Season ticket prices will remain the same price for the 2021-22 season!
Adult Season Ticket£125
Senior Citizen & Student Ticket £70
Vice President £250
Gold Vice President £440
Platinum Vice President £1000
Season tickets are now available to purchase online via the club’s website https://www.evrfc.co.uk/tickets/season-tickets/you just select your ticket, fill out your details, choose to pay up front or monthly and then postage or collection.
The new system still allows for monthly payments and you will still receive a credit card style ticket. By purchasing your ticket via the club website you will need to cancel your existing standing order.
SEASON TICKET COLLECTION
These will be available to collect from Mark at the clubhouse between 6:30-8:30pm on Thursday 16th September, you can also purchase your season ticket on the night if you don’t want to use the online system with cash but our preferred method is online as it makes it easier for the club.
MATCH DAY SEASON TICKET PROCESS
The new season tickets will now come with a QR code as well as a stripe, the QR code will be scanned on all entry points to all Ebbw Vale home fixtures, this will provide us with an entry system that complies with health and safety regulations along with providing details on who is at the ground should an emergency take place.
On a match day you come to a game as normal, present your ticket at the gate and a member of our entry staff will just scan the QR code and in you go, it’s as simple as that.
Normal Match Day Prices Are:
Adult £12
Concession £8
U16’s Go Free
More details will follow on Match Day Non Season Ticket Entry….
There are a few changes to the squad that was assembled during the first Covid lockdown
The following players have left the squad
Second Row Kyle Evans has returned to Ystrad Rhondda after a change of job left him unable to meet the time commitments required to play at Indigo Premiership Level
Former Wales 7’s centre Daffydd Smith found travelling from his Penarth base to Ebbw Vale along with work taking too much of his time, he was released by the club and has since signed for Premiership rivals Cardiff RFC
Winger Aaron Graham has left to look for more regular game time having joined in November 2019
Sam Ireland after 3 years with the Steelmen will continue his return to fitness following injury at a lower level
Addition to the squad see the return of popular second row Lance Randall after a short absence and he will be joined by scrum half Jack Harvey who has signed for the club from Bury St Edmonds with the Bristol based Welshman having impressed the coaching team in pre season training and matches.
Former Ebbw Vale Youth team Hooker Liam Lewis will train with the squad and play for Blaenavon RFC and centre Will Keep who impressed for the Steelmen at Aberavon RFC will play at how home club and train with the Ebbw Vale squad, this allowing both of these young players to continue playing s much rugby as possible
The club also has a few players who are occupying the medical team with Ryan Evans having hamstring issues, Mike Powell suffering with back issues.Hooker Mikhail Blake has had a few minor injury concerns along with work commitments preventing him taking part in pre season matches but is now back in training and has had some recent game time at Brynmawr RFC. Finally the hugely popular centre and wing Paul King has suffered a knee injury playing 7’s and is unlikely to be able to play for the Steelmen in the coming season
Greg Woods has spent 18 months away from coaching and that is why he is convinced both he and his Ebbw Vale side will be ready to rock when the Indigo Group Premiership Cup begins. by WRU
Welsh rugby’s semi-professional level has been decimated by the pandemic, but it will finally return to action on September 18 with a knock-out competition split into east and west pools. “On the whole we’ve had a really good pre-season with four tough games.
“It’s been of a very good standard. The Welsh Premiership is the last thing to come back if you like with the league starting on September 18. We kept the squad active through lockdown and kept the players fit.
“They came in on a voluntary basis through the summer and then we have had eight weeks getting the players ready for contact. We’ve played Brecon, London Scottish, Aberavon and Cardiff Met so we’ve definitely done the hard yards.
“I’m pleased with how we’ve gone against quality opposition. The Cardiff Met game was going fantastically until the floodlights went out! I think it was due to them not being used for 18 months!”
Woods – who has coached in the Welsh Premiership since 2004 and remains one of the league’s best bosses – has made a marquee signing in two-cap former Wales wing Dafydd Howells. Woods added: “The Premiership Cup is split into east and west and we will play under the modified rules because of Covid-19 for the first few games.
“I feel we’ve adapted to that well and we’ve played under those rules for pre-season. Things like only having a scrum for a knock on take a little bit of getting used to.
