The Cardiff Arms Park club have clashed with Cardiff Medicals and Glamorgan Wanderers in recent weeks as they look to create a strong relationship with teams in the area.
With the Blue and Blacks not taking part in British & Irish Cup action and the Six Nations on the horizon, Martyn Fowler’s side faced the possibility of no competitive action in January. As a result, the friendlies have been organised, both as a way of keeping the Cardiff side fresh and also improving links with local clubs.
“Given the way the game and its structure has developed in recent times, Cardiff RFC records indicate that players who have been developed in the Cardiff area had diminished considerably over the last five years,” said head coach Fowler.
“We want to maintain a Cardiff culture within the team and an important way of doing that is to stay connected with clubs in the area.
“Collective character is vital to success. If we focus on getting our culture right, the results we believe will follow.
“We are in essence looking to reinstate some of the historic traditions that for so long made Cardiff RFC a great club.”
The current Cardiff squad, alongside the Academy and regional players, has a strong local influence. Ryan Harford (Tremorfa), Aaron Fowler (Splott), James Murphy (Ely), Sam Feehan (Tremorfa), Luke Ford (Rumney), Darren Ryan, (Cardiff Bay), James Loxton (Whitchurch) and Joe Griffin (Rhiwbina) are all regular faces. Further fixtures against St Peters and Llandaff follow in the next few weeks.
The St Peters fixture is especially poignant given it will be held 21 years to the day that St Peters claimed one of the most famous wins over Cardiff at The Arms Park. Added spice to that fixture is that Cardiff attack coach Mark Ring has for the last three months, taken over as head coach at St Peters.
