London Welsh are on the way back. The club that set the gold standard in the Seventies may have a long, long way to go, but Owen Morgan finds cause for celebration in a modest step upwards.
There hasn’t been much cause for celebration at London Welsh in recent seasons, but Old Deer Park was once again echoing to the noise of champagne corks popping last weekend.
The Exiles, who were forced into liquidation last season and relegated to the ninth tier of English rugby, made their first step back up the league ladder as they clinched promotion from London SE Division Herts and Middlesex Division One.
And there could be even more champagne flowing in West London this Saturday afternoon as the club bids to clinch the championship title when they face Actonians.
Promotion was secured with a bonus point 30-10 win in the top of the table clash against the Bank of England.
In snowy conditions, Welsh ran in five tries through skipper Lloyd Davies, Wil Davies, Elis Staines (2) and Rhys Howells. Rhys Tudur Davies adding a penalty and a conversion.
Promotion was clinched with three matches to spare with Welsh having won 18 of their 19 games so far this season, amassing 740 points and conceding 175.
The achievement may be a world away from the days when London Welsh were scooping up some of the most prestigious silverware in British rugby during the 1960 and 70s, but is arguably equally significant considering club’s trials in recent times.
London Welsh’s professional team was expelled from the Championship in January of last year after failing to satisfy the RFU criteria for Championship rugby.
Last May, a five year plan was launched to try and get London Welsh back up through the leagues as an amateur club, led by director of rugby Sonny Parker, the former Ospreys and Wales star.
Saturday’s promotion was the first step on the club’s journey back to the English national leagues.
London Welsh chairman Gwyn Williams said: “There has been an enormous amount of work gone into getting the first team promoted.
“The players in our performance squad have put in a huge amount of effort and really embraced the new standards set by Sonny and his coaching team this season. It has been a huge effort by all the off field team.”
The promotion of the first team this season is only part of the success story. The club is committed to providing a broad range of community rugby, including multiple teams for all ages, male and female, as part of an integrated and diverse club.
And they are enjoying success at all levels with this coming Saturday billed as “Super Saturday” at Old Deer Park. While the first team bids to clinch the championship, The Druids (Second XV) and Occasionals (3rd XV) will also be in the hunt for honours in their respective divisions of the Middlesex Merit Tables. Meanwhile London Welsh Women lead their division by six points.
Mr Williams said: “Whilst we celebrate this achievement and look forward to the opportunity of winning the league; as a club we also have our women in the hunt for promotion, and the Druids and Occies in Merit Table semi-final play-offs, which is a huge achievement for the club.
