New book celebrates 150 years of iconic Welsh rugby club

Nation.Cymru Staff

A new book celebrating 150 years of one of Wales’ most famous rugby clubs traces its history from its founding in 1876 through to the modern professional era.

Cardiff Rugby Club 1876–2026 from David Allen and Gwyn Prescott aims to provide fans a definitive history with in-depth feature sections on specific aspects of the club’s story.

Allen and Prescott draw on the club’s heritage collection, documenting a team that has achieved victories worldwide and holds the record for supplying the most players to the British and Irish Lions.

The publication highlights the players’ and fans’ stories, as well as aspects of the club’s history and life, development and the game, including two triumphs on the European Rugby stage.

Previously a member of the Cardiff Rugby Board, founding chair of CF10, the club’s supporters’ trust, and a committee member of Cardiff RFC, David Allen is a lifelong Cardiff Rugby Club supporter.

The current Chair of the Cardiff Rugby Museum Steering Group, he collaborated with Gwyn Prescott on his previous publication Cardiff Arms Park – An Illustrated Architectural and Social History (2021).

Author Gwyn Prescott is a rugby and First World War historian, and a member of the Cardiff Rugby Heritage Committee (Cardiff Rugby Museum), who has written extensively on early rugby history, especially in Wales.

Their 192-page hardback book, published by Gaffreg, has been described as “ultimate Cardiff Rugby companion book for all fans” and is available to purchase now for £35.

Graffeg is an independent UK publisher specialising in illustrated books, children’s literature, calendars and stationery.