Zinc baths, broken noses and an old cattle shed. The early days of the club…

Written from local memories and items from an article written by AH Phillips in the magazine "Welsh Rugby" published in October 1969.

It is said that rugby was played in St Davids at the end of the 1800's but the present club was established in 1953. Three men, none of whom were local, met to discuss the possibility of forming a rugby club. They were Dew Jenkins (Lloyds Bank), Inspector Winston Jones (Pembrokeshire Police) and Islwyn Thomas (St Davids Grammar School). They decided to call a public meeting to judge local feeling.

Plenty of interest was shown and as a result it was decided to arrange two trial matches on Saturday afternoon one on 10th October and another in November on the grammar School football pitch by kind permission of the Head teacher Mr. JJ Evans. The trial matches proved to be popular but the first was a bit of a shambles as there was no referee. Never-the-less a good number turned up and the basics of the game was explained by Odo Saunders and Winston Jones. There was an injury when Sid Davies (Carpenter and ex Welsh Guards) broke his nose in the scrum. It was reported that his nose looked as if it was pointing left! The second trial in November proved to be much better with many boys from outside St Davids turning up. Again, Sid broke his nose in the scrum, this time to the right making it fairly straight. It was decided to arrange a game with Haverfordwest FC on Mr. Tom John's field, St Davids Rugby Football Club was formed. The first chairman was Isiwyn Thomas, secretary Meurig Thomas and Dew Jenkins treasurer. Early pioneers of the club included Dai Narbett from the City Hotel, Odo Saunders head of the Church School and an ex-schoolboy international; and Tom Moores who served in almost every capacity in the club.

The first pitch was down at St Non's. To say the pitch was rough is an understatement. Two local men Richard Davies and Goronwy Rees had to blast away some of the larger stones to make the pitch playable. It was reported that the blast broke windows in the nearby St Non's retreat. The rugby posts were four pine trees cut from a wood near Cuffern and brought to St Non's on a Davies Bros. and Lewis lorry. The cross bars, pieces of 4"×2". The changing room was equally rough being an old cattle shed which was said to "reek like hell". A football was used at the beginning for training and the kit was also football shirts given by Tom Jones ex-army PTI. However, playing on this pitch did not put players off and they were treated by two Red Cross ladies Mrs. Barton Smith and Ann Walton.

The first rugby ball was bought for the club by Goronwy Rees of the Farmers Arms.

During the first season the team did not win a game but spirit amongst the players was always good. The players included Dew Jenkins (Captain), Cecil Jones, Jim Rees, Joe Rees, Norman Davies, Sid Davies, Alan Thomas, Geraint Price, Norman Broaders, Iris "Cowboy" Morris, lean Morris, Tony Jones, Benny Lynch, Ken Davies and Islwyn Evans.

The club played at St Non's for two seasons before moving to the present ground.

The field was bought out of club funds from Mr. Ewan Davies of Cardiff, a former Welsh International who later returned the money. However, changing rooms remained a big problem. The local chemist Mr. Mendus loaned the club a small cottage which he used as a dark room to be used as changing rooms. But space was very limited and it was only the visiting team were allowed to use the room, the St Davids team were left to change behind a hedge assisted by a great deal of leg pulling from the home supporters. Following the game, the washing facilities were two old zinc baths purchased from Llangwm RFC and the hot water was provided in a boiler loaned by Mrs. Mattie Rees of the Farmers Arms.