“We hope to start the Premiership proper on December 18, but this cup competition is going to be a tough 10-week block. “It will be a really tough run of games. We’ve got to be ready for that as a squad because there could be injuries with the players having not played for so long.
“We’ve got a great relationship with the Dragons Academy and an exciting squad. I think we have to look at this as a stand-alone tournament we want to win.
“The last 18 months is the longest period of time rugby has not been played at Eugene Cross Park since the World Wars so I think we’ve to be excited about getting back into action. We want to win, but we also have to balance that with giving young players an opportunity.
“Hooker Conor Chapman was in the Wales Under-20 squad for the Six Nations and is a local lad from the Dragons Academy. Wings Ewen Rosser and Carrick McDonagh both have gas to burn.
“Alex Grey who we signed from Wales Sevens has had a brilliant pre-season and has been superb for us. We had a squad ready for the season which was cancelled due to Covid-19 and we’ve kept 90 per cent of that squad together.
“I’ve been coaching in the Welsh Premiership since 2004 and I’ve never seen as many players out there hungry to play. They have had 18 months of no rugby and they are desperate for action.
“I’ve gone back to the Ebbw Vale of old with a big pack and some big, big boys in the front five. But our team also has to be mobile because we are going to be playing quite a few games on 3G pitches.”
Howells stepped away from professional rugby with the Dragons this summer having also played for the Ospreys. His two Wales caps came in Japan in 2013 and Woods is delighted to have him on board at Eugene Cross Park.
“We had Daf on loan for about 12 games in the past. He decided to step away from professional rugby because his body was struggling and he couldn’t get injury free,” he added.
“He’s focused on his career in his friend’s family business but I think it’s a really good indictment for Ebbw Vale that he’s decided to join us. He’s an outstanding person and leader.
“When he speaks in training the rest of the boys listen. He wants to play every Saturday and every minute and he can play 13, wing or full-back for us which is priceless.
“He already has several tries for us in pre-season.”
The Leagues, which kick off from Saturday 13 November for all divisions from Championship to Division Three, and December 11 for the Indigo Group Premiership, will be run on a home OR away basis this season.
In Divisions 1 – 3, League winners will be entered into play-offs to determine National Divisional Champions, while in the Championship and Indigo Group Premiership the top four teams will enter Championship or Premiership play-offs to determine the champion of their RESPECTIVE League.
In order to be fair to all during this one-off season as League rugby returns after an 18 month break, there will be no promotion or relegation this season. The Modified Laws currently in place for WRU cup competitions will no longer be in place, providing public health conditions remain favourable.
WRU Community Director Geraint John said: “It’s great to be able to provide clarity for clubs with the release of fixtures for senior men’s Leagues. It takes us another big step forward on our Pathway to Participation and the news will hopefully encourage more players, coaches, referees and other volunteers back to the game after so much upheaval over the past 18 months due to the pandemic.
“Having a full fixture list will also help clubs off-the-field, enabling them to plan events around matches and encourage partners and sponsors to support them in their efforts.”
WRU chair Rob Butcher added, “We are very grateful to volunteers the length and breadth of the country for the hard work they have put in to help us stick to the timeline we set out for the return of rugby as we know it. It’s thanks to those volunteers and everyone within the game that we are currently ahead of that schedule.
“However, while the return of League rugby is almost upon us, we are all still experiencing many of the effects of the pandemic so in order to remain on course, and to keep everyone as safe as possible, it is vitally important to stay vigilant and work within the guidelines and protocols that individual clubs, us as a governing body and the Welsh Government have put in place.”
Ebbw Vale head coach Greg Woods is undaunted by the prospect of taking on defending champions Merthyr on the opening day of action of the Indigo Group Premiership.
“We’re going to the champions and we’re also playing them away in the first game in the cup as well so that will be a good practise run really,” said an excited Woods.
“The league offers us the chance to get back and play against the sides that we wouldn’t have played in the Premiership Cup, so we’re particularly looking forward to playing the likes of Swansea, Bridgend, Aberavon, Carmarthen Quins etc, as it’s been a long time since we would have played them.
