Player Microscope – Llywarch ap Myrddin
Llywarch ap Myrddin: Fullback
Born and raised in Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley, Llywarch started playing rugby at the age of 4 at Clwb Rygbi Nant Conwy. He started at the club with his older brother Carwyn who went on to play over 100 games for RGC. Llywarch played all of his junior, youth rugby and first two seasons of senior rugby with Nant Conwy – playing for the seniors when he was just 17 years old. Speaking very fondly of his hometown club, he said: “It’s a brilliant club, known for its hard, open running rugby style and is the heart of the rural community – the majority of players are farmers.”
Llywarch then studied at Aberystwyth University and whilst there joined the town’s rugby club, playing in division 2. “Again, a great club with good people” commented Llywarch. It was in 2011 he got his first taste of Welsh Premiership rugby with Llanelli RFC after they saw him playing for Aberystwyth.
After finishing his university studies, he joined up with RGC at the start of their first season in competitive rugby, playing in division 1 East. During this period Llywarch Played against a few of his current Ponty teammates in Dale Stuckey and Joel Raikes when they were with Ynysybwl. Talking about his time with RGC he said: “I really enjoyed my 3 years with RGC. It was a very professional set up, brilliant coaching and fantastic, driven group of players and was lots of fun. Damien McGrath the attack coach had a big influence on myself in RGC.”
Then in 2014 Llywarch moved down south to live in Cardiff and joined Newport RFC for two and a half seasons. Whilst with them he played for the Dragons ‘A’ in the British & Irish Cup. Llywarch then went on tour with a very strong Crawshays side in 2015, playing two tests against Georgia. He recalls how there were lots of Ponty boys at the time in the squad – Dan Godfrey, Rhys Shellard, Daf Lockyer, Gavin Dacey, Huw Dowden and Kieron Jenkins. He said he knew from then on that he wanted to play for Ponty someday.
Llywarch then signed for Cardiff RFC and played two seasons for the Blue & Blacks before re-joining Newport RFC for a season before the covid-19 pandemic hit.
Llywarch is currently a teacher and head of rugby at Ysgol Gymraeg Glantaf where they compete in the Schools & Colleges league. His good friend and current Ponty centre is Ceri Morris who is also a PE teacher at Glantaf and Llywarch jokes that: “I see more of him than my wife!” He also commented: “I’m very proud to see a few of the Glantaf boys – Seb Davies, Mason Grady, Iwan PJ, Gabe Davies and Ffin Barber coming through and playing for Ponty over the last couple of years, there’ll be plenty more in the future I’m sure!”
Llywarch signed for Pontypridd in the summer of 2020, he said “It’s something I always wanted to do since some of my earliest memories were watching the great Ponty sides of the 90’s in the Heineken Cup on TV. Ponty reminds me a lot of my home club Nant Conwy, a bit old school (a good thing!) with good, honest, hard working people involved with very passionate supporters which the club means a great deal to. Moving forward, we’re a young but talented side, laying the foundations for a successful couple of years hopefully. After a solid win on Saturday against RGC, we’ll be targeting silverware in the cup.”
Llywarch has brought undoubted ability and experience to the senior squad of Pontypridd RFC, he’s made 6 appearances and scored 1 try so far for the club.
