22 Oct 2021
October Update from General Manager Alun Pritchard
It’s been a testing start for us this season and we always knew it would be, but I’m delighted with the way the players and staff have shown resilience and our youngsters are stepping up to the mark. Small steps, but important ones.
When we bought Ceri on board we did so for a number of reasons and I think one of these is now coming to the fore as you can see the difference he is making with the set-piece, in particular at the scrum. There is a lot of new information for the squad to take on board, but they are reacting to it, and I believe we will see the full benefit of his experience soon.
In order to give youngsters from across the region the best possible chance of developing and progressing to the senior team we are looking to strengthen the coaching for our pathway teams. The Covid break has meant that many of the players haven’t been able to train and play for a long time so they need all the help and support they can get. We are in the process of doing this and announcements about the new coaching staff will be made shortly.
You may have seen a few new faces in and around the squad recently. We have brought in two new recruits from the Dragons, in the form of Brodie Coghlan (hooker) and Evan Lloyd (Fly Half) along with Ethan Fackrell (flanker) from the Blues. Rugby League convert Keiran Dixon is also training with us at present.
The door is never closed to players from North Wales, and we do have eyes and ears out and about across the region keeping tabs on those players that are performing well for their club sides and will give opportunities where we feel it will add to the squad. Both Billy McQueeney and Cameron Davies from Llandudno have been involved recently and I’m sure there will be others as well.
I am delighted to say that the fanzone will be repositioned at the top of the East Terrace in time for the home game against Cardiff on 23rd October. This will provide the opportunity for more of a clubhouse feel and you will have noticed that players are coming in for their food post-match. The fanzone will also be available to hire for other functions away from matchdays so if you’re interested then please contact us.
As I hope you’re aware, we are now running the bar and food kiosk ourselves and so I hope that you will bear that in mind as we grow and develop our offering. A wider variety of products is being brought in and we will also be adding more taps to the bar. This is in addition to a mobile bar that we will be adding on site, kindly provided by Wrexham Lager. We are looking to build a bank of casual staff to work on matchdays and other events so again, please get in touch if you’re interested.
Our Merchandise unit is also open for sales at every matchday and we are developing our range as we go. As well as the playing shirts, we also have zip hoodies, polos, t-shirts and rucksacks. Bobble hats are also on their way!
The new away kit has now been launched and I’m a big fan! It moves away from our standard designs yet still relates back to the North Wales region. Shirts are available on matchdays or via our online store.
Our membership club is slowly growing, and we now have all stock in so will contact those that have signed up in order to start the distribution process. If you do wish to sign up the please visit our website or go to the merchandise unit on a matchday.
You will have seen that the league fixtures have been announced from December through to end of March with any play offs or knockout cup fixtures following on after this. At present all games are scheduled to kick off at 2.30pm although we are corresponding with clubs about some later kick offs and are also awaiting and possible TV changes.
RGC Ambassador Sioned Terry performed prior to our opening home fixture against Newport and, along with Dilwyn Price, is forming an RGC choir. We would love to see as many of our supporters get involved as possible so that we can have performances at games as well as at other local community events. Please get in touch if you’d like to be involved.
Our community team are also working hard throughout the region and have a number of initiatives underway including our girls’ skills centres for u12 through to u18 and our SPEN u18 cup competition for the male teams. We are also busy with recruitment in this area with new hub officers going into position at Coleg Cambria, Deeside Trust, Bethesda, and Bro Ffestiniog. Adverts are currently out for officers to cover Conwy County, Machynlleth, Dinas Bran, Ysgol Gogarth/Creuddyn and Coleg Llandrillo (West).
If you would like to contact us about any of the points above, then please email: rgccommercial@wru.wales.
Last Tuesday (12th October) we held an open training session followed by a Q&A. This is something we would like to develop and will look to host more of in the future. Below is an overview from the evening:
Ceri – I came in quite late and I’m looking to make changes at a reasonable rate and may have gone slightly too quickly with some elements. However, this cup competition gives opportunity to many and allows us to test systems for the league. We are a young group that are progressing well but these things take time. Since the start of the season we’ve had 8 debutants and a number of players aged between 18 and 20 getting a good number of minutes under their belt.
Alun – I’m really enjoying my time here, this is a job I wanted to do and I’m involved with a sport I love. I came in with my eyes open and although there are challenges along the way I’m looking forward to overcoming them and helping RGC get to where they want to be.
