I hope you’ve all had a nice post-season break and are now refreshed and looking forward to the upcoming year ahead? The staff and players have had some deserved time off and returned to training on 6th June in preparation for the rigours that a full Premiership season and cup competition provide.
Everyone here is aware that last year was a transition with a number of new staff, players and all-round change. That period is now behind us, and we will now be aiming to challenge at the top of the league and in the latter rounds of the cup as well. You will have seen that the majority of last year’s squad has re-signed, and I think it’s fair to say that they can see the direction of travel the team is taking and want to be involved in their region pushing on.
The coaching team have also been looking at potential recruits to add to the squad and are delighted to have secured Wales u20 international Ethan Fackrell from Cardiff Rugby. Ethan was excellent for us during his short loan period last season and also impressed during the Wales u20 campaign. I certainly look forward to seeing what he will bring to the squad this year. There are other recruitment conversations ongoing so keep your eyes peeled for announcements in the near future.
Whilst we look to bring in players to add quality to the squad our main aim is always to develop players from within North Wales and I am delighted that we will be promoting 4 players from last year’s u18 to the senior squad this year: Patrick Nelson, Gareth Parry, Owain Evans and Tal Taylor. All have shown the potential to progress, and I look forward to seeing them pull on the senior RGC shirt very soon.
As much as it was a transition season for the senior team, it was even more so for our younger squads with Saul Nelson and Mike Stubbs brought in mid-season to head up the u18 and u16 teams respectively. The foundations that these coaches put in place should now start to take hold and ensure that we have a high-quality offering to any players wanting to progress through our pathway.
Linked closely to all of the age groups are our Educational Partners. Last season Coleg Llandrillo made it to the National Colleges Schools and Bowls Final at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Although they didn’t win on the day it was a great experience for all and a number of players will be returning to Llandrillo this year to develop their rugby skills under the tutelage of RGC record cap holder Andrew Williams and current Wales 7’s and RGC player Afon Bagshaw.
The next potential step for our players could see them swap college for Bangor University where RGC stalwart Joe Simpson oversees the male and female teams who both achieved promotion from their respective leagues last year. Our aim is to develop this relationship even further and push them up the university leagues as quickly as possible.
Another partner who develops talent for RGC is St David’s College. They have nurtured the growth of Owain Evans and continue to offer opportunities for those who may want to follow a different route to the top. Their coaching team of Daniel Lycett and Ross Williams have also overseen the RGC Women’s u18 team who punched well above their weight when facing off against the other 4 regions and resulted in 7 selections for the national training squad and 4 players: Catrin Stewart, Erin Jones, Nel Metcalfe and Sian Jones being capped for the National u18 team. Watch this space with regards to future developments for the women’s RGC teams…
We’re delighted to also be able to try and support players with other opportunities as and when they arise. Recently Bryn Jones and Daniel Owen both represented Crawshays out in France on a successful tour and we hope to see more of our players do the same in the future. We’ve also had both Dafydd Williams and Rhys Tudor jump on the National 7’s circuit as we look to put our players in the shop window for the National 7’s team.
Sam Wainwright could become the first RGC pathway player to win a full international cap should he come onto the pitch against South Africa. Everyone at RGC is delighted with the news, and although I don’t know him personally, I’m told his work ethic is second to none. I’m sure he will be the inspiration for many more to follow in his footsteps from RGC to the national team.
Here at Parc Eirias, there has been some press about potential stadium developments. Things are bubbling along behind the scenes with these conversations, and I will update you further once there is something more concrete to say. My intention is to continue improving the matchday experience for all as, at the end of the day, we need to ensure we get more people through the gates, and I believe that if they have an enjoyable experience then they will come. If there are any suggestions that you have about how we may improve this, then please send suggestions to rgccommercial@wru.wales.
We should return to a standard league format this year and as soon as we have confirmation with regards to fixtures then an announcement about season tickets will be made. This is also the case with memberships as we look to increase our fan base and offer something back to those loyal supporters.
Finally, the 2022-23 season marks the 10-year anniversary since RGC 1404 started out in Division 1 East of the National League. We’ve come a long way since then thanks to a number of stalwarts who have driven this region forwards. We will ensure that there will be numerous subtle and not-so-subtle celebrations to mark their achievements as we progress through to the end of the season.
