By Owen Morgan
Pontypridd RFC has produced a long list of rugby greats during its illustrious history, including the likes of Wales and British Lions legends Tommy David, Neil Jenkins and Martyn Williams.
But it was the man known as “The Bionic Elbow” who was celebrated with the naming of lounge at Sardis Road in his honour before Saturday’s friendly against London Welsh.
Bob Penberthy played an incredible 877 times for Ponty between November 1961 and December 1985.
Many of those matches were played as captain of the club where he is an undisputed icon.
Penberthy may not have won the international honours that some of the club’s famous sons have enjoyed, but the second-row won the respect of those who played with and against him.
As a result, the House of Pain now boasts The Bob Penberthy Clubhouse Lounge following a naming ceremony on Saturday lunchtime.
The man himself, who represented the Barbarians during his long and illustrious career, said of the accolade: “It’s beyond words really. It’s such an honour.
“When you think of all the people who have played for Pontypridd now and before me who could have had this honour, I am really proud. It’s brilliant.”
Another of Ponty’s legends, wing forward Tommy David, was there to honour his team mate, and painfully recalled how Penberthy gained his “Bionic Elbow” nickname.
David said: “Bob was known as the “Bionic Elbow” because if anyone touched him in the line-out, he would swing his elbow.
“In one game, I forget which one it was – it was a long, long time ago – I went up, supporting him as he jumped. Of course, he felt me there and he smacked me one – he actually broke my nose!
“In fact, I think I’ll sue him now!”
“But it was a physical game then, the line-out was a line-out.”
Penberthy also remembered the incident. “We did a little bit of lifting then, Tommy was a good lifter. But that’s when I broke his nose. I thought it was someone pulling me back but it was him lifting me.
“When we were jumping, if anyone touched me, I would nudge them out,” said Penberthy with a smile as he made a jabbing motion with his elbow.
“Lifting wasn’t legal then, today it’s all about timing and lifting is part of the game.”
To have survived so long playing in second-row boiler house during such a physical era in rugby history is testament to Penberthy’s durability on the field, but David also described him as a gentleman off it.
Himself a former Ponty captain, David said: “Bob was a great, great player. In the days of line-out jumpers he was brilliant, there was no-one better than him in Welsh rugby in my opinion.
“As a captain, he was fantastic, he was a man of very little words, but a great player. You never heard him criticise anybody, he was an absolute gentleman and an absolute legend of Pontypridd Rugby Club.
“To have played all the games he did, and all the physical side of the game back then. There was no legal lifting in the line like there is today, it was real rugby. As a gentleman he was brilliant and as a player he was fantastic.”
“All the accolades and everything that has been said about him today has been fully justified and well deserved.”
Recalling his long and distinguished career, Penberthy said it was an honour to play for the club for so many years: “I enjoyed it, I had the enjoyment of playing and I was proud to play for Pontypridd and it’s the same for the players coming through now.
“We had ups and downs – more ups than downs, thankfully. Going back a few years we played Leicester on a Friday night here and that was probably one of the best games we have seen at Sardis.
“It was outstanding – full of internationals – and we won as well, but one of the funniest games was against Bridgend at the Brewery Field – it was a no score draw on a terrible night, but it was an outstanding game.”
Beautifully evocative image of a lineout under floodlights from a Cardiff vs Pontypridd match back in 1975.
Can any @PontypriddRFC fans explain why Bob Penberthy was called the Bionic elbow? pic.twitter.com/EMvHqFaqMr— CF10 Rugby Trust (@CF10RugbyTrust) September 22, 2021
A terrible night at the Brewery field could not have been further away from a sun-soaked Sardis Road last Saturday, but Penberthy was happy to sitting in his newly named lounge rather than preparing to take to the field.
“I’m not sorry I’m not playing today, I’m glad I’m just watching it. They’re going to be very hot and bothered out there today.”
Asked what made playing for Pontypridd so special, Penberthy instantly replied: “The supporters – if we lost or if we won, they were always there with us and the players all bonded together.
“I never wanted to go anywhere else. I was proud to be here. It was brilliant.
“I remember starting off with the schoolboys at Pontypridd, then the youth and I graduated up with the Athletic. I just can’t put into words what it means to me.
“I’ve played with some characters. Tommy here was one of the best ones, a good talker as well.
“There were some outstanding players, I wouldn’t want to single any of them out really, they were all brilliant in their time.”
And the current crop made it a perfect day for Penberthy as they ran out 73-7 winners in their opening game of the season.
