A new signpost marking Llandovery as the birthplace of rugby in Wales has been installed at the town's entrance on the A4069, from Llangadog, writes Huw S Thomas.
The sign follows an official endorsement from the Welsh Rugby Union, which recognises both Llandovery College and Lampeter College as joint founding institutions of Welsh rugby.
Handel Davies, President of Llandovery RFC and Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council, has worked hard to get the signpost put up and was delighted with the outcome.
“Iestyn Thomas and Harrison Roberts from the College gathered evidence to verify the College’s claim,” he explained.
“Carmarthenshire County Council and the Welsh Government have granted permission for trunk road signage in the near future.
“The A4069 is not a trunk road so we were able to go ahead with putting up signage ahead of the A40 and A483.
‘’This WRU recognition was wonderful news for Llandovery College and its historic significance in further raising the profile of the town cannot be understated.
“Rugby and Llandovery have been synonymous and it is remarkable that 159 years since that game in Caio, rugby union continues to thrive wonderfully well in school and town.”
Since 2016, Lampeter has promoted itself as the birthplace of Welsh rugby, citing its role in the first recorded game played in Wales - a match against Llandovery College in 1866 at Caio.
To mark the 200th anniversary of St David’s College, Lampeter, and 175 years of Llandovery College, a commemorative match was held on Friday, December 2, 2022.
The game was staged at Glanrannel, on the very same land in Caio where the original match took place.
Caio, located roughly halfway between Lampeter and Llandovery, was chosen in 1866 for its convenience - a practical solution in the days when coach and horse travel posed a challenge to both man and beast.
Following new historical research by Llandovery College archivist Harrison Roberts, the Welsh Rugby Union has formally recognised both Llandovery and Lampeter with equal status for their roles in the birth and early development of rugby in Wales
Peter Owens, Heritage Manager for the Welsh Rugby Union, said: “The game of Rugby Football in Wales developed in the second half of the nineteenth century.
“The masters and students of St David’s College, Lampeter and Llandovery College took the lead in this development.
“ It is now accepted that the match played between St David’s College, Lampeter and Llandovery College in 1866 at Caio was the first football match played in Wales under the “rules” of Rugby School.
“On behalf of the Welsh Rugby Union I am delighted to endorse the part played in this match by both St David’s College, Lampeter and Llandovery College and their role in establishing the game of rugby football in Wales.”
Plans are afoot to install a new blue plaque in Caio to commemorate the historic first match of rugby played in Wales.
Llandovery, too, will hopefully receive its own blue plaque to celebrate the part played by Llandovery College in the establishment of the game in Wales.
CP Lewis - boy and later master at the school - went on to introduce the game as first played in Rugby School to the town of Llandovery who became joint founder members of the WRU at the famous meeting at the Castle Hotel, Neath in 1881.