“We’ve also got an exciting fixture around Christmas with Newport for the Dragons region which is always a special time in the season so really looking forward to that one as well.”
The Steelmen are pleased to confirm the following players have been allocated to Ebbw Vale for the coming season.
Harry Fry – Loose Head
Adam Williams – Tight Head
Connor Chapman – Hooker
Joe Peard – Second Row
Ben Moa – Back Row
Euan Rosser – Wing
Carrick McDonagh – Wing
Lewis Bates – Centre
Joe Westwood – Full back
Che Hope – Scrum half
All of the players part from Joe Peard who is coming back from a hamstring injury have had game time in the pre season games. The group will be fined by experienced Dragon James Benjamin who is transitioning from the back row to the Hooker position and will be gaining experience with The Steelmen in the front row for the forthcoming season
The only familiar face amongst the group is Euan Rosser who follows brother Jarrod in having a second season in Steelmen colours but the following players have links to the club
Hooker Connor Chapman is the son of former Ebbw scrum Half Matthew
Ben Moa is the son of former prop Winnie Moa
Joe Westwood ids the grandson of former Steelmen wing, centre and Coach Keith whilst his dad Jonathan is well known for his on field exploits at Newbridge and Cardiff and for a lengthy period as Cross Keys Team Manager
Many at the club will also recognise the surname of Peard, Joe a Wales U20’s International in the summer is the son of former Newbridge second Row Mike and grandson of the former Referee Les who is a regular at games in his role as a WRU Referee Assessor
Ebbw Vale take on Cardiff Met ‘ The Archers’ this Wednesday evening 8th September at Eugene Cross Park. Kick off is 19:15pm and this will be our last pre season fixture before we turn our attention to the new Indigo Group Premiership Cup competition which starts on Saturday 18th September away to Merthyr.
Greg Woods commented:
“The whole playing squad and management are excited to be back playing at EXP after very long 550 days away. We have had a tough pre- season on the road and the thought of playing at home in front of a packed bank excites all the boys. Playing Cardiff Met RFC under the EXP lights is a perfect way to be back as it will be some game played at a high tempo. I look forward to seeing you all back on Wednesday night”.
#feelthesteel
#packthebank
#550daysaway
We are calling on everyone from across Ebbw Vale and Blaenau Gwent to come to Eugene Cross Park this Wednesday and shout on the Steelmen and pack the bank!
Ebbw Vale RFC have appointed former player Alun Harries to a new position for the club as Coach Development Director.
Having taken over a large part of the Mini and Junior in the town at the beginning of the 2019/20 the club has been considering how best to assist the volunteers who put a lot of time and energy in providing a safe and enjoyable rugby experience for the children within our community. It was felt that helping those coaches develop with a resource at the club would build on the excellent Coach Development structure already provided by The WRU.
Alun, a former player at the club during the professional era has built on an 18 year playing career that encompassed spells at his hometown club Abercarn, Newbridge, Neath, Newport and Treorchy plus representative honours at Wales A, Barbarian, Crawshays, Welsh Academicals and Welsh Presidents with a career in coaching and Coach Education. Alun is a Level 3 qualified coach who was part of a successful Cross Keys coaching group under Greg Woods has also worked with Wales Women, Gwent Schools, Penguins International Academy and is currently the Coach Development at Gibralter RFU and is looking forward to once again working at Eugene Cross Park.
The aim of the role is Develop and Support a strong and sustainable coach and player pathway for Ebbw Vale RFC as a Welsh Premiership team and in the longer term to build on this to become a rugby pathway centre of excellence that supports the wider rugby community within the Blaenau Gwent region. Alun will work closely with the senior coaches in managing the transition of players from the age group set up into the Welsh Premiership Squad and this work begins in earnest with the current Youth Squad who are the first to represent the Steelmen for 25 years and further down the age groups where emphasis will be placed on enjoyment and skills
All at the club believe that this will provide long term sustainability and that Alun’s coaching knowledge and knowledge of the club are ideally suited to this role and this appointment has been welcomed by all playing groups at Ebbw Vale RFC
Ebbw Vale take on Cardiff Met ‘ The Archers’ on Wednesday 8th September at Eugene Cross Park with a 7:15pm kick off in our last pre season fixture. It will be 550 days since we last played a home fixture, our last fixture was against RGC at home on Saturday March 7th 2019 before we all went into lockdown!
