Tondu Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Aberkenfig, South Wales. The club badge consists of a shield housing three Celtic crosses and a waterwheel symbolizing the water mill that once stood on the River Ogmore, giving them their nickname ‘The Waterwheelers’.
Tondu can be traced back to 1879-80, The first captain being T.J.Butler, a man educated at Breckon, who also acted as club secretary. He is known as the man who introduced rugby to Tondu. In August 1881 a meeting was held at the Tondu and Aberkenfig reading room. At this meeting D.O.Davies was appointed captain with W.H.Pritchard as vice-captain. D.Watkins was elected as secretary. In the early 1900’s, Tondu were known as Tondu Rangers and for some unknown reason took a nickname from a local correspondent who was called "MEATHOOK" (after the"Meathook" era?). With Meathook being a quite unique nickname, and since the Waterwheelers being almost universally accepted as the clubs’ nickname, the late great Ray Gravell did suggest the possible more suitable “Crocodile Tondu”. During the intervening war years there are few records of Tondu's existence or achievements.
After WW2 the club was reformed, and like many other clubs struggled to regain it's standing in the rugby world, going through some very hard times in the late 40s and early 50s. In 1980-81, a Schweppes cup tie with the Western Mail top 18 side Pontypridd, was played at the Sardis Road ground on December the 20th 1980. The captain for Ponty that day! Tommy David. Although soundly beaten on this occasion, this match was the precursor to a period in which Tondu were to gain the much deserved, and genuine description of being cup GIANT killers. 1982-83 saw a home tie versus Llanelli, A certain Ieuan Evans proved to be Tondu’s Nemesis on the day, scoring two second half try's in the space of a couple of minutes. the score at half time had been just 06-12 to the visitors, but it was not to be, and the Scarlets ran out eventual 12-36 winners, but as one of the match reports of the day recoded "Beaten they may have been, but Tondu were never disgraced.
During the early 1990s Tondu RFC dominated the Glamorgan County Silver Ball competition, winning the trophy in 1991, 1992 and 1993. In 1992 Tondu were elected to the “Heineken League” Division Four, where they finished as Champions. 1996-97 saw a restructure move from Division Three to Division Two, where they were promoted in 2nd place. Inconsistent form within the next six seasons ended with relegation in 2004, and a further drop a year later into Division Three South West. 2005-06 finished with home wins for Tondu and Ystalyfera in our first League meetings. 2009-10 was another 2nd place promotion for Tondu, coupled with a League “Double” over Ystalyfera. A consecutive promotion for Tondu returned them into Division One (West) where they were Champions in 2012-13. After 9th and 13th finishes in the Championship Tondu were relegated in 2015 and 2016 back to Division Two West Central. A level of recovery was instant however with a 2016-17 1st place returning Tondu to Division One West Central. The next seven seasons carried Tondu thru the COVIT years and a 2nd place promotion into Championship (West). During this period Ystalyfera achieved League “Doubles” over Tondu on two occasions; 31-26 home and 39-11 away in 2017-18 and 57-17 home and 40-23 away in 2018-19.
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