THE BIG BOXING DAY GAME – TRADITION TALKS

The biggest rugby fixture in Wales on Boxing Day afternoon will be the WRU Premiership derby clash at The Gnoll between Neath and Bonymaen.

 Later on in the evening Cardiff Blues will play the Gwent Dragons at regional level – but when it comes to club rugby The Gnoll is the place to be.

 The match is already attracting fantastic interest with hospitality selling out within an hour of going on sale and, based on the evidence of heavy advance ticket sales, Neath are absolutely confident that the attendance will set a record for the new Division.

The avalanche of support has come from far and wide – while the majority will be from Neath and the valleys and east Swansea, data indicates that people are coming from the Rhondda and Bridgend across to Llanelli and Ammanford to the top of the Swansea Valley.

Christmas returnees from across the border always make The Gnoll part of their traditional homecoming too.

It is not an all ticket game so a big walk-up is expected on the day as the weather forecast is set fair and Neath are bucking the trend – crowds are already up this season – by attracting people back to the Game and by giving people what they want.

 In that respect, the Boxing Day fixture against Bonymaen fits perfectly – historically the tradition of playing club rugby over the holiday period was a key component in helping the Welsh club game thrive.

Neath secretary Mike Price has firm views ion the importance of holiday rugby and says, “I always say that Welsh rugby has a very delicate eco-system – holiday fixtures popularise the Game and I simply don’t understand why Welsh rugby effectively hands itself over to soccer over the holiday.

“There will be thousands at The Gnoll on Boxing Day, many of whom don’t support rugby every week, and very importantly there will be families and lots of youngsters who are the future of the Game. It is our opportunity to get people of all ages to engage with rugby football more regularly again.

“Winston Churchill had a wise word for many things and he was not far from the mark when he said that ‘love for tradition has never weakened a country’. We need to get back to our roots – and start loving again the traditions which actually strengthened Welsh rugby.”

 Time was when nearly all Welsh first-class clubs embraced the holiday period and charged into often robust action against traditional rivals.

 Popular local derbies proliferated and brought together the good citizens of Neath and Aberavon, Bridgend and Maesteg and the proximity of the Gwent clubs meant that Abertillery, Cross Keys, Ebbw Vale, Pontypool and Tredegar rarely had to stray far for a winter “warmer”. In recent times, Cardiff and Pontypridd paired up successfully too.

 Others looked forward to an annual cross-border fixture : Newport received Watsonians who travelled down from Scotland and Swansea hosted the collective student might of the U.A.U. (Universities’ Athletic Union) while Newbridge had a cross-border exchange with Bristol.

 Either side of Boxing Day, Watsonians would play Swansea too but London Welsh playing Neath on Christmas Day then Llanelli, then Swansea was probably a case of “Christmas excess” – hell for the players if heaven for club treasurers !

 This Christmas, Boxing Day at The Gnoll will be a huge occasion.

Said Mike Price, “Not all ‘progress’ is necessarily good. Neath RFC will be keeping it simple and traditional – which is what the people want.”

 ** Kick off is at 2.30pm and supporters will be able to pay at the turnstiles on the day but, to ease entry, are advised to pre-book tickets via the Club web-site: https://neathrfc.com/tickets/