Pontypridd v London Welsh - The End Of An Era

Off to Sardis Road today!

It was an emotionally charged day. Today was Dale McIntosh's last game in charge of Pontypridd. He has been at the club for twenty five years as both player and coach. The Chief is a living legend at Sardis Road. His tenure there started roughly the same time as I started supporting them. He really is part of the social fabric of my upbringing. He has left to join the regional side Cardiff Blues as full time defence coach. I think everyone to a man (and woman) connected with the club wish him the best with this new challenge, and there is not an ounce of bitter feeling that he joined the bitter rivals down the River Taff. Let's be honest, we wanted more a valleys inclusion on our region, there can be no one better that the original Valley Commando barking on the touchline to increase that inclusion. In my opinion it is the first proper thing Cardiff Blues have done to include the valleys since their inception. Maybe times are finally changing, lets hope they can cease the moment and move a game or two to Sardis during the season.

My memories of Dale Lynsey Manawa McIntosh are probably the same as most Ponty supporters. To quote the great Max Boyce I was there when he made that tackle on Andy Robinson, and sent the future England coach into playing retirement.

I watched agog as events unfolded on the pitch during the Battle of Brive in the Heineken Cup.

I remember being a proud Ponty supporter when he got his single Welsh cap against South Africa in 1996. Like so many Ponty players they had to work twice as hard for international recognition due to playing for one of the more unfashionable clubs in the top flight. Something that still hangs over the club to this day, despite the number of world class players that started their tuition there.

Most of all I remember my sister in law, slightly the worse for wear after we won the Swalec Cup for the first time with our golden team in 1996, the year we stopped being the bridesmaids and became the brides, running up to Chiefy and giving a huge kiss .. the look on his face was priceless and still as fresh in my memory banks today as it was then.

As for the match. It was a fitting send off to the man. It was a cracker. The weather did its usual October four seasons in a game thing, torrential rain and then warm sunshine, but it didn't spoil the action.

By strange coincidence as we said goodbye to one legend, we said hello to an old Sardis Road favourite, as Sonny Parker now plays for London Welsh. Sonny opened the try scoring to some light hearted boo-ing from the cowshed faithful.

The atmosphere was buzzing, and you could have easily have rolled the clock back 15 years. It was deafening. Much has been said about the crowd being a 16th man for Ponty, and today it was vital. The constant singing of "ole ole ole" seemed to inspire the team, and we fought back scoring a scintillating try from half way. But try as we might London Welsh seemed to keep their noses in front, and we were clearly in for a tough fight.

The match turned on a yellow card, but not in the way you would expect. London Welsh had a player sin binned for throwing a punch, which seem to galvanise them. Wave after wave of attack came on inside out 22 yard line, but Ponty continued to repel them, a good five minute spell of pressure and they came up empty handed, the confidence surged into Ponty, and a tackle worthy of Chief himself made a turn over ball. The ball was swung out quickly, and some deft passing and we had scored another gem of a try. London Welsh ended the game with a consolation try and the final score was 29-22 to Ponty.

Chief came over to the cowshed to say goodbye, and that was that. The end of an era in Pontypridd's history. It will be interesting to see how Ponty go from here without their powerful talisman. I have a gut feeling we will be pretty much okay. There are signs now that Ponty are really hitting their stride, and that will worry everybody else!

A couple of photos of the Chief from yesterday.

The Chief

Chief And Sonny Parker