Afon – The strong support we receive both home and away lifts the team and makes a massive difference for the players.
Alun – Its extremely helpful to have a strong supporters club who become ambassadors for the club and spread the word about RGC. It is also obviously important for away games in particular and has been pleasing to see so many at games already this season.
Supporters – Conversations have already taken place with Alun, and we’d like to keep these going and the dialogue and engagement to remain open. Organising a supporter’s bus is always paramount and so we would like to make people aware that we’ll be running a bus to every away game for the remainder of the season starting with Newport away on 13th November and would like to invite players’ family and friends to also join us.
Alun – Memberships are going well so far with approx. 40 people signed up and I must apologise that we haven’t been able to send out merchandise as the scarves weren’t in. However, these have now arrived and so we will begin to contact members shortly.
I would also like to reiterate that the membership club should have no negative impact on the supporter’s club. The only thing the same is a pin badge.
Josh – We do have a gap, and this is why we are working hard with our youngsters to bring them on. This obviously hasn’t been helped by the Covid break. RGC are restricted to a playing squad of 32 and therefore we have to be clever in how we use our Senior Academy players, many of whom are in Bangor University, and we see this as their development game time rather than forming an RGC 2nd team at present.
What we want to do is develop good relationships with clubs and allow some of our players to return to their ‘club of origin’ in order to get game time and not for us to go to clubs and try to take away players and therefore weaken them.
Ceri – I’ve taken this job in order to try and develop RGC and for them to become a fully- fledged region. When this happens, it will allow for a 2nd team but at present it is best for the lads to be where they are. This also allows for them to have something else to fall back on should they not make it in their rugby career, which I believe is very important.
Ceri - Our current pathway for players is to move on to one of the four Welsh regions and so we are trying to develop mutually beneficial relationships that allow for players to easily transition in both directions. We have a really good core group of players and just need a few good players to link in with what we already have here.
Josh - We don’t want to bring in too many players and stop the North Wales players developing but do need to improve our pathway at u18’s and u16’s level.
Alun – We are currently in the process of strengthening our pathway coaching team, reinstating some positions that were lost during Covid and adding a couple of new ones as well. An announcement will be made about these in the near future.
Josh – We no longer have a formal relationship with Rydal but have further developed our relationships with other partners. Coleg Llandrillo is the main location for many of our u18’s, we have a partnership with St David’s College, although their focus is more inclined towards Welsh Exiles and we are starting to develop a relationship with Coleg Cambria. We would also like to develop an educational partner in the South of the region as well. Obviously, we have discussed the relationship with Bangor University already.
Alun – Basically we have to be sustainable. This means we generate our own revenue and look at ways to get more people attending on a match day. Part of this means we need a team winning on the pitch and competing for the Premiership title regularly and away from this we need to develop our facilities and offer a better match day experience for those that do attend.
Afon – From my perspective it’s great to see the youngsters coming through as I once did. We need to bring in a calibre of player that improves the team and fits in and I would also reiterate that working with the educational partners is vital. I can see the younger players developing and in Bangor Uni we have a great partner for the Senior Academy players as well.
Tymor hyn mae wedi bod yn dechreuad anodd i ni ac roedden ni yn gwybod hyn, ond rwyn wrth fy modd gyda’r ffordd mae ein chwaraewyr a’r staff wedi wynebu’r heriau ac sut mae ein chwaraewyr ifanc yn cymrud y cyfle i gamu ymlaen a wynebu’r her
Wnaethom ni penodi Ceri am nifer o resymmau ac nawr rwyn meddwl bod un o’r rhesymmau ‘na yn dod i’r amlwg achos gallwch chi weld y wahaniaeth mae Ceri wedi gwneud gyda’r mannau gosod, yn enwedig y sgrym.
Er mwyn rhoi chwaraewyr ifanc, o bob rhan o’r rhanbarth, y cyfle gorau i ddatblygu a symud ymlaen i’r tîm cyntaf, rydyn ni yn edrych i gryfhau yr hyfforddi ar gyfer ein tîmau iau. Oherwydd Covid, nid oedd llawer oi’n chwaraewyr gallu ymarfer a chwarae am sbel hir felly, mae nhw angen yr holl cymorth a help y gallen nhw gael. Ar hyn o bryd rydyn ni yn y broses o wneud hyn a cyn bo hir fe fydd ‘na cyhoeddiad am y tîm hyfforddi newydd i’r tîmau iau.
