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Celtic Warriors
Founded 2003 (disbanded in 2004)
Location Bridgend, Wales
Pontypridd, Wales
Ground(s) Brewery Field
Sardis Road
Capacity 12,000
7,861
League Celtic League
2003-04 4th
Flag of Wales

The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, playing in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup. Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is a town in the Country Borough of Bridgend in Wales. Pontypridd is both a community and a Town in Glamorgan, Wales, in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff and is situated 12 Brewery Field is a 12000 capacity multi-use Stadium in Bridgend, Wales. Pontypridd RFC Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short The European Rugby Cup (known as the Heineken Cup because of the tournament's sponsorship by Heineken) is an annual Rugby union competition involving leading

Contents

History

The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era. The club came into being in the summer of 2003 when the WRU controversially elected to reduce the current top tier of Welsh Professional Rugby from nine clubs into five regions, attempting to mirror the successful formats in Ireland and the Southern Hemisphere countries of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island

Officially representing the Mid-Glamorgan Valleys area, including Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Maesteg and Bridgend, and south Powys, the Celtic Warriors was in practice a combination of the Pontypridd RFC and Bridgend RFC Welsh Premier League Clubs. Mid Glamorgan is a ceremonial preserved county of Wales. From 1974 until 1996, it was also an administrative county with a county council Pontypridd RFC Bridgend Ravens are a Semi-professional Rugby union club based in Bridgend South Wales. With Bridgend RFC having clinched the 2002/2003 Welsh Premier League title and Pontypridd RFC being consistently strong in that competitions, the Warriors were considered one of the strongest line-ups out of the Welsh regions. Bridgend Ravens are a Semi-professional Rugby union club based in Bridgend South Wales. Pontypridd RFC

However problems dogged the region from the very start, as they similarly did with the other merged regions of the Neath-Swansea Ospreys and the Newport Gwent Dragons. The Ospreys (Y Gweilch formerly the Neath-Swansea Ospreys ( Gweilch Tawe-Nedd) are a Rugby union team from Wales playing in the Celtic League The Newport Gwent Dragons (Dreigiau Casnewydd Gwent are one of the four professional Rugby Union teams in Wales Discussions and arguments abounded about the team name, colours and home grounds for most of the summer of 2003. The name "Valley Ravens" was a controversial choice but seen by many as a fair compromise (Bridgend's nickname was the Ravens while Pontypridd fans welcomed the Valley reference), however various marketing persons within the WRU did not like it. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU ( Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the governing body of Rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board "The Crusaders" and "Celtic Crusaders" met with widespread disapproval from both sets of fans as it incorporated neither team's identity. "Celtic Warriors" was finally decided upon more out of the need for a name than from any real agreement.

Argument over team colours ran alongside the naming problem until a compromise blue, black and white shirt was unveiled and satisfied most people, as did the initial decision to play an equal number of games at Bridgend's Brewery Field and Pontypridd's Sardis Road. Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is a town in the Country Borough of Bridgend in Wales. Bridgend Ravens are a Semi-professional Rugby union club based in Bridgend South Wales. Pontypridd is both a community and a Town in Glamorgan, Wales, in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff and is situated 12 Pontypridd RFC

The team itself performed well for a squad almost completely rebuilt over the summer, acquitting themselves well in both the Celtic League and European Rugby Cup. The European Rugby Cup (known as the Heineken Cup because of the tournament's sponsorship by Heineken) is an annual Rugby union competition involving leading However financial problems at Pontypridd RFC led to the sale of their half of the Warriors to Bridgend RFC owner Leighton Samuel, which he in turn gifted to the WRU, a move that would later condemn the club. Pontypridd RFC Bridgend Ravens are a Semi-professional Rugby union club based in Bridgend South Wales. Further problems occurred as Samuel made the decision to abandon Pontypridd's Sardis Road in favour of playing all Warriors games in Bridgend. Pontypridd is both a community and a Town in Glamorgan, Wales, in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff and is situated 12 Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is a town in the Country Borough of Bridgend in Wales. This brought the club into conflict with a large proportion of its fan base and attendances fell further.

