Football tournament
The Glamorgan County Silver Ball Trophy (also known as the Glamorgan County High Motive Silver Ball Trophy) is a Welsh rugby union competition open to all non-premier Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) clubs playing in the Glamorgan area.[ 1]
History
The Silver Ball competition was suggested by Glamorgan County president Glan Williams in 1955. The first tournament took place in 1956 when J. Norman Hunt volunteered to meet the costs. It was open to all 64 WRU clubs in the Glamorgan region.[ 1] The Silver Ball Trophy was made by Birmingham-based trophy maker Thomas Fattorini Ltd and cost £100 to produce. The idea was to match eight junior teams against the county's eight first class sides, but a poor response from the senior teams resulted in the Welsh Academicals being drafted in to make a realistic quarter finals.[ 1]
The tournament also produces the SA Brains trophy which is awarded to the team to have scored the most tries during the buildup to the final. This team is then invited to play the Silver Ball winners in a pre-season friendly for the President's Cup.
The trophy is sponsored by Chemical Corporation since season 2019/20.
Silver Ball Trophy finals
Season
Winners
Losing Finalists
Score
Venue
1956–57
Taibach RFC
Skewen RFC
9–3
The Gnoll , Neath
1957–58
Welsh Academicals RFC
Seven Sisters RFC
8–6
Talbot Athletic Ground Aberavon
1958–59
Maesteg Celtic RFC
Bargoed RFC
6–3
The Gnoll , Neath
1959–60
Seven Sisters RFC
Maesteg Celtic RFC
6-5
The Gnoll , Neath
1960–61
Glynneath RFC
Bargoed RFC
12–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1961–62
Glynneath RFC
Resolven RFC
11–0
The Gnoll , Neath
1962–63
Glynneath RFC
Cwmgwrach RFC
6-5
The Gnoll , Neath
1963–64
Llantwit Major RFC
Taibach RFC
3–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1964–65
Llantwit Major RFC
Kenfig Hill RFC
3-0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1965–66
Cwmgwrach RFC
Senghenydd RFC
6–3
The Gnoll , Neath
1966–67[ 2]
Cardiff Athletic RFC
Aberavon Quins RFC
27–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1967–68[ 3]
Cardiff Athletic RFC
Taibach RFC
27–3
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1968–69
UWIC RFC
Penygraig RFC
9–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1969–70
UWIC RFC
Bridgend Sports RFC
19–8
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1970–71[ 4]
Senghenydd RFC
Nantyffyllon RFC
11–5
Penygraig RFC
1971–72
Senghenydd RFC
Beddau RFC
13–12
Penygraig RFC
1972–73
Abercynon RFC
Penygraig RFC
10-6
Senghenydd RFC
1973–74
Kenfig Hill RFC
Mumbles RFC
3–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1974–75
Taffs Well RFC
Pyle RFC
9–6
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1975–76
Pyle RFC
Abercynon RFC
22–11
Old Parish Maesteg
1976–77
Abercynon RFC
Llanharan RFC
30–12
Sardis Road , Pontypridd
1977–78
Pyle RFC
British Steel RFC
18–3
Talbot Athletic Ground Aberavon
1978–79
Bridgend Sports RFC
Llanharan RFC
16–7
Old Parish Maesteg
1979–80
Bridgend Sports RFC
Pyle RFC
9–3
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1980–81
Bridgend Sports RFC
Cilfynydd RFC
20–9
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1981–82
Aberavon Quins RFC
Neath Athletic RFC
22–14
Old Parish Maesteg
1982–83
Swansea Athletic RFC
Old Illitydians RFC
17-3
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1983–84
Cilfynydd RFC
Seven Sisters RFC
12–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1984–85
Cilfynydd RFC
Nantyffyllon RFC
14-7
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1985–86