Yn ddiweddar, falle bod chi wedi gweld wynebau newydd yn y carfan. Mae Brodie Coghlan (Bachwr) a Evan Lloyd (Maswr) wedi dod o’r Ddreigiau ac mae Ethan Fackrell (Blaen-Asgellwr) wedi dod o Gleision Caerdydd. Ar hyn o bryd, mae Keiran Dixon, sy wedi dod o Rygbi Cynghrair, hefyd yn ymarfer gyda ni.
Dyw’r drws byth ar gau i chwaraewyr o ogledd Cymru ac rydyn ni yn cadw llygad barcud ar chwaraewyr sy’n perfformio yn dda am eu glybiau ac fe fydd y chwaraewyr yma yn cael y cyfle i ymuno a’r garfan os rydyn ni yn meddwl fydd nhw yn ychwanegu at y garfan. Yn ddiweddar, roedd Billy McQueeney a Cameron Davies, o Landudno wedi bod yn rhan o’r garfan ac rwyn siwr fydd ‘na eraill hefyd
Rwyn wrth fy modd i gyhoeddi fydd y Fanzone ar agor yn ei safle newydd, ar ben y Teras Dwyrain, ar gyfer ein gêm cartref yn erbyn Caerdydd ar 23ain o Hydref. Bydd y symudiad hyn yn rhoi y cyfle i ni gael fwy o awyrgylch clwb ar ddyddiau y gêm ac falle bod chi wedi sylwi bod y chwaraewyr yn dod i’r Fanzone ar ôl y gêm ar gyfer eu bwyd. Fe fydd y Fanzone ar gael i logi am ddigwyddiadau eraill felly os oes gennych diddordeb, yna cysylltwch a ni
Rwyn gobeithio bod chi wedi sylweddoli bod ni nawr yn rhedeg y bar a’r ciosg bwyd ac rwyn gobeithio byddech yn cofio hyn wrth i ni ddatblygu a ehangu beth ni’n gwerthu. Fe fydd mwy o gynnyrch yn cael eu werthu ac fydd mwy o dapiau cwrw yn cael ei ychwanegu i’r bar. Yn ogystal i hyn, fe fydd Wrexham Lager yn ddarparu bar symudol i’r stadiwm. Rydyn ni am adeiladu tîm o staff i weithio ar ddyddiau y gêm a ddigwyddiadau eraill, felly unwaith eto, os oes gennych diddordeb, yna cysylltwch a ni.
Pob diwrnod y gêm, fe fydd ein siop ar agor ac yn ogystal i grysau rygbi Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, byddwn ni hefyd yn gwerthu ‘hwdis’, crysau polo, crysau-T a bagiau cefn. Mae hetiau ‘bobl’ ar y ffordd!
Mae’r ail cit wedi ei lansio ac rwyn ffan mawr o’r cit. Er mae’n symud i ffwrdd o’n dyluniadau safonol, mae’n dal i fod yn cysylltiedig a rhanbarth gogledd Cymru. Fe fydd y crysau ar gael naill ai ar ddiwrnod y gêm neu trwy ein siop ar-lein.
Mae ein Clwb Aelodaeth yn tyfu’n araf ac nawr mae’r holl stoc i fewn, bydden ni yn cysylltu y rhai sy wedi ymuno yn barod. Os ydych chi am ymuno ar clwb aelodaeth yna ewch i wefan Rygbi Gogledd Cymru neu ewch i’r siop ar ddyddiau y gêm
Mae’r gêmau yr Uwch-Gynghrair, sy’n cychwyn ym mis Rhagfyr a gorffen ym mis Mawrth, wedi eu cyhoeddi, ac fydd unrhyw gêmau ail-gyfle neu gêmau terfynnol y cwpan yn dilyn rhain. Ar hyn o bryd, mae’r cic cyntaf ar gyfer ein gêmau yw 2:30yp ond rydyn ni wrthi’n trafod gyda clwbiau eraill am newid amser y cic cyntaf i hwyrach yn y prynhawn.