Cyfarthrebiad y Rheolwr Cyffredinol
Gobeithwn bod chi gyd wedi mwynhau eich amser ers i’r tymor gorffen ac rydych chi yn edrych ymlaen i’r tymor newydd sy o flaen ni. Ar ôl ychydig o wythnosau i ffwrdd, ar y 6ed o Fehefin, ddaeth y chwaraewyr a’r staff yn ôl i ymarfer ac i baratoi ar gyfer yr her mae’r Uwch-Gynghrair a’r cystadleuaeth cwpan yn rhoi.
Mae pawb yn cydnabod roedd tymor diwethaf yn un o drwasnewid gyda nifer o aelodau staff a chwaraewyr ynghyd â newid yn cyffredinol. Mae’r cyfnod ‘na nawr tu ôl i ni ac byddwn ni nawr yn anelu am herio ar frig y cynghrair a rowndiau olaf y cwpan. Mae rhanfwyaf o’r garfan wedi ail-arwyddo ac mae’n ddeg i ddweud mae nhw gallu gweld y ffordd mae’r tîm yn mynd ac mae nhw moyn fod yn rhan o’i rhanbarth.
Mae’r tîm hyfforddi wedi bod yn edrych ar chwaraewyr newydd i ychwanegu at y carfan ac rydyn yn falch bod chwaraewr rhyngwladol Cymru dan Ugain, Ethan Fackrell wedi ymuno a ni o Rygbi Caerdydd. Yn ystod ei cyfnod byr ar fenthyg gyda ni tymor diwethaf, chwaraeodd Ethan yn rhagorol ac hefyd wnaeth argraff dda yn ystod ymgyrch Chwe Gwlad dan Ugain Cymru. Rydw i yn edrych ymlaen i weld beth gall Ethan dod i’r garfan eleni. Mae’r tîm hyfforddi yn parhau i siarad a chwaraewyr felly edrychwch mas ar gyfer cyhoeddiadau yn y dyfodol agos.
Er bod ni yn edrych i ychwanegu chwaraewyr o safon i’r garfan er mwyn ei gryfhau, ein prif nôd yw i ddatblygu chwaraewyr o ogledd Cymru ac mae’n pleser i ddweud bod pedwar chwareawyr o’r garfan dan 18, sef Patrick Nelson, Gareth Parry, Owain Evans a Tal Taylor, wedi eu ddyrchafu i’r garfan hŷn. Maen’t i gyd wedi dangos y potensial i symud ymlaen ac rwyn edrych ymlaen i weld nhw yn chwarae i’r tîm hŷn yn fuan iawn
Mor gymaint ag oedd e yn tymor o drawsnewid i’r dîm hŷn, yr oedd yn un fwy ar gyfer ein carfanau iau wrth i Saul Nelson a Mike Stubbs dechrau hyfforddi y tîmoedd dan 18 a 16 yng nghanol y tymor. Ddylai’r seiliau mae’r hyfforddwyr ‘ma wedi eu osod sicrhau bod gennym ni fframwaith o’r safon uchaf i gynnig i unrhyw chwaraewr sy am fynd trwy ein rhaglen
Mae ein Partneriaid Addysg wedi eu gysylltu yn agos i bob grŵp oedran. Tymor diwethaf wnaeth Coleg Llandrillo cyrraedd rownd derfynnol Bowlen Cenedlaethol Colegau ac Ysgolion yn Stadiwm y ‘Principality’ yng Nghaerdydd. Er collon nhw ar y diwrnod, roedd yn profiad arbennig i bawb ac bydd nifer o’r chwaraewyr yn dod yn ôl i Landrillo eleni i ddatblygu eu sgiliau o dan hyfforddiant Andrew Williams, sy wedi ennill y nifer fwyaf o gapiau i Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, a Afon Bagshaw chwaraewr presennol Rygbi Gogledd Cymru a tîm saith bob ochr Cymru
Y cam nesaf ar gyfer ein chwaraewyr yw falle gweld nhw cyfnewid coleg ar gyfer Prifysgol Bangor lle mae chwaraewr profiadol Rygbi Gogledd Cymru Joe Simpson yn goruchwylio y tîm dynion a’r tîm merched ac wnaeth y ddau tîm gael ddyrchafiad o’i cynghreiriau. Ein nôd yw i ddatblygu y perthynas ‘ma yn fwy a helpu nhw ddringo cynghreiriau prifysgol mor gynt ag sy’n posib.
