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Page 1 of 2 Whitsun Weekend 25-28 May will see Pontypridd RFC Under 13's travel to Holland to participate in the Dukes International tournament and to pay respect to soldiers from Pontypridd who gave their lives to free Holland during WWII.
Atop the Common overlooking Pontypridd is the town's war memorial, a huge obelisk dedicated to all who served or died during the two world wars. But those who make the effort to visit the monument will notice a large stone to the left of the main monument bearing a simple plaque. The stone is dedicated to members of the 53rd Welsh Division and the 5th (Glamorgan) Battalion the Welch Regiment, many of whom were residents of Pontypridd and the surrounding area, who were involved in liberating the Dutch city of s-Hertogenbosch during October 1944. Any visitors to the memorial at around noon on Saturday 29 April 2006 would have seen the strange site of a hundred or more young Dutch rugby players and their coaches stomping around in clogs. These were representatives of s-Hertogenbosch youth, junior and mini rugby side the Dukes. Beside them stood their Pontypridd counterparts who had hosted them over the weekend, along with dozens of Veterans from the Pontypridd (s-Hertogenbosch) Branch of The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) Regimental Association, Air Cadets, the Deputy Mayor of Pontypridd and Emlyn Jenkins the Lord Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taff. They were all there to pay their respects to those who took part in the battle and particularly those who gave their lives so others could live in freedom. 's-Hertogenbosch (literally 'Duke's Woods' in Dutch, hence Dukes Rugby Club; translates in French as Bois-le-Duc), unofficially it is also known as Den Bosch. It is a municipality in the Netherlands and the capital of the province of North Brabant, located in the south of the Netherlands, 60 miles south of Amsterdam. The ties between Pontypridd RFC and ‘The Dukes’ (s-Hertogenbosch rugby club) was formed two years ago when the current Pontypridd Youth side unwttingly entered the Dukes tournment whilst on tour in Holland at Under 15’s. Communication difficulties saw them enter the wrong age group and return home having won the Under 18’s tournament? Whilst there the side visited the War memorial on the outskirts of 's-Hertogenbosch to lay a wreath on behalf the club and the Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) Regimental Association. Good friends were made on the tour and an open invite for the Dukes to visit Pontypridd was taken up last May when 108 Dutch youngsters of various ages popped over for a weekend of rugby and fun. The Dutch junior section played their Pontypridd counterparts in Cilfynydd, with the mini section participating in the Pontypridd tournament at Sardis Road. One of the teams involved was the current Under 13’s who defeated the Dukes 38-22 in their respective match. An open invite was then extended in return for the Pontypridd Mini and Junior Section to visit 's-Hertogenbosch this season. With the Ponty section almost 300 strong and many teams already touring Scotland this season, it was decided that the current Pontypridd Under 13’s would visit Holland as ambassadors for the club on Whitesun weekend at the end of May. The weekend coincides with the Dukes rugby tournament that has been running for 32 years and is frequented by a host of clubs from several countries, with the junior sides playing on the Saturday and senior teams on the Sunday. Pontypridd Under 13’s will hopefully be entering they’re own age group this time and are hoping to do well, with a weekend of rugby and fun anticipated. The team will also be visiting the War Memorial to pay their respects and to lay wreath’s on behalf of the club, RCT Council and the Pontypridd (s-Hertogenbosch) Branch of the Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) Regimental Association on the Sunday. ITINERARY The team would like to thank all those involved in organising the tour, particularly the tour sponsors ST Cabs for kindly donating the tour playing kit for all the players travelling and the Grogg Shop for donating a grogg as a gift for the Dukes on the tour presentation night.
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