DAI GRIFFITHS- from the Pembrokeshire Sport October 2008
Dai’s doing well in Llantwit Major
Dai Griffiths was not only well known for his rugby skills as a scrum half with Milford Haven but also as an excellent rugby correspondent with the Milford Mercury where he showed, not only his appreciation of the game, but a sharp sense of humour appreciated by readers.
Then ten years ago he was forced to change jobs and travelled to work with Dow Corning in Barry, settling in Llantwit Major and putting his unique knowledge of the game into good use at Llantwit Major, where he now lives with his wife Karen, also a Milford girl, plus sons Lyndon, Barry and Julian.
Lyndon and Barry have played for Llantwit Major whilst Julian is a very promising young cricketer who has begun to catch the eye and could well feature in the news even more than dad and his elder brothers in the future.
Pastures new
In the intervening decade since Karen and Dai departed for pastures new the most-asked questions are “Do you miss Milford?” and “Will you move back when you retire?” Obviously they miss Milford, their family and friends but when you think of it they are only two hours up the M4 but would admit that building a life in a new town and balancing the two is a tricky job on times.
We’ll let Dai take up his own story: “I had already met some Llantwit rugby players when their youngsters played mini-rugby at Milford Haven and I found the perfect place, an end-terrace house which looks onto the Memorial Field and down the valley onto Llantwit Beach, with tankers coming and going like they do at Milford Haven.
“I am still with Dow Corning, making white oil out of sand and have five years left to retirement, although a spell in China could reduce this if I choose to go. Out of the eight original Gulf boys who moved to Barry only Paul McErval and Alan Philpin remain in the control room but between us we manage to keep up with most of the news from back west. I still work lots of overtime, hence the lack of opportunity to travel back to the Waterloo Club to give Hughie Llewellyn a hiding at snooker, take the micky out of Alan Welch about England or learn how to drink cider from Peter Llewellyn!
Pembrokeshire connections
“I have met lots of people with Pembrokeshire connections but the coincidence with the biggest impact occurred at Julian’s first rugby match at his new school when they met a couple who had been in school with Karen but had left Milford almost twenty years before the Griffiths’ gang. Steve Williams from Woodbine Way and his wife Allison have become great friends, with their son Martin as Julian’s pal through school.
“I promised Karen I wouldn’t get so involved in rugby so I am limited to covering the First XV and Youth for the Gem newspaper but I have also been appointed press officer for our ‘Supper Club’, which is chaired by David East, the former WRU Secretary and Chief of South Wales Police. The club meets every two or three months with former BBC supremo Onllwyn Brace a regular attendee, hence the quality of the guests including JPR Williams, Gareth Edwards, Gareth Jenkins, Phil Davies, Paul Ringer, Brynmor Williams and a host of top administrators from Welsh rugby. Other sports have been represented by John Toshack, Colin Jones, Robert Croft and Mathew Maynard but by far the best evening were the visits of Bleddyn Williams, Dr Jack Mathews and the late great cartoonist Gren. The achievements of some of these people are awe inspiring and they uphold all the ethics and virtues that maintains sport’s importance in the modern world.
Better half is thriving
“Karen is absolutely thriving in her new environment. She has made so many friends and is very popular in the local primary school where she works as a midday supervisor.
When we first moved up she was terribly homesick and travelled back at every opportunity probably. Now she only goes back on flying visits to see family and friends she also finds the airport handy and often takes the BMI baby to Edinburgh.
She is a Real Radio Diva and can be heard every Sunday evening on Brooks Busters and she also spends more time in St Davids Hall and the CIA than the ushers as she has enjoyed front row seats for Marti Pellow, Boys to Men, Wet Wet Wet and many more!
Lyndon gets around
“Lyndon joined us more than five years ago, leaving his job as postman in Milford to work with Barry in HSBC, St Mary Street, Cardiff, but the company moved to India so Lyndon took the opportunity to travel the world before once again joining Barry in banking, this time with the Julian Hodge Bank.