Trouble followed in the Spring and early Summer of 2004 where Leighton Samuel repeatedly threatened and revoked threats of selling the club; one such instance went as far as Samuel accepting an offer from the WRU before changing his mind. This transaction was considered to be legally binding, and the Warriors became 100% owned by the WRU who decided to liquidate the club on 1st June 2004. [1]

With the demise of the club, players' contracts were effectively torn up as they were pushed around to fill positions in the other four regional sides. A number simply chose to turn their back on the Welsh game and moved to teams in England, France, Ireland and Italy. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest This left the ex-Warriors' fans feeling alienated from the professional game.

In the aftermath of the demise of the Warriors, a new rugby league club Celtic Crusaders was formed that play out of Brewery Field. The Celtic Crusaders are a Rugby league club based in Bridgend, Wales, United Kingdom. They are funded by Leighton Samuel, who has claimed that they are the reincarnation of the Warriors franchise.

Home Ground

The "Warriors" shared their home games between Bridgend's Brewery Field ground (home of Bridgend RFC) and Pontypridd's Sardis Road ground (home of Pontypridd RFC). Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is a town in the Country Borough of Bridgend in Wales. Brewery Field is a 12000 capacity multi-use Stadium in Bridgend, Wales. Bridgend Ravens are a Semi-professional Rugby union club based in Bridgend South Wales. Pontypridd is both a community and a Town in Glamorgan, Wales, in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff and is situated 12 Pontypridd RFC Pontypridd RFC

The region included two Welsh Premiership teams namely Bridgend RFC and Pontypridd RFC

Statistics

Celtic League

Season Pos Played Won Drawn Lost Bonus Points
2003/2004 4th 22 14 0 8 9 65

Celtic League Cup

Season vs. Bridgend Ravens are a Semi-professional Rugby union club based in Bridgend South Wales. Pontypridd RFC Round Score
2003/2004 Glasgow 1st 19-9

Heineken Cup

Season Pool/Round Pos Played Won Drawn Lost Bonus Points
2003/2004 Pool 6 2nd 6 4 0 2 4 20

Notable Former Players

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ^ WRU axe falls on Warriors. Gethin Jenkins (born 17 November 1980) was educated at Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive school in Beddau. Neil Jenkins MBE (born 8 July 1971) is a former Rugby union footballer who played fly-half, centre, or full back Christian David Loader (Born 26 October 1973 is a former Welsh rugby union footballer who played prop Sililo Martens (born 27th April 1977 Auckland New Zealand is a Tonga international rugby union player Maama Molitika ( 26 August, 1974) is a Tongan Rugby union footballer Kevin Andrew Morgan (born 23 February 1977 in Pontypridd) is a Welsh Rugby union player who plays for Newport Gwent Dragons and has Sonny Toi Parker (born 27 August 1977 in Thames, New Zealand) is a Welsh Rugby union footballer who plays for the Richard Parks is a former Wales international rugby union player Robert Sidoli (born 21 June 1979) is a Welsh Rugby union player who plays for Cardiff Blues and has won 25 caps for Wales as a lock Ceri Sweeney (born 21 January 1980 in Glyncoch) is a Rugby union footballer who plays at fly-half for Cardiff Blues and Gareth Thomas (born 25 July 1974 in Sarn nr Bridgend) is a Welsh Rugby union player who currently plays at, or Lee Thomas (born 2 June 1984 in Barry Vale of Glamorgan) is a Welsh Rugby union player who currently plays for Sale Sharks Gareth Wyatt (born 4 March, 1977) is a Welsh rugby union player Jonathan Bryant, born 14 October, 1976, in Aberdare, Wales, is a former Welsh Rugby International The Celtic Crusaders are a Rugby league club based in Bridgend, Wales, United Kingdom. The European Rugby Cup (known as the Heineken Cup because of the tournament's sponsorship by Heineken) is an annual Rugby union competition involving leading The European Challenge Cup in Rugby union, known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005 is the junior competition to bbc. co. uk (2004-07-01). "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Retrieved on 2008-03-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant
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