{{short description|Welsh rugby union football club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox rugby team | teamname = Treorchy RFC | fullname = Treorchy Rugby Football Club | location = Treorchy, Wales | nickname = The Zebras | countryflag = Wales | founded = 1886 | ground = The Oval | capacity = | president = | coach = Ian Evans (forwards)<br> Andrew Bishop (backs) | captain = Nathan Griffiths | league = WRU championship East | season = 2014-15 | position = 4th<ref>[http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/club/swalecleagues/tables.php?includeref=1999&season=2011-2012&stage=1E WRU Official Site]</ref> | url = www.treorchyrfc.co.uk | pattern_la1=_black_hoops| pattern_b1=_blackhoops | pattern_ra1=_black_hoops| leftarm1=FFFFFF| body1=FFFFFF| rightarm1=FFFFFF| shorts1=000000| socks1=000000 }} '''Treorchy Rugby Football Club''' is a rugby union team from the village of Treorchy, in the Rhondda Valley, Wales. They formed in 1886 and by 1891 were a strong voice in the Welsh Football Union and were playing in the Rhondda Division.<ref>''Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981'', David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pg 53 {{ISBN|0-7083-0766-3}}</ref>
==Club history== With the industrialisation of the Rhondda, the game of rugby spread through the valley as the growing population looked for social activities to become involved in. Although not the first club to form in the Rhondda, Treorchy provided the first international player to represent Wales while still playing for a valley club. In the opening game of the 1886 Home Nations Championship, Treorchy provided the first 'Rhondda forward' when Sam Ramsey was selected to face England. Although Ramsey would only win two caps, and the second took a wait of eight years, Treorchy would provide several players throughout their history, including Billy Cleaver who would eventually play for the British Lions In 1907, Treorchy was accused of throwing a rugby game against Aberdare, which gave Aberdare the Glamorgan League title. The resulting enquiry by the WRU saw the permanent suspension of Treorchy's entire committee.<ref>''Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981'', David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pg 180 {{ISBN|0-7083-0766-3}}</ref>
As Treorchy finished in the top four of the WRU premier division during the 1994/95 season they were given the privilege of hosting that year's touring international team Fiji.<ref name="1985 Fijian Tour">{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/wales-brace-themselves-for-the-giants-of-fiji-1578107.html | title=Wales brace themselves for the giants of Fiji | work=The Independent | author=Robert Cole | date=10 October 1995 | accessdate=10 October 2010}}</ref>
==Club honours== * 1992/93 WRU Division Three - Champions * 1993/94 WRU Division Two - Champions * 2008/09 WRU Division Three South East - Champions * 2016/17 WRU Division One East Central - Champions
== Notable former players ==
:''See also :Category:Treorchy RFC players'' The following players have played for Treorchy and have also been capped at international level. {{div col|colwidth=18em}} * {{flagicon|WAL}} Andrew Bishop (16 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Morgan Stoddart (8 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Chris Bridges (7 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Gus Broughton (2 caps) * {{Flagicon|WAL}} Billy Cleaver (14 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} William Cummins (4 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Kevin Ellis * {{flagicon|WAL}} David Wyn Evans * {{flagicon|WAL}} Luc Evans (1 cap) * {{flagicon|WAL}} David Rees James (2 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} David Morgan Jenkins (4 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Emlyn Jenkins * {{flagicon|WAL}} Lyn Jones (5 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Percy Jones (8 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Paul Knight (5 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Mark Lewis (1 cap) * {{flagicon|WAL}} S. H. Ramsey (2 caps) * {{flagicon|WAL}} Lewis Rees {{div col end}}
==Games played against international opposition== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" !Year !Date !Opponent !Result !Score !Tour |- |1995 |1 November |{{ru|FIJ}} |Loss |14-70 |1995 Fiji tour of Wales |- |1996 |16 October |Narbonne, France |Loss |19-26 |- |1996 |19 October |Castres Olympique, France |Loss |61-17 |- |1996 |26 October |Dinamo Bucharest, Romania |Loss |38-31 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Rugby Wales links}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Rugby clubs established in 1886 Category:Rugby union teams in Wales Category:Sport in Rhondda Cynon Taf Category:1886 establishments in Wales