Welsh rugby legend Jonathan Davies was on hand at the glittering presentation ceremony held in the Cardiff Arms Park Suite at the Millennium Stadium on Friday (30 July) to present the special ‘Black Horse’ trophies.
The presentation of the Lloyds TSB awards was the culmination of a season long campaign by the sponsors to reward the efforts of the players and coaches in the highly competitive First Division. Here is a full list of award winners, many of who attended the luncheon.
LLOYDS TSB MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS
September 2003
Player of the Month: JEREMY LLOYD (BLACKWOOD)
Coach of the Month: MARK THOMAS (BLACKWOOD)
October 2003.
Player of the Month: DEAN THOMAS (TONDU)
Coach of the Month: DENNIS JOHN (LLANHARAN)
November 2003
Player of the Month: JULIAN HOWELLS (CARMARTHEN ATHLETIC)
Coach of the Month: DOMENICO SETARO (WHITLAND)
December 2003.
Player of the Month: MARC DAVIES (LLANHARAN)
Coach of the Month LEIGHTON O’CONNOR & GARETH BROWN (MAESTEG)
January 2004
Player of the Month: MICHAEL KELLY (RUMNEY)
Coach of the Month. ARWEL DAVIES (LLANGENNECH)
February 2004
Player of the Month: MARK BOWEN (LLANGENNECH)
Coach of the Month: SHAUN LEE (RUMNEY)
March 2004
Player of the Month: LEE GLANVILLE (WHITLAND)
Coach of the Month: GRIFF REES (GLAMORGAN WANDERERS)
April 2004
Player of the Month: JASON WILLIAMS (BRYNMAWR).
Coach of the Month: BRETT DAVEY & PHIL AGER (BEDDAU).
“The Lloyds TSB Awards scheme has added something extra to the First Division and the quality of players and coaches is there for all to see. The First Division is a shining example of the pool of talent we have here in Wales,” said Jonathan Davies.
“Both Mark and Dennis have enjoyed fine seasons and their club, Llanharan, had to be at their very best to pip Maesteg to the title. They had a thrilling run into the end of the season and it was Mark’s boot and Dennis’s cunning that kept them on course for a ticket into next season’s Welsh Premiership.
“I know all about the pressures of playing in the No 10 jersey in wales and I’m sure that Mark came under pressure as the battle for promotion reached its climax. But the important thing is that he kept his cool, kept kicking the goals and scoring the tries and had the self-belief to deliver what was required.
“Next season will be harder for him, but no less exciting. Now he will get the chance to measure himself against a high quality of opposition week-in-week-out, which is a challenge I’m sure he is looking forward to.
“As for Dennis, he has done it at the highest level as both a player and a coach and always manages to keep his teams one step ahead of the opposition. It is great that a coach of his calibre is able to work at this level because good coaches breed good players and successful sides.
“I’m sure he will be relishing the chance to take his village side into the Premiership next season and pitch them in against the biggest club names in Welsh rugby. One thing is certain, nobody will be able to take Llanharan for granted.
“The league structure from Division One downwards, sponsored by Lloyds TSB, is the lifeblood of the game in Wales. There are 17 divisions allowing the majority of the rugby clubs in Wales to measure themselves against the teams at their level.
“The challenge for them all is to improve themselves and work their way through the system – just as Llanharan have done – to challenge themselves and find out just how good they can be.”
LLOYDS TSB PLAYER OF THE SEASON – MARK ROPER (Llanharan)
At outside half, Mark Roper had his best-ever season in senior rugby, being the play-maker and controller of a club who went on to win the Lloyds TSB Division One title.
Having often had to play second-fiddle in earlier seasons, he blossomed under coach Dennis John and not only inspired many scores, but grabbed 25 tries himself. He also chipped in with four conversions, four drop goals and a penalty for a season’s tally of 148 points.
Full back Marc Davies may have topped the points scoring with 471, but it was Roper who proved the perfect link. Twice he scored a hat-trick of tries and once (against Tondu) he touched down four times in the match.
But arguably his most telling contribution of the season was the 81st-minute drop goal that beat Narberth and virtually won the title with two matches remaining. Now it is on to bigger and better things in the Welsh Premiership.
LLOYDS TSB COACH OF THE SEASON – DENNIS JOHN (Llanharan)
As a player, Dennis was a quick-thinking scrum half who doubled up as a milkman when not playing for Penarth, Pontypridd or Pontypool. Later, as a paramedic, he took over the coaching at Pontypridd where, with his son Paul at scrum half and another Llantwit Fardre youngster he groomed from a young age, Neil Jenkins, in his side, he quietly inspired the club to glories in Wales and Europe. Neil went on to become the world’s record points score and Paul also played for Wales. Dennis coached Wales A, was an assistant to Alex Evans at the 1995 World Cup and then coached Wales on their tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa. In recent seasons he has coached Bridgend before joining Llanharan in 2002-03. His influence has seen the club score 313 tries in 60 league matches – an astonishing average of more than five per match. His side lost only one game all season, winning 28 of their 30 league outings and drawing one other. In the end, that enabled them to win the title by three points from Maesteg, who only lost twice.
THE LLOYDS TSB WELSH NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 2003/2004
Division One Llanharan
Division Two East Builth Wells
Division Two West Tonmawr
Division Three East Brynithel
Division Three West Pontyberem
Division Three South-East Treherbert
Division Three South-West Banwen
Division Four East Bargoed
Division Four West Loughor
Division Four South-East Pontycymmer
Division Four South- West Cwmgors
Division Four North Ruthin
Division Five East Trinant
Division Five West Crymych
Division Five South-East Llandaff
Division Five South-West Resolven
Division Five North Dinbych