We are calling on everyone from across Ebbw Vale and Blaenau Gwent and afar to come down to Eugene Cross Park next Wednesday and shout on the Steelmen and #packthebank!
An exciting squad has been put together over the last number of months, players have been working hard and they want your vocal support.
During lockdown the supporters, staff and players have been busy raising funds for our chosen charity Hospice Of The Valleys. The hospice has suffered heavily during the pandemic and provide much needed care and support for patients across the local area.
As part of the #packthebank evening all entry donations will be going to the Hospice Of The Valleys, the clubs charity. Also on the night there will be half time TAG rugby from Ebbw Vale U9s against Abertillery and Ebbw Vale U11s, all teams will also form a guard of honour as the teams run out.
Jonathan Jones said
550 days away from Eugene Cross Park and it seems a lot longer!! It will mean a lot to the players, coaches and officials to be back on our own ground in front of the addicts.
Its a great sign of a return for normality for all within the community of Ebbw Vale and the wider Blaenau Gwent area for live sport to return
I’m sure we will all take a moment to quietly reflect on the last 18 months, think of the key workers and all they have done for so many during this time and remember those who are no longer with us and who would have loved to be on our terrace, stand and clubhouse and enjoy the sport we love in a special community
Greg Woods commented
“The whole playing squad and management are excited to be back playing at EXP after a very long 550 days away. We have had a tough pre- season on the road and the thought of playing at home in front of a packed bank excites all the boys. Playing Cardiff Met RFC under the EXP lights is a perfect way to be back as it will be some game played at a high tempo. I look forward to seeing you all back on Wednesday night”.
So let’s have a huge crowd at Eugene Cross Park next Wednesday as we get behind the Steelmen
Last weekend the Steelmen travelled to Maidenhead where they were narrowly beaten by English Championship side London Scottish despite tries from two wingers, former Welsh international Daf Howells and Jordan Thomas and 16 points from boot of Rhys Jones.
Head Coach Greg Woods said; “Although disappointed with the result, as a coaching group we were extremely proud of the intensity and physicality the boys showed against quality opposition. We certainly fronted up and did the town proud”.
Tomorrow, the Steelmen are on the road again this time travelling to the Talbot Athletic Ground to face fellow Welsh Premiership side Aberavon.
“We need to be more disciplined and make sure we stick to our defensive policies this week. It shows the strength in depth of our squad when we can make multiple changes from the starting lineup last week and still put out a quality side”.
“These four preseason games are all about returning the club to rugby and getting as many players back on the pitch. It also provides a fantastic opportunity for our young Dragons academy allocated players to get some minutes of game time in senior rugby”.
“Everyone is looking forward to the game tomorrow and hopefully we can play some attractive attacking rugby” he ended.
There are a few spaces available on the supporters bus for Saturdays’ game at Aberavon RFC. The supporters bus will be leaving the clubhouse at 12.30 and can the contact Angharad or Andrew Phillips
Here is the Steelmen Side for Saturday afternoon’s match against London Scottish RFC at Maidenhead RFC 3pm KO
This is our biggest game so far, in every sense of the word. It’s going to be great preparation for the coming season and we’re all really looking forward to testing ourselves against some quality oppositionJoe Franchi
After an 18-month hiatus due to the pandemic, the Indigo Group Premiership clubs finally have something to look forward to with a new cup competition set to kick-start the season on September 18.
The 12 clubs have been divided into two pools of six – West and East – for the inaugural Indigo Group Premiership Cup.
Llanelli, Aberavon, Bridgend, Carmarthen Quins, Llandovery and Swansea form the West while Merthyr, Ebbw Vale, Pontypridd, Newport, Cardiff and RGC will contest the East.
The initial stage will be on a home and away basis to find the top two sides from each group. The winner from West will then host the runners-up from East in one semi-final while in the other semi-final the winner of East will host the runner-up of West. The date and venue of the final are TBC.
