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| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Blue Bulls Rugby League Football Club |
| Colours | Blue |
| Founded | 2003; 22 years ago (2003) & Resurrected 2014; 11 years ago (2014) |
| Website | http://www.bluebulls.co.uk |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) | |
| Coach | Lee Harben-Jones |
| Captain | Nathan Hawkins |
| Competition | Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier |
The Blue Bulls (known asBridgend Blue Bulls RLFC between 2003 and 2012) are arugby league side based inPyle, Wales. They play in theWelsh Premier of theRugby League Conference. They are the most successful amateur rugby league team in Wales, having won the Welsh Premier a record ten times in their two incarnations, as well as winning the Harry Jepson Trophy twice against teams from England, Wales and Scotland.
The Blue Bulls were formed in 2003 and joined the newly formed Welsh Division of theRugby League Conference. Since then, guided under head coaches Karl Hocking & Jon Purnell, they have won the league every year until 2008. In 2003 and 2004 they won all their games. In 2005 they lost just one, before drawing one game and losing one in the 2006 and 2007 seasons respectively.
In 2003 and 2005 the team also won theHarry Jepson Trophy,[1] competing with teams from England, Scotland and Wales. In 2003 they beatCardiff Demons,Aberavon Fighting Irish,Ipswich Rhinos and winning the final againstCarlisle Centurions by 33–26 atWilderspool Stadium,Warrington. In 2005, this time at theBrewery Field, they clinched the cup in a record-breaking 60–10 victory againstLeeds Akkies. That match was seen by just over 1,150 people.
In 2007 they won the Welsh Grand Final atBrewery Field by beating theNewport Titans 24–18. The Blue Bulls were actually 6–0 down early on, but made an astonishing recovery to lead 24–6 at one point. They held their lead despite the Titans scoring two more tries.
The 2008 season saw Bridgend field a side that contained many new faces mainly youngsters that had not played league before. This led to more defeats than the club was used to and they eventually had to release their strangle hold on the Welsh title with it going to another team for the first time ever.
The 2009 season saw a marked improvement from the previous season, losing just one game during the regular season, they made it to the grand final against arch-rivalsBlackwood Bulldogs at Virginia Park, Caerphilly, but fell at the last hurdle 38–22 in a bad-tempered encounter.
In the 2010 season, the Blue Bulls beat Cardiff Demons 28–56 to secure a home tie in the Welsh Premier Playoff Semi-Finals, after finishing second by points difference in the table, behind Valley Cougars, but went on to lose the final 46–44.
2011 saw the club crowned Welsh champions for the first time in 4 years after seeing off Valley Cougars in the final 48–24.
Despite a difficult start to the 2012 season which included heavy home defeats toValley Cougars andBonymaen Broncos, the Bulls surge in the second half of the season, a 22-all draw at Bonymaen (the only game that Bonymaen have ever failed to win) and win against the Cougars at Nelson RFC, saw the club reach their ninth final. The took onBonymaen Broncos in the grand final, but were beaten 46–28.
The club didn't field a side in 2013 following the retirement of long serving team manager Simon Green. However the club was relaunched in 2014 atPyle RFC as "Blue Bulls" and promptly won the Welsh Title in their first season back.
The club have played home games at a number of venues throughout the county, the original home for the first two years was at Coychurch Road, the former home ofBridgend Town F.C. They spent 2005 at theBrewery Field and were based atPorthcawl RFC between 2006 and 2012. In 2014Pyle RFC was unveiled as their new home. They have also played home matches atMaesteg RFC andLlangeinor A.F.C. In 2020 the Bulls were due to start their campaign playing out ofKenfig Hill RFC but the season was put on hold for a short period and due to start later but subsequently cancelled due COVID-19. April 2021 is the expected start of the new season, however, this look unlikely do to the current pandemic.
| Welsh Conference Premier 2009 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
| 1 | Blackwood Bulldogs | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 328 | 90 | +238 | 16 | |
| 2 | Bridgend Blue Bulls | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 302 | 103 | +199 | 14 | |
| 3 | Valley Cougars | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 333 | 234 | 99 | 12 | |
| 4 | Cardiff Demons | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 220 | 167 | 53 | 10 | |
| 5 | Newport Titans | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 228 | 286 | −58 | 7 | |
| 6 | Neath Port Talbot Steelers | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 146 | 262 | −116 | 4 | |
| 7 | Torfaen Tigers | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 170 | 314 | −144 | 4 | |
| 8 | Dinefwr Sharks | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 213 | 320 | −107 | 3 | |
| 9 | St Clears Wild Boars | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 102 | 266 | −164 | 2 | |
August 16, 2009 |
| Blackwood Bulldogs | 38–22 | Bridgend Blue Bulls |
|---|---|---|
| (Report) |
Virginia Park,Caerphilly Referee: Martin Edwards |
| Welsh Conference Premier 2010 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
| 1 | Valley Cougars | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 556 | 256 | +300 | 18 | |
| 2 | Bridgend Blue Bulls | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 536 | 246 | +290 | 18 | |
| 3 | Cardiff Demons | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 296 | 320 | −24 | 12 | |
| 4 | CPC Bears | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 188 | 494 | −306 | 4 | |
| 5 | Newport Titans | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 258 | 433 | −175 | 4 | |
| 6 | Blackwood Bulldogs | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 267 | 352 | −85 | 4 | |
August 21, 2010 |
| Valley Cougars | 46–44 | Bridgend Blue Bulls |
|---|---|---|
| (Report) |
Virginia Park,Caerphilly Referee: Ian Curzon |
The club runs junior sides at under-13, under-15 and under-17 levels in the Welsh Conference Junior League.
Supporters of the club formed atag rugby outfit named Bridgend Blue Heifers in 2008.