Cwmtwrch is the Welsh village famed for having Welsh rugby royalty among its residents in the shape of former Wales captain and coach Clive Rowlands.
Now the local club has further cause for pride.
Cwmtwrch RFC, a few miles from Ystradgynlais, inhabit the lower reaches of Welsh rugby’s pyramid structure, playing in Division 3 Central West C in the Admiral National Leagues.
But two of their products are set to win caps for Wales this weekend: Jac Morgan with Wayne Pivac’s senior team on Saturday and Morgan Morse with Byron Hayward’s Wales U20 side on Friday evening.
Morgan wins his debut cap on the openside flank against Scotland at the Principality Stadium, while fellow back-rower Morse has been picked on the bench for the U20s at the age of just 17.
“We are massively proud of the boys,” club chairman Tom Addey said.
“We all stood back a bit on Thursday evening and thought about it.
“Cwmtwrch are a small village club but we have a big heart and it’s wonderful to see lads who have worn the jersey doing so well.
“It’s come at a nice time for us as well. We have a new clubhouse that we are very happy with and a lot of our senior XV are Jac Morgan’s ex-team-mates from junior rugby who are young guys who’ll hopefully serve us well for years.
“It’s special for a club like ours to have a couple of boys who’ve played for us pulling on Welsh jerseys.”
Ospreys youngster Morgan played for Cwmtwrch from under-8s to under-16s and has maintained his ties with the club despite prospering in senior rugby, while Ospreys academy member and Ystalyfera schoolboy Morse has similarly come onto the scene via the club based to the north of Swansea.
There will be huge interest in how Morgan fares in opposition to Lions Test man Hamish Watson in the senior Six Nations international, while Morse is tipped for a big future as well, with the No. 8 turning heads throughout his age-grade career so far.
“They are both excellent players,” Addey said.
“Jac is a leader who has handled every challenge that has come his way, while Morgan is a player with so much potential. Of course we know it’s a big jump into senior rugby and he is only 17, but he reminds me a bit of Wayne Shelford from back in the day.
“It can take two or three to bring him down, he’s good in defence and he’s also a nuisance over the ball. We’re very excited about him while acknowledging that he’s very young and still has a lot of development in him.”
Addey continued: “What’s also nice about both players is that they are outstanding individuals. They come from good families, work hard and know how to conduct themselves.
“They are boys who are reaping the benefits of hard work.”
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