“The key for us has been to get people back playing rugby. A lot of time and effort has gone into ensuring the top end of our club game can return to action in a safe environment,” said WRU head of participation, Geraint John.
“Finally, the players and coaches have something tangible to focus on and we can all now look forward to seeing some exciting derbies which I’m sure will give fans something to shout about at long last.”
Ian Cole-Wilkins, CEO of Indigo Group, added: “We are pleased to be finally welcoming clubs back after a long and challenging 18 months. The new West and East cup competition format to start in September gives local supporters the chance to see the players stir up some long standing rivalries!
“Indigo Group will continue to support clubs with their return to rugby and we look forward to getting to some of the games.”
Jon Jones, chairman of the Indigo Group Premiership clubs and Ebbw Vale, expressed relief that a date has now been set in concrete to get the players back on the pitch and is hoping the derbies will see fans pouring back through the turnstiles.
“Having a cup competition at the beginning of the season is something different, but we’re obviously looking forward to it because we haven’t played for over 18 months by the time we kick off,” he said. “We’re really enthusiastic to get back to playing and that is a message from all the Indigo Group Premiership clubs really.�
“It’s really important to have that start date set now – we’ve not even got close to it before so it’s great to know when we’re going to start, we’ve all got friendly fixtures lined up to lead into the competition,” he said.
Jones added the Indigo Group Premiership has had to follow certain protocols before having a start-date confirmed.
“Training has already started for the clubs, but we need a bigger lead-in than some of the community clubs for obvious reasons.
“We have got to get a lot of things in place and it gives us time to do that to make sure the players are ready – it’s been a long time without contact so there are concerns from the medical side of things and that is why it has been managed in the way it has and why we are starting later than the community game.”
With pre-season now fully underway, Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt is eager to get the new campaign going.
“From our point of view, it’s really important that we get back playing as soon as possible, it’s so important on all fronts. Important for the clubs, important for the supporters and Welsh rugby in general,” he said.
“It is nice to have something concrete to look forward to. They will all be difficult games, traditionally the West sides play a lot of rugby and I enjoyed it the last time it was east and west if I’m honest.
“The East and West is not a new format – we did it a number of years ago and that was the year we reached the final play-off and we played Merthyr in the final.
“We’re very lucky in Aberavon, we’ve got fantastic supporters and everyone is busting a gut to watch rugby again. My son plays for Gowerton, I watched him play against Dunvant so it feels like it is starting to feel like a bit of normality is kicking in now. It was just nice watching a game of rugby so no doubt our supporters will feel exactly the same.”
Hyatt has no doubt the derbies will bring the best out of the players and is encouraging fans who have been devoid of any live sporting action over the past 18 months to go and support their local team.
“Personally, I think the standard is rising all the time. I take my hat off to everyone involved with the Indigo Group Premiership – it doesn’t just fall in our laps at that level. A lot of hard work is involved, and it is a fantastic environment for youngsters to come through and learn,” he said.
Jones added: “This will be a chance to see some live rugby, it’s good for the clubs and good for atmosphere and I think everybody needs that after what we have been through as a society – everybody needs something different to the garden.
“It’s a chance for the Indigo Group Premiership clubs to continue to show what they can do – that is why we would be really pleased to get more people through the gates because I think as people come they will want to come again.”
With the desperately sad news that Mike Treanor died on Sunday, it is surely appropriate to start by expressing our deepest sympathy to Anne Jill, Catrin, Richard John and the grandchildren , of all of whom he was inordinately, and justifiably proud.
I say this because in his packed life and immense contribution to Ebbw Vale, the town, the steelworks and, to him, the supremely important Rugby Club, everything always came second to his family, although to Anne and the children it might not always have seemed like that.
Mike was a true Corinthian. He gave of his time for everything he did willingly and battled even when times were hard.
He arrived in Ebbw Vale when the steelworks was at its peak. The Rugby Club was successful because the players were treated in a way few could match. The Cornish tour made men of boys. We had employment that could be offered. Everyone wanted to play for us and none wanted to play against us. For a Derbyshire lad, although always a passionate welshman at all times apart from when his beloved County were playing Glamorgan, the sporting opportunities on the Rugby and Cricket field and latterly the Golf course were endless and remarkably thirst inducing. He took full advantage.