St. Peters RFC
Rumney RFC
10–9
Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff
1986–87
Tondu RFC
Vardre RFC
16-4
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1987–88
Neath Athletic RFC
Glamorgan Wanderers A RFC
13-12
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1988–89
Llantrisant RFC
Bridgend Athletic RFC
35–12
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1989–90
Beddau RFC
Maesteg Celtic RFC
31–0
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1990–91
Tondu RFC
Abercynon RFC
16-4
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1991–92
Tondu RFC
Cardiff Quins RFC
18–7
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1992–93
Tondu RFC
Tonmawr RFC
22–14
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1993–94
Llantrisant RFC
Glynneath RFC
20–16
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1994–95
Tonyrefail RFC
Gilfach Goch RFC
12-10
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1995–96
Resolven RFC
Penygraig RFC
12–10
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1996–97
Gilfach Goch RFC
Treherbert RFC
31–13
Brewery Field , Bridgend
1997–98
Gilfach Goch RFC
British Steel RFC
34-22
Sardis Road , Pontypridd
1998–99
Ynysybwl RFC
Nantymoel RFC
22-13
Sardis Road , Pontypridd
1999-00
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC
Beddau RFC
28–21
Brewery Field , Bridgend
2000–01
Maesteg Harlequins RFC
Vardre RFC
20–17
Brewery Field , Bridgend
2001–02
British Steel RFC
Bridgend Athletic RFC
26–22
Brewery Field , Bridgend
2002–03
Penygraig RFC
Pontypridd RFC
30–25
The Dairy Field Llanharan
2003–04
Banwen RFC
Maesteg RFC
36–27
Virginia Park , Caerphilly
2004–05[ 5]
Penallta RFC
Rhydyfelin RFC
43–30
Sardis Road , Pontypridd
2005–06
Ynysybwl RFC
Tonna RFC
21–14
Sardis Road , Pontypridd
2006–07
Tonmawr RFC
Penallta RFC
26–24
Sardis Road , Pontypridd
2007–08[ 6]
Tonmawr RFC
Aberavon Green Stars RFC
50–12
The Dairy Field Llanharan
2008–09
Aberavon Quins RFC
Llantwit Fardre RFC
17–3
The Dairy Field Llanharan
2009–10[ 7]
Tonmawr RFC
Tondu RFC
26–15
Brewery Field , Bridgend
2010–11[ 8]
Maesteg Harlequins RFC
Mountain Ash RFC
19–16
Brewery Field , Bridgend
2011–12[ 9]
Glynneath RFC
Maesteg Harlequins RFC
13–10
The Dairy Field Llanharan
2012–13
Bedlinog RFC
Tondu RFC
29–10
Brewery Field Bridgend
2013–14
Glynneath RFC
Rhiwbina RFC
34–15
Brewery Field Bridgend
2014–15
Penallta RFC
Ystrad Rhondda RFC
22–17
Talbot Athletic Ground Aberavon
2015–16
Bedlinog RFC
Porth Harlequins RFC
32–15
Talbot Athletic Ground Aberavon
2016–17
Rhydyfelin RFC
TonduRFC
17-10
Talbot Athletic Ground Aberavon
2017–18
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC
Maesteg Harlequins RFC
37–32
Brewery Field Bridgend
2018–19
Nantyffyllon RFC
Ystalyfera RFC
18–12
Brewery Field Bridgend
2019–20
COVID-19
COVID-19
2020–21
COVID-19
COVID-19
2021–22
COVID-19
COVID-19
2022-23
Morriston RFC
Pontarddulais RFC
16–15
Tata RFC Port Talbot
2023-24
Llanharan RFC
Abercrave RFC
54-3
Brewery Field Bridgend
Competition multiple winners
Glynneath RFC
Tondu RFC
Bridgend Sports RFC
Tonmawr RFC
Aberavon Quins RFC
Abercynon RFC
Cardiff Athletic
Cilfynydd RFC
Gilfach Goch RFC
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC
Llantrisant RFC
Llantwit Major RFC
Maesteg Harlequins RFC
Penallta RFC
Pyle RFC
Senghenydd RFC
UWIC RFC
Ynysybwl RFC
References
Bibliography
Davies, D.E. (1975). Cardiff Rugby Club, History and Statistics 1876–1975 . Risca: The Starling Press. ISBN 0-9504421-0-0 .
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