The late 19th century saw Cardiff on the cusp of a wave of transformation. This period would see large scale industrial and urban growth, generating economic prosperity that would help to shape a modern sense of Welsh nationhood—especially in the south. Cardiff was at the heart of this change. The expansion of its docks turned what had been a modest town into a thriving industrial port, the main export hub for the South Wales coalfield. Although Cardiff was not officially granted city status until 1905 - and would not become the capital of Wales until fifty years later - its rise during the late nineteenth century was remarkable. Driven by coal, trade, and industry, it quickly became one of the most important economic centres in Britain. As prosperity spread throughout South Wales, new forms of cultural life flourished alongside it. Rugby, in particular, grew in popularity, and Cardiff was no exception.
Cardiff Rugby Football Club was founded in 1876, following the merger of two existing teams: Glamorgan F.C. and Wanderers F.C. The idea of combining forces had been circulating in the local press. In a letter to the Western Mail, a contributor signing himself “Another Forward” argued that it was “a great pity” that Cardiff sides were repeatedly beaten by rivals such as Newport and Swansea. United, he suggested, they could “hold our own against any club in South Wales.” Soon after, a meeting was held at the Swiss Hall on Queen Street. There, on 22 September, the two clubs agreed to join together and form a new team: Cardiff Rugby Football Club. T. S. Donaldson Selby of Glamorgan was appointed captain, with W. D. Phillips of Wanderers serving as vice-captain.
It is interesting to note the number of ‘foreign’ English names that appear in the list of Cardiff’s original members: W.H. Treatt, E. Wait, H. Foa, J. Gerhold, A. Duncan, L. Batchelor, T. S. Donaldson Selby to name a few. This shows a port at its peak, with the docks and railways attracting workers, traders and businessmen from all parts of the UK. This seemingly led to a sense of openness in attitude, innovation, and a willingness to experiment, with the amalgamation of the Cardiff clubs a clear example. It is no surprise that Cardiff was the first team to devise the four three-quarters system almost a decade later in 1885/86.
Following the founding of the new club, the first game of Cardiff’s first ever season was a practice match played between the captain and vice-captain’s sides at the Cardiff Arms Park on October 4th, 1876. Wearing a black kit with a large emblem of a skull and crossbones on the chest, captain Selby’s side would win the match one try to nil with the Western Mail describing “The play on the whole, considering that it was the opening game of the season, above the average”.
It is also worth noting that the rules of the game during this period were abstract compared to the contemporary rules that we are familiar with today. The scoring system compromised of goals (similar to the modern converted try), the conventional try, and touches-down (where the ball was grounded in one’s own goal area in defence). The positions on the field also varied, with C.S. Arthur explaining in his 1876/77 season report: “The number of players taking part was always fifteen-a-side, but the positions they took up on the field of play varied from time to time. There were always nine forwards, but sometimes there were two full-backs, one three-quarter-back, one half-back, and two quarter-backs, and at other times one full-back, one three-quarter-back, two half-backs, and two quarter-backs, the half-back being regarded as the flying man.”
The first inter-town match of the season took place against Newport on December 2nd, on the Newport Marshes, where the Western Mail likened the ground to “a puddle.” Cardiff would go on to lose the game by 2 tries and 13 touches-down to 2 touches-down in front of some 200 supporters, with Newport having the upper hand throughout the hour of play .
Cardiff’s first win would come against Swansea two weeks later on the 16th of December at the Arms Park. The score at half time stood at two touches-down to one in Cardiff’s favour, but in the second half Cardiff would run away with the victory. A try for A. Duncan was successfully converted by vice-captain Phillips to score a successful goal, and another try would be scored later in the game before being disputed for the ball supposedly being touched dead. The final score saw Cardiff win by one goal, one disputed try, and four touches-down to one touch-down. “A decisive victory” as the South Wales Daily News put it.
The latter half of the season in 1877 would see Cardiff play two more inter-town games against Merthyr and Newport. Whilst fixture lists in the press had Cardiff down to play Swansea again in the new year too, no such game seemingly ever materialised. The first of these two games was played at Sophia Gardens against Merthyr on January 11th, 1877. A try from W. F. Evans and a touch-down in the first half secured Cardiff the win, with the South Wales Daily News applauding E.C. Fry for his play in the backs in their match report. Despite no scores for the travelling Merthyr side, their effort was applauded in the same report with the valley men’s “superior weight telling in the scrimmages”.
The final game of Cardiff’s first ever season would take place once again at Sophia Gardens, hosting Newport on February 10th. Newport would go on to win by one try and two-touches down, leaving Cardiff with two losses and two wins for the 1876/77 season. Despite the result, the Western Mail described the game as “excellently played” and this game in Sophia Gardens was also more than likely the last game in which the skull and crossbones kit was donned, with the famous blue and black hoops being adopted the following season. This first season acted as the foundation for the 150 years that have followed, 150 years which have seen Cardiff build a reputation as one of the greatest clubs in world rugby.