His employment in the Works produced unforeseen challenges. When the General Manager decided it would be good for morale to start a Rugby team, with himself aged 47 and not having played for 40 years and never at outside half, the programme announced the names on the team sheet with the surprising addition of a 16th name ”who would assist the Captain throughout the match”. It is a tribute to Mike’s fortitude that he took the hospital passes that my father dished out to him without complaint.
He became used to adversity, but never shirked responsibility. In the aftermath of the steelworks closing, the Club went through a difficult period and were it not for Mike and his close circle of friends, acting as Secretary and Chairman, the likelihood is that Ebbw Vale would have gone the way of our great rivals, Abertillery. We did not and that is in large measure due to Mike staring disaster in the face and refusing to be beaten. Right until the end, this is how he was and the fact that his beloved club survived and thrived is in no small measure due to him. The added bonus of away trips to gastronomic centres in Europe was reward in itself, although an away trip to the Wines of Bordeaux might have suited him better than the one to the Prunes of Agen.
I had the privilege of sharing many happy moments with him and his family. His appreciation of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was all that might be expected of a first class civil engineer but came second to that day in Pontypridd when Damian etc beat the home team to win the Premiership. Mike was ecstatic and his ecstasy showed itself by constant repetition of” after all these bloody years, we have finally won something!”
Our club has lost one of its greatest administrators, players and supporters. He is impossible to replace. There is much talk now of greatness, of form, of class but not much of the quality that marked Mike out from we lesser mortals- he had style, and bags of it.
And he is to my certain knowledge the only Ebbw player ever to have represented India at International Rugby- and if that isn’t style, I don’t know what is.
I speak for all of us when I say that we have lost one of our dearest friends.
Loose Head prop Ross Jones who has been one of the cornerstones of the Ebbw Vale squad has announced his retirement from rugby. Ross joined after the club from Bargoed RFC when the club was at its lowest ebb in July 2010 having been relegated from the Premiership the previous season.
Ross has represented the Steelmen with pride and with never less than 100% commitment on just over 250 occasions. During this period Ross helped to drive the team to one of the most successful periods in its history with 5 League titles in 6 seasons, including Welsh Premiership Champions in 2016/16 as well as Premiership Runners Up the previous season. Added to this were 2 National Cup Semi Finals which saw a late try at one semi-final and number of tries scored after a draw prevented Ross getting to play at the National Stadium.
Many of those 250 games were played in a front 5 alongside Matthew “Chunky” Williams, Rob Severnoakes, Damian Hudd and Ashley Sweet, all starters in that first game in Division 1 East in 2010 and all playing in the Premiership winning team 6 seasons later. What is less well known is in that first season Ross, was the controller of the driving maul and scored 10 tries before handing over the role to Ronny “catch and “ Kynes who scored 19 tries in the Premiership season with Ross being at the forefront of this well drilled and at times unstoppable move.
Ross has been Player of the Year, Players Player and Man of Steel during his time at the club has played as big a part off the field as he has on the field. His level of fitness and commitment to the club has helped to create an environment of high performance, respect, hard work, success and enjoyment that has enabled the club to remain at the forefront of the semi pro game in Wales.
He has been supported in all of this by his family, parents Tony and Lynne, wife Becky and his children Evie and Will who are familiar faces at the club and he will now spend more time with them which has been one of the key factors in his decision to retire from rugby.
Having represented, Tredegar Ironsides, Bargoed, several sides such as Bedwas RFC on permit and the Steelmen in a career that probably passes 500 games in senior rugby, it is a great shame that the Covid pandemic has not allowed Ross to end a fantastic career wearing the Steelmen shirt in front of the Ebbw Addicts who recognise the contribution he has made.
Chairman Jon jones said that I expect that there will be a collective sigh of relief amongst Premiership tight heads as Ross retires and it will be very strange seeing an Ebbw Vale Team Sheet that does not contain Ross Jones and it is shame that we are unable to see him play one last time and pay tribute to an excellent prop forward who has been a magnificent servant to Ebbw Vale RFC and Welsh club rugby in general. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to get to know Ross and we wish him well in the future and expect to see him around the club in the coming years.
