16. Another I remember was Clem Thomas. He was a cousin of mine though we were never in contact much.
A Swansea Valley Man 
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