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| Full name | Cross Keys Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Keys | |
| Founded | 1885; 140 years ago (1885)[1] | |
| Location | Crosskeys,Wales | |
| Ground(s) | Pandy Park (Capacity: 3,000) | |
| President |  Terry Howell | |
| Coach(es) | Morgan Stoddart Greg Woods Gewsyn Price-Jones | |
| Captain(s) | Corey Nicholls | |
| League(s) | Welsh Premier Division | |
| 2023-2024 | Welsh Championship East - 3rd (promoted) | |
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| Official website | ||
| www | ||
Cross Keys RFC (Welsh:Clwb Rygbi Pont-y-Cymer) is arugby union club located in theWelsh village ofCrosskeys. The club is a member of theWelsh Rugby Union, and is a feeder club for theDragons regional team.[2]
The club achieved first class-status in 1909, winning the Monmouthshire league three times.[citation needed]
By 1920 the team had their first international player, whenSteve Morris won a cap forWales. Morris would win 19 caps and captained Wales in 1925.[3] Caps followed during the 1920s forOssie Male andLonza Bowdler, both returned over several seasons for Wales, facing not onlyFive Nations Championships but also touring teams.
In 1926 Cross Keys RFC found themselves in dire financial trouble, and requested help from theWelsh Rugby Union. The WRU refused an appeal for a cash loan, but instead agreed to send theWelsh national team to play in an exhibition match at Pandy Park. The sell-out crowd assured Cross Keys future and resulted in an historic win for the home team thirteen points to eight.[4]
Rugby observers have noted the high level of talent in the Cross Keys pack, and criticised the fact they went under represented in the national team during the 1920s[5] and 1930s.[6]
Cross Keys reached the final of the2011–12 British and Irish Cup, losing toMunster A.[7] Cross Keys won their first Swalec Cup, defeating table toppingPontypridd at the Millennium Stadium in 2012.[8]
Note: Flags indicate national union underWorld Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
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The following list is made up of ex-Cross Keys players who have all won international caps as either a rugby union orrugby league player.
George BootsTaulupe Faletau 38Wales caps, 1British and Irish Lions capFrederick Arthur Bowdler (15 caps)[10]Archibald "Archie" BrownLloyd Burns (7 caps)Mervyn Hicks (Great Britain Rugby League)Ron Herrera (8 caps)[11]Jack Hurrell (1 cap)Ossie Male (11 caps)[12]Steve Morris (19 caps)[12]Con Murphy (3 caps)Gerwyn PriceDai ReesFred Reeves (2 caps)[13]Rex Richards (1 cap)[13]Russell Taylor (3 caps), 1938 British Lions[14]Joe Thompson (1 cap) forWales (RU).[14] Whilst atLeeds (Great Britain RL 12 caps,Wales RL 8 caps,Other Nationalities RL 5 caps)Trevor Williams (8 caps)[15]Stanley 'Docker' Winmill (2 caps)[16]| Year | Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 9 October |  Fiji | Loss | 12-26 | 1985 Fiji rugby union tour of Wales and Ireland[17] |
| 2022 | 2 November |  Poland | Loss | 37-12 | 2022Rugby Europe Championship Preparations[18][19] |
2006/06-2009/10
| Season | League | Finish | Number of Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | Premiership | 13th | 14 |
| 2007-08 | Premiership | 11th | 15 |
| 2008-09 | Premiership | 9th | 14 |
| 2009-10 | Premiership | 10th | 14 |
2010/11-2019/20
| Season | League | Finish | Number of Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | Premiership | 6th | 14 |
| 2011-12 | Premiership | 6th | 14 |
| 2012-13 | Premiership | 5th | 12 |
| 2013-14 | Premiership | 3rd | 12 |
| 2014-15 | Premiership | 3rd | 12 |
| 2015-16 | Premiership | 4th | 12 |
| 2016-17 | Premiership | 12th | 16 |
| 2017-18 | Premiership | 11th | 16 |
| 2018-19 | Premiership | 14th | 16 |
| 2019-20 | Championship | 7th | 14 |
2020/21-
| Season | League | Finish | Number of Teams | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | COVID-19 | ||||||
| 2021-22 | Championship | 7th | 14 | ||||
| 2022-23 | Championship | 8th | 14 | ||||
| 2023-24 | Championship East | 3rd | 12 | ||||
| 2024-25 | Premiership | TBC | 13 | ||||
