Historic rugby club fire 'caused by electrical fault'

A blaze which wrecked the clubhouse of 145-year-old Penarth Rugby Club was caused by an electrical fault, according to fire investigators.

The flames destroyed trophies and memorabilia including a Springbok head presented by the Barbarians after they beat South Africa 6-0 at Cardiff Arms Park in 1961 - Penarth and the Barbarians, one of the most famous clubs in rugby, have long had a close association.

The club, which dates back to 1880, said the community was "in a state of shock" following the blaze in the early hours of the morning.

"So many memories have been lost, but thankfully no-one was hurt," it said in a social media post which thanked firefighters who saved the club's historic stand.

Also lost was a Wales Under-18 shirt and cap belonging to the late Wales and Penarth player David Hancock.

Former police officer David loaned the items to the club before he died from cancer in September 2024.

Known as "Hanky" he captained Wales' youth side against England in April 1978.

The devastated clubhouse was due to host a full line-up of events over the festive period

He played the Barbarians twice, in 1979 and in the 1980 Penarth side which won 29-22.

Brother-in-law Andy Coslett said he and his family were "devastated" by what had happened: "We managed to get the shirt and cap in a frame up on the club wall before he passed - he was so proud of that, so were we as a family."

The alarm for the fire was raised by nearby resident Alison Jones, and her husband, Alistair, who live just behind the club.

They were woken at 05:00 GMT by the fire - four fire engines turned up "within five minutes".

David Hancock's framed rugby shirt was among memorabilia lost in the blaze

Crews from Penarth, Barry and Cardiff found the roof "well alight".

"Alistair and one of the coaches, Pete Botham, (was) first on the scene - and we called 999," said Ms Jones.

"Luckily, they managed to stop the fire before the historic stand burned down," she said, adding the saddest part was losing memorabilia kept in the clubhouse, including pictures and plaques dating back decades.

A Springbok head presented by the Barbarians after they beat South Africa in 1961 was also destroyed

Penarth RFC chairman, Sean O'Sullivan, described the fire as "horrific", but said the support from neighbouring rugby clubs and others had been "amazing".

"We're a massive community club," he said, noting how some 400 children play there every Saturday, and describing the venue as a "second home" for some and the "heart of the community".

"It is devastating for the community, and for the rugby club," he said, citing the full schedule of events that had been lined up for the Christmas period.

Mr Sullivan estimated it could cost about "half a million" to repair the damage, and suggested much of the building "doesn't look saveable", but vowed to "go forward".

"We'll just have to crack and see what we can do," he said.

"There'll be insurance, there'll be fundraising - and we'll just get on with it," he said.

The club grounds are also home to the local hockey and cricket clubs

The facility is also used by other sports clubs, including Penarth Cricket and Penarth Hockey.

"We're currently assessing the full extent of the damage and developing a recovery plan to minimise disruption to Penarth Rugby Club, Penarth Cricket Club, Penarth Ladies' Hockey Club," said Penarth Athletic Club, in a statement.

Gareth Hubback and David Carter, who co-chair the club, said they were "tremendously grateful" for the response from the fire service and residents.

"We will work hard to recover as quickly as possible," they said, promising to provide further information on the club's future "as it becomes available".

Mr Hubback said the fire had been contained to the main bar area but lamented the loss of club memorabilia.

"Memorabilia can't be replaced so we're devastated for those," he said, adding: "You can't put a cost on memories."

South Wales fire service said the building was severely damaged, adding: "The fire was caused by an electrical fault."

The club, which dates back to 1880, said the community was "in a state of shock"

What is the history of Penarth Rugby Club?

Penarth RFC was founded in 1880 by Cyril and Llewellyn Bachelor, sons of John Batchelor whose statue stands at The Hayes in Cardiff.

The team, locally known as the 'Donkey Island Butcher Boys', has a rich history - with Richard Garrett becoming the first player to achieve international caps for Wales in 1888.

The team continued to achieve success domestically from that point onwards, and contributed players to the international stage until it fell into a slow decline during the mid-1970s, which coincided with a major restructuring of Welsh rugby.

The highlight of the year for the club was the former hosting of the annual Good Friday fixture against the Barbarians.

The fixture marked the start of the team's annual south Wales tour - from their "spiritually home" of Penarth, with the club's longroom named after them.

The first match took place in 1901, culminating in a special commemorative game 100 years later played at the Athletic Field next to the clubhouse in 2001. Gary Teichmann, a former South African rugby captain and Barbarian, unveiled a plaque at the clubhouse to mark the event.

This summer, the team visited the club and gave an open training session, proving the link "is there and thriving".

In a statement, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said it had visited the club to "provide our support", alongside the wider rugby community which has "rallied around this historic club".

"We will continue to provide this support during the club's rebuild, and will be doing all that we can to ensure it is returned to its former glory," the WRU stated.