Wnaeth Llysgennad Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, Sioned Terry perfformio cyn ein gêm agoriadol cartref yn erbyn Casnewydd ac mae Sioned, gyda Dilwyn Price, am greu côr Rygbi Gogledd Cymru. Hoffwn gweld nifer o ein cefnogwyr ymuno er mwyn i ni gael perfformiadau ar ddiwrnod y gêm ac i gymrud rhan mewn ddigwyddiadau cymunedol lleol. Cysylltwch a ni os oes gennych diddordeb ymuno
Mae ein tîm cymunedol yn gweithio’n galed ar ledled y rhanbarth gyda nifer o fentrau, gan gynnwys canolfanau sgiliau merched am dan 12 i ddan 18 ac ein cystadleuaeth cwpan SPEN dan 18 ar gyfer tîmoedd y bechgyn. Rydyn ni hefyd yn brysur yn recriwtio swyddogion hwb i swyddi yn Coleg Cambria, Ymddiriedaeth Glannau Dyfrdwy, Bethesda a Bro Ffestiniog. Ar hyn o bryd mae na hysbysebion ar gyfer swyddogion i weithio yn Sir Conwy, Machynlleth, Dinas Bran, Ysgol Gogarth/Creuddyn a Coleg Llandrillo (Gorllewin)
Os hoffech cysylltu ni am unrhyw o’r pwyntiau uchod, yna ebostiwch rgccommercial@wru.wales
Dydd Mawrth Diwethaf (12fed o Hydref) cawsom ni sesiwn hyfforddi agored ac yna sesiwn Holi ac Ateb. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth hoffwn ni ddatblygu ac gobeithiwn gallwn cynnig mwy o sesiynnau fel hyn yn y dyfodol. Dyma crynodeb o’r noson Holi ac Ateb
Ceri - Des i fewn yn eitha hwyr ac rwyn edrych i wneud newidiadau. Falle ar adegau rydw i wedi gwneud y newidaiadau yn rhy gyflym ond mae’r cystadleuaeth cwpan yn rhoi cyfle i lawer ac yn gadael ni i arbrofi gyda systemau gwahanol er mwyn paratoi ar gyfer gemau yr Uwch-Gynghrair. Rydyn ni yn grŵp ifanc sy’n datblygu’n dda ond mae pethau hyn yn cymrud amser. Ers dechrau’r tymor mae 8 o chwaraewyr wedi chwarae ei gêm cyntaf ac mae nifer o chwaraewyr rhwng 18 a 20 mlwydd oed yn gael profiad o chwarae ar y lefel yma
Alun - Rwyn mwynhau fy amser. Dyma swydd roeddwn i moyn gwneud ac rwyn gweithio mewn gêm rwyn caru. Des i fewn gyda fy llygaid ar agor ac er bod ‘na heriau ar hyd y ffordd, rwyn edrych ymlaen i ddod dros rhain a helpu Rygbi Gogledd Cymru i le, lle mae nhw moyn fod
Afon – Mae’r cefnogaeth rydyn ni yn cael oddi cartref, a cartref yn codi’r tîm ac yn gwnwud gwahaniaeth mawr i’r chwaraewyr
Alun – Mae’n helpu i gael clwb cefnogwyr cryf. Mae nhw yn llysgynnadion ar gyfer y clwb ac yn helpu lledaenu’r gair am Rygbi Gogledd Cymru. Mae’n amlwg bod hi’n bwysig, enwedig am gemau oddi cartref ac mae’n pleser i weld llawer yn teithio i’r gemau oddi cartref
Alun – Mae’n mynd yn dda hyd yn hyn gyda tua 40 o bobl wedi ymuno. Rwyn ymddiheurio am beidio anfon y nwyddau mâs i’r aelodau oherwydd nad oedd y sgarffiau wedi cyrraedd ond nawr mae nhw wedi cyrraedd ac fe fydden ni yn cysylltu a’r aelodau cyn bo hir.
Hoffwn hefyd dweud, na fydd y clwb aelodau yn cael unrhyw effaith negyddol ar clwb y cefnogwyr. Y bathodyn pin yw’r unig peth yr un fath.