Partner arall sy’n datblygu dawn ar gyfer Rygbi Gogledd Cymru yw Coleg St David. Maen’t nhw wedi meithrin datblygiad Owain Evans ac mae nhw yn parhau i gynnig cyfleuon i’r rhai sy am ddilyn ffordd gwahanol i’r frig. Mae’r tîm hyfforddi o Daniel Lycett a Ross Williams hefyd wedi goruchwylio tîm fenywod dan 18 Rygbi Gogledd Cymru ac chwarae teg i nhw, wnaeth y ferched perfformio yn dda yn erbyn y rhanbarthau eraill. O ganlyniad cafodd saith chwareawyr eu ddewis ar gyfer ymarfer gyda’r carfan cenedlaethol ac ennillodd Catrin Stewart, Erin Jones, Nel Metcalfe a Siȃn Jones capiau ar gyfer y tîm Cenedlaethol dan 18. Edrychwch mas ar gyfer datblygiadau am dîm merched Rygbi Gogledd Cymru
Rydyn ni hefyd yn falch i drio rhoi cyfleuon eraill i chwaraewyr pan mae nhw yn codi. Yn ddiweddar, wnaeth Bryn Jones a Dan Owen cynrychioli tîm Crawshays ar ddaith llwyddianus i Ffrainc ac gobeithiwn gallwn weld mwy o ein chwaraewyr yn chwarae dros y tîm hanesyddol hwn yn y dyfodol. Hefyd mae Dafydd Williams a Rhys Tudor wedi bod yn chwarae ar y gylchdaith cenedlaethol saith bob ochr wrth i ni edrych i hyrwyddo ein chwaraewyr ar gyfer y tîm Cenedlaethol saith bob ochr.
Os mae’n dod ar y maes a chwarae yn erbyn De’r Affrig gall Sam Wainwright bod yn y chwaraewr cyntaf i ddod trwy rhaglen Rygbi Gogledd Cymru i ennill cap rhyngwladol dros Cymru. Mae pawb yn Rygbi Gogledd Cymru wrth eu foddau gyda’r newyddion ac er nad wyf i yn adnabod Sam yn bersonol, mae pawb yn dweud bod ei agwedd tuag at ymarfer ac i ddysgu yn penigamp. Rwy’n siwr fydd Sam yn ysbrydoliaeth i lawer i ddilyn yn ei ‘sgidiau o Rygbi Gogledd Cymru i’r tîm cenedlaethol.
Mae na wedi bod sôn yn y wasg am y potensial o ddatblygiadau i’r stadiwm ym Mharc Eirias. Mae na trafod yn mynd ymlaen tu ôl y lleni ac byddwn yn dweud wrthych unrhyw newyddion o beth sy’n digwydd pan fydd gen i rhywbeth fwy gadarn i ddweud. Fy mwriad i yw i barhau i wella’r profiad ddiwrnod y gêm i bawb oherwydd ar ddiwedd y dydd, mae angen ni i gael fwy o bobl trwy’r giȃtiau. Rwyn credu os yw pobl yn mwynhau y profiad, fe fydd nhw yn dod yn ôl. Os oes gennych chi unrhyw awgrymiadau sut gallwn ni wella hyn, yna anfonwch eich awgrymiadau i rgccommercial@wru.wales
Eleni ddylai’r Uwch-Gynghrair mynd yn ôl i fformat arferol ac cyn gynteg ag y cawn ni cadarnhad o’r gêmau, bydd cyhoeddiad am docynnau tymor. Hefyd bydd cyhoeddiad am aelodaethau wrth i ni edrych i dyfu ein chefnogaeth a rhoi rhywbeth yn ôl i ein chefnogwyr ffyddlon
Yn olaf, tymor 2022-23 yw’r 10fed flwyddyn ers cychwynodd Rygbi Gogledd Cymru 1404 yn Adran 1 Dwyrain o’r Cynghrair Cenedlaethol. Diolch i’r nifer o’r unigolion sy wedi gyrru y rhanbarth ymlaen ac rydyn ni wedi mynd ymhell ers y dyddiau cynnar. Byddwn ni yn sicrhau bydd na dathliadau cynnil, a rhai ddim mor cynnill, i nodi eu cyflawniadau wrth i ni fynd ymlaen hyd at diwedd y tymor.
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