Blackwood Rugby Football Club is a Welsh

Rugby union in Wales

Rugby union is the national sport of Wales and is considered a large part of national culture. Rugby is thought to have reached Wales in the 1850s, with the national body, the Welsh Rugby Union being formed in 1881...

 rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 team. Blackwood RFC was established in Blackwood in 1889 and in 1918 gained the status of membership of the Welsh Rugby Union

Welsh Rugby Union

The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...

. They play their home games at Glan-Yr-Afon Park. Blackwood RFC are a feeder club for Newport Gwent Dragons

Newport Gwent Dragons

Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...

.

History and development

In the 1960s the club purchased an old police station and converted it for use as a clubhouse.

In 1997 a new 800-seater stand was constructed with the capital coming from match sponsorship and donations.

In 1998 Blackwood RFC purchased approximately one and a half acres of land adjacent to its playing field at Glan-Yr-Afon from British Gas

Centrica

Centrica plc is a multinational utility company, based in the United Kingdom but also with interests in North America. Centrica is the largest supplier of gas to domestic customers in the UK, and one of the largest suppliers of electricity, operating under the trading names "Scottish Gas" in...

. This purchase also included an on site disused gas service centre. This property was purchased with the full support of the WRU.

In 2002 the club undertook a renovation of the gas service centre. The old clubhouse in Hall Street was closed in the May 2003 with the focus of developing a new clubhouse for the start of the 2003 season. The new clubhouse opened for the start of the new season in September 2003. Blackwood also run a Youth team and a large mini section.

Present status

Today, Blackwood RFC plays in the Welsh Rugby Union, Division One East League. They won the 2008-2009 title with a win against Bargoed at Glan-Yr-Afon Park on 11 April 2009, but were unable to face Carmarthen Quins

Carmarthen RFC

Carmarthen Quins Rugby Football Club are one of two Welsh rugby union clubs based in Carmarthen in West Wales, the other being Carmarthen Athletic. They currently play in the Welsh Premier Division league after their promotion to the Premiership in the 2008/2009 season...

 in a play-off for promotion to the Welsh Premier Division

Welsh Premier Division

The Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...

as their ground was deemed to not meet WRU standards.