Cardiff first fielded a second XV in 1877/78 and 1878/79, when two matches were played in each season. The official formation came in 1879/80, when seven matches were scheduled to be played, the team being known as the ‘Cardiff 2nd XV’. From the 1890s, various names, such as ‘Cardiff (Reserve)’, ‘The Reserves’ or ‘Cardiff Reserves’ were adopted, the latter formally so in 1898/99.
The team continued an unbroken run until season 1926/27, when the committee decided that, given the strength of the club (and its need to generate more income), that two first XVs would be formed, playing on a home and away basis. The experiment ran for five seasons until, after much criticism from clubs allocated a fixture against what became known as the ‘Other Side’ and increasingly poor results, a return was made to the first and second XV structure in 1931. At that point, the second team became known as the ‘Cardiff Athletic XV’, further to the founding of Cardiff Athletic Club in the 1920s.
Sid Cravos is credited for coining its nick name as, in comparison to the smartly turned out first XV, the seconds were often scratching around for kit, frequently appearing in ‘rags and tatters.’ Thus, the second team became the ‘Rags’. An extra XV, which played three seasons in the 1920s before being reformed for a further four between 1964-69, naturally became the ‘Tatters’.
As well as being a feeder team for the first XV, the Rags provided a home for those who had already shone at that level and now sought a less pressurised game of rugby and where they could also help shape stars of the future.
Now known as the ‘RFC’ and forming a crucial role in the Cardiff rugby pathway, the side were Premiership champions in 2008/09 and 2021/22, and WRU Challenge Cup winners in 2019 (defeating Merthyr 25-19) and 2022 (beating Newport 13 -10). They also topped the regular season Super Rybgi Cymru competition for its first two years.
The team continued an unbroken run until season 1926/27, when the committee decided that, given the strength of the club (and its need to generate more income), that two first XVs would be formed, playing on a home and away basis. The experiment ran for five seasons until, after much criticism from clubs allocated a fixture against what became known as the ‘Other Side’ and increasingly poor results, a return was made to the first and second XV structure in 1931. At that point, the second team became known as the ‘Cardiff Athletic XV’, further to the founding of Cardiff Athletic Club in the 1920s.
Sid Cravos is credited for coining its nick name as, in comparison to the smartly turned out first XV, the seconds were often scratching around for kit, frequently appearing in ‘rags and tatters.’ Thus, the second team became the ‘Rags’. An extra XV, which played three seasons in the 1920s before being reformed for a further four between 1964-69, naturally became the ‘Tatters’.
As well as being a feeder team for the first XV, the Rags provided a home for those who had already shone at that level and now sought a less pressurised game of rugby and where they could also help shape stars of the future.
Now known as the ‘RFC’ and forming a crucial role in the Cardiff rugby pathway, the side were Premiership champions in 2008/09 and 2021/22, and WRU Challenge Cup winners in 2019 (defeating Merthyr 25-19) and 2022 (beating Newport 13 -10). They also topped the regular season Super Rybgi Cymru competition for its first two years.