Lyndon plays centre or full back for Llantwit, although he started off the season with a hat-trick of tries as scrum half for the seconds. He enjoys a game of cricket and loves walking and photography, a talent he may find useful in the future.
Barry is a banker
“Barry did exceptionally well to gain his degree at UWIC but chose banking to allow him maximum time for rugby.
When HSBC closed he quickly switched to Julian Hodge, dealing in securities and investments.
One of his bosses is the legendary Dai Watkins, a great bloke. Apart from a season in Division Two with Dinas Powys, playing alongside former Welsh No8 Sean Legge, Barry has been an ever-present in Llantwit First XV, where he is a firm favourite with supporters and team mates, and is affectionately known as Chico - after Chico Hopkins. His half-back partner in recent years has been player/coach Mathew Silva, the former Pontypool and rugby league star. Like Lyndon, Barry is a useful cricketer.
Julian stars at cricket
“Youngest son Julian probably had the biggest upheaval. I must say what a lovely gesture it was from Narberth RFC U11s to present Julian with a club tie after a game played just days before he moved away. Milford Haven RFC also gave us a tremendous send off. We were also deeply touched by the letters of support from Gordon Eynon (Crymych), Dai Davies (St Davids) and Lord Gordon Parry.
Through the medium of sport Julian soon made friends joining the mini-rugby section and playing for the school. He had shown signs at Hakin School under Andy Grey and at Burton under the coaching of Brian Griffiths of having ability as a cricket, not only very sharp in the field but also as a strike bowler.
At Llantwit this ability was quickly spotted and he played junior cricket for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, the highlight being an Under 14s tournament in Aberystwyth where he came up against his former Pembrokeshire teammates, including close friend Emlyn Williams.
“At 16, Julian went straight into Llantwit Major Cavaliers first X1 and won player of the year four years on the trot with his fielding an inspiration. Local development officer Tim Bunce arranged extra training in the winter at Sophia Gardens and with hard work Julian’s batting and bowling continued to improve so much so that now he is considered opening bat while still occasionally opening the bowling or at least first change.
“Two seasons ago he began the season with 108 not out on Saturday and 150 not out the next day in the cup and with bowling figures of 5 for 0 runs in five overs he was snapped up by Sully Centurions and became an ever present in their unbeaten league-winning team. Julian has returned to ambitious Llantwit this season as they seek promotion themselves and got off to a great with a shock win over mighty Penarth, with Julian hitting 50 runs and taking a wicket and two catches.
Julian’s pace helps at football where he scored a goal in under 15 seconds at Jenner Park two years ago, and rugby, where it is hoped he will turn out alongside his brothers at some stage. Julian works on the Llandow estate for BSW and is engaged to Rhian who supports him in everything he does.
Back at the Borderers
“Karen and I were delighted to attend the Whitland v Corus match as guests of sponsors Wincanton through my brother Adrian and what a marvellous day we had. We were greeted at Whitland Station by Robert Kersey, who was one of the unsung heroes who helped to restore pride in MHRFC in the early 90s.
I was impressed with the set-up in Whitland and delighted to meet old friends like Dai Hughes, Phil Williams, Brian Harries and Tony Bowen, who all looked they could still be playing today! I have no doubt the Whitland sides of the late 60s/70s would have done well in today’s competitive professional game.
So many friends
“As for myself I am lucky to have made so many friends through rugby. I don’t believe modern players enjoy the same kind of rivalry and after match craic. I was lucky to play alongside talented individuals who were also team players like Keith and Paul Fletcher, Mike Edds, Peter Mitchell, Peter Griffiths, John Greggain, Barry Kingston, Steve Holmes, Bob Prior, Ken Wonnacott, Ianto Evans, Plimpo Jones, Norman Phillips, Gerry Thornton, John Elliot, Tucker Bowen and many more - where are they now?
“Barry and Lyndon are currently in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, where they will meet friends who were stationed at St Athan and played for Llantwit. Karen’s just come into the bedroom and said it’s nice to have the house to ourselves for a while, we can do anything we like - so I am off for a game of snooker."