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It may have not been the best of starts to the season for the senior teams but the Club can take a lot of pride in the performances of players that have come through the mini and junior pathway and those who have joined the Club and developed into quality Premiership players.

Lewis Jones has shown that he should be playing at regional level regularly with some big performances for Cardiff RFC. He was named BBC Scrum V man of the match in their recent win over Swansea and also featured for the Cardiff Blues yesterday. Another Beddau boy Callum Bradbury is also playing well in the boiler house for the Blue and Blacks after playing in New Zealand recently. Club favourite Luke Crocker has also been in outstanding form for Cardiff and he is a prime example of how a player has developed after joining the Club.

Pontypridd have in recent years had a good group of ex-Beddau players. This season Tom Riley has re-joined them and he is part of the squad that contains two of Beddau’s key players from previous seasons Dai Francis and Lloyd Evans. Lloyd skippered Beddau for two seasons whilst Francis has been outstanding in every game he has put the black and white jersey on. Tom Riley has had a fantastic career and we are proud that we can say he is another player who come through the Beddau system. Both Riley and Francis have appeared for the Green and Golds this season and it is great that these boys have never forgotten their roots.

Hemi Barnes played mini, juniors, youth and senior rugby for the Club and got a well-earned move from Pontypridd to Champions Merthyr during the summer. He perhaps should have been awarded the man of the match award in the Ironmen’s televised win over Carmarthen Quins on the weekend. Hemi is part of a big rugby family, Dad Dean and Grandfather Tommy Lewis are both former Club captains.

Another big forward who came through the system at the Club is Shaun O’Rourke. Shaun has enjoyed a good few seasons in the Premiership with RGC, Pontypridd and now is one of the stand out players at Bridgend. Shaun is another boy who is proud of his roots and is always ready to get his boots ready to wear the green and gold jersey.

Two players that have had enjoyable spells at Mount Pleasant Park and now gone on to enjoy success in the Premiership are Adam Williams and Kristian Parker. Williams had a good few seasons in the centre at the Club before joining Bridgend and then on to Bedwas where he has made a good name for himself. Parker has been a real find for his new Club Ebbw Vale where he is now enjoying his second season. Kristian captained Beddau to the Mid District Cup success of 2016 and was certainly one of the supporters favourites at the Club. He always makes the effort to get to senior games when he can and the players enjoy his input and banter.

These guys are just the current Premiership players that have played for the Club, but there are many, many more that have appeared at the top of the semi-professional game and have come through the Green and Gold system. Many of these players have also gone on to regional and International honours.

As a Club it is our aim to help and develop players for all levels. We are proud of the boys that have moved on to a higher level but we are equally proud to say we have played a part in their development.