Tributes to former Caerphilly RFC head coach and director of rugby

Tributes have been paid to former Caerphilly RFC head coach and director of rugby Gordon Pritchard, who has passed away aged 70 following an illness.

Pritchard, who earned three rugby league caps for Wales, was also a supporter of Aber Valley Wolves, where his four grandsons played.

Originally an up-and-coming footballer, Pritchard had trials for Manchester United in his youth.

However, he began playing rugby union for Cardiff in 1973 before joining Newport a year later.

He would go on to switch codes, turning professional in rugby league with Leeds in 1974 – a move which saw him resign his job as a policeman.

He would move to Bradford Northern the following year, where he enjoyed a successful three-year spell, before stays at Barrow and Huddersfield.

He also played professionally in New Zealand, turning out for the Canterbury-based side Eastern Suburbs.

Internationally, he earned his first two Wales caps in 1978, against France and England respectively, before making his third appearance in 1981 against the English.

It was in 1981 he returned to Wales as a founding member of Cardiff City Blue Dragons, scoring a drop-goal in the side’s very first match. He would go on to make 81 appearances for the team, scoring 18 tries and two drop-goals.

Pritchard would eventually return to rugby union as a coach, first with Pontypool in 1988, before later coaching Tondu and Bristol. That was before becoming head coach of Caerphilly RFC during their days top flight of Welsh rugby before the regions were introduced.

He was director of rugby at Caerphilly when the club reached the 2003 European Shield final, missing out to Castres Olympique.

Paying tribute to Pritchard on social media, Caerphilly RFC said: “His rugby knowledge and larger than life personality was second to none.

“Gordon’s life has been intertwined with the club throughout his colourful and successful life. The family that he loved so dearly was at the centre of everything he did.

“Grant, his son, played for and also coached our first XV, mini, junior and youth. Gordon could always be seen on the side of the pitch supporting his four grandsons Scott, Carter, Lewi and Oscar and rarely missed a game over the last 15 years.

“Our love goes out to Karen, Grant, Kirsty and his grandsons who will miss him dearly.”

The club continued: “Gordon leaves a hole that no one can fill. The club as a whole will be a poorer place without him. Rest Peacefully DoR.”

He also had a strong link to rugby league side Aber Valley Wolves, where his grandsons played. Two of them, Scott Pritchard and Carter Pritchard, became junior internationals with Wales Rugby League, whilst Lewi Hartland, and Gavin and Stacey actor Oscar Hartland, also took to the field with the club as juniors.

Helen Treherne, general manager at Aber Valley Wolves, said: “The club is so sad to hear of the passing of a true friend of the club, Gordon Pritchard, or Billy Pritch as I fondly called him.

“I’ll never forget the stories he told about being shunned by some Welsh rugby union clubs for becoming one of the infamous codebreakers and daring to leave Wales to play rugby league ‘up north’.

“His son Grant coached for us, all four of his grandsons played for us and his daughter Kirsty is a staunch supporter of the club.

“Our thoughts go to Karen, Grant, Kirsty, Gemma, the boys, and all his family and friends.”