Josh – Mae ‘na bwlch ac dyna pam ni’n gweithio’n galed gyda ein chwaraewyr ifanc i ddatblygu nhw ac ni wnaeth yr egwyl a achoswyd gan COVID helpu. Mae Rygbi Gogledd Cymru yn gyfyng i garfan o 32 chwaraewyr ac felly mae rhaid i ni fod yn doeth sut rydyn ni yn ddefnyddio ein chwaraewyr o’r Academi Hŷn. Mae llawer o nhw ym Mhrifysgol Bangor, ac ar hyn o bryd, rydyn ni yn weld hyn fel datblygiad o’i amser yn chwarae yn lle ffurfio ail tîm i Rygbi Gogledd Cymru
Beth ni moyn gwneud yw datblygu perthynas da gyda’r clybiau a gadael rhai o’n chwaraewyr mynd yn ôl i eu glybiau gweirddiol a chwarae iddyn nhw er mwyn gael amser yn chwarae rygbi yn hytrach na ni yn mynd i glybiau a chymrud ei chwaraewyr oddiwrthyn nhw a gwneud nhw, fel tîm yn gwanach.
Ceri – Cymerais y swydd ‘ma i drio ddatblygu Rygbi Gogledd Cymru ac i nhw ddatblygu mewn rhanbarth llawn amser. Pan mae hyn yn digwydd, fe fydd yn gadael i ail tîm cael ei ffurfio ond ar hyn o bryd, mae’n well i’r bechgyn bod lle mae nhw. Mae hyn yn gadael i nhw gael rhywbeth arall i ddibynnu ar rhag ofn nad yw nhw’n gael gyrfa rygbi ac rwyn meddwl bod hyn yn bwysig iawn
Ceri – Yn presenol, y ffordd i ein chwaraewyr ddilyn yw i chwaraewyr symud ymlaen i un o bedwar rhanbarth Cymru ac rydyn ni yn trio ddatblygu perthynas fydd yn budd i’r ddwy ochr sy’n gadael chwaraewyr trosglwyddo, yn y ddau gyfeiriad, rhwng ni a’r rhanbarthau. Mae gennym ni grŵp craidd o chwaraewyr dda iawn ac ni angen ychydig o chwaraewyr dda i ymuno a beth sydd gennym yn barod
Josh – Dydyn ni ddim moyn dod a gormod o chwaraewyr i fewn i’r garfan a atal chwaraewyr o’r gogledd datblygu, ond mae na rhaid i ni gwella y ffordd ni’n gweithredu ar lefel dan 18 a dan 16.
Alun – Ar hyn o bryd rydyn ni yn y broses o gryfhau ein tîm hyfforddi ar gyfer y tîmoedd dan 18 a dan 16. Rydyn ni yn ailsefydlu rhai safleoedd collon ni yn ystod Covid ac hefyd rydyn ni yn ychwanegu safleoedd newydd. Fe fydd cyhoeddiad ynglyn a hwn yn y dyfodol agos
Josh – Bellach, nad oes perthynas ffurfiol gyda Rydal yn ond rydyn ni wedi datblygu ein perthynas gyda partneriaid eraill. Coleg Llandrillo yw’r prif lleoliad am nifer o’r chwaraewyr dan 18 ac mae genym ni partneriaeth gyda Coleg St David, er mae ffocws nhw yn fwy tuag at Alltudion Cymru. Rydyn ni hefyd yn dechrau datblygu perthynas gyda Coleg Cambria ac hoffwn ni hefyd datblygu perthynas gyda partner addysgol yn ne’r rhanbarth. Rydyn ni wedi sôn ynghynt am perthynas ni gyda Prifysgol Bangor
Alun – Mae rhaid i ni fod yn cynaliadwy. Mae hyn yn golygu fod ni yn cynhyrchu cyllid ein hunain a edrych am ffyrdd i gael fwy o bobl i fynychu gêmau. Nid yn unig mae hyn yn meddwl bod ni angen tîm sy’n ennill ar y maes ac yn cystadlu am Bencampwriaeth yr Uwch-Gynghrair yn gyson, ond hefyd mae rhaid i ni datblygu ein cyfleusterau a chynnig profiad dydd y gêm well i’r rhai sy yn dod i’r gêm
Afon – O fy safbwynt i, mae’n gwych i weld y chwaraewyr ifanc yn dod trwy fel wnes i unwaith. Mae’n rhaid i ni dod a chwaraewr o safon i fewn I’r garfan sy nid ond yn gwella’r tîm ond hefyd sy’n ffitio mewn. Hoffwn hefyd ailadrodd bod gweithio gyda partneriaid addysgol yn holl bwysig. Gallwn gweld y chwaraewyr ifanc yn datblygu, ac gyda Prifysgol Bangor, mae gennym ni partner gwych am chwaraewyr yr Academi Hŷn.
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