{"id":2298,"date":"2026-07-31T14:04:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T13:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/thinking-wales\/?p=2298"},"modified":"2026-07-31T14:04:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T13:04:17","slug":"the-superior-eight-vs-the-best-backs-styles-and-traditions-in-welsh-rugby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/thinking-wales\/the-superior-eight-vs-the-best-backs-styles-and-traditions-in-welsh-rugby\/","title":{"rendered":"The Superior Eight vs the Best Backs: Styles and Traditions in Welsh Rugby"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nye Davies discusses his recent article <\/em>\u2018The Scarlet Runners and the Welsh All Blacks: Traditions and Identities in Welsh Rugby\u2019<\/em><\/a>, published by <\/em>The International Journal of the History of Sport<\/a>. The article is available via open access.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Neath and Merthyr faced off in the Welsh Premiership Cup final in April 2026, the result might have appeared inevitable. Merthyr were on course to win the league, having lost only one game up to that point all season, and it was less than a year since they had trounced Neath 104-0. It was the Ironmen\u2019s to lose.<\/p>\n

But there was hope for the Welsh All Blacks. That team Merthyr had lost to was Neath. After Merthyr won the opening game of the season at the Gnoll through a last-minute penalty, Neath pulled off a fantastic 28-40 victory away at the Wern.<\/p>\n

When the cup final came about, Neath once again proved to be Merthyr\u2019s bogey team, winning 32-21 in a great cup upset. The Neath fans were jubilant, the team producing its most gutsy and resilient performance of the season, coming back from what looked like a potential drubbing at 21-7 down to take control of the game.<\/p>\n

While it was a special day for the Neath faithful, the contrast between this final and those of Neath\u2019s pre-professionalisation heyday couldn\u2019t be starker. Only a few thousand were present for this match, while in 1989, Neath and Llanelli faced each other in front of what was then a world record crowd for a club game: 58,000 at the National Stadium in Cardiff. In what is considered Neath\u2019s greatest season, breaking the world record for the number of points and tries scored, Kevin Phillips lifted the Welsh Cup, exacting revenge for defeat against the Scarlets the previous year.<\/p>\n

As Welsh rugby fans, we tend to reminisce about the past, particularly today, when Welsh rugby appears to be moving from one crisis to another. But when sports fans look back, it goes beyond simple nostalgia; the past plays a major role in shaping how fans, commentators, coaches and players recognise clubs today. The past informs the present.<\/p>\n

In a new article published in The International Journal of the History of Sport<\/em><\/a>, I explore how such history informs the way we think about clubs and their identities. Adopting the concept of tradition, I compare the histories of Neath and the Scarlets to show how myths, symbols and narratives shape perceptions of clubs. Through a reading of newspaper reports surrounding cup finals between the two sides, I show that even in a completely changed sporting landscape, traditions persist and are still treated as inherent truths.<\/p>\n

The Welsh All Blacks vs the Scarlet Runners<\/h1>\n

While the mythology surrounding the Welsh national team often invokes a singular narrative of Welsh wizardry, with the likes of Gareth Edwards, Barry John and Gerald Davies held up as purveyors of running Welsh<\/em> rugby, the clashes between Neath and Llanelli demonstrate how this style has been shaped by contrasting traditions. Neath have historically been known for their tough, uncompromising forwards, while the tradition of the \u2018Scarlet Runners\u2019 reflects a style of play more akin to that of the \u2018Welsh way\u2019, with the team known throughout its history for running rugby, flair and exciting backs.<\/p>\n

Exploring cup finals over the years between the two sides, we can see how these narratives have been established and maintained over time.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Gareth Davies, Neath Guardian, April 7 1967<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/figure>\n

Right from the very beginning, when the two sides faced each other in the inaugural Welsh Cup in 1972, Neath\u2019s forward power was contrasted with the running rugby of the Scarlets, despite the irony that it was Dai Parker, the smallest man on the pitch, who scored the winning try for Neath that day. Whether it was the \u201ctremendous, relentless power play of the Neath pack\u201d, or the argument that the Scarlets \u201cdid not have the hardness at forward that Neath could muster\u201d, the familiar contrast between the two sides was clear.<\/p>\n

\"Neath
Neath Guardian, May 12 1972<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These narratives persisted into the 1980s, despite Neath\u2019s style adapting to become much more dynamic, while the Scarlets became more pragmatic, boasting strong forwards such as Phil Davies, Phil May and Anthony Buchanan. Llanelli\u2019s \u201cmagic\u201d and \u201cbit of genius behind\u201d, as Phil Bennett described it, was too much for Neath in 1988, but the Welsh All Blacks\u2019 \u201cbig, strong and mobile set of forwards\u201d, featuring the likes of Phillips, Brian Williams and Mark Jones, were able to come out on top in a tight contest in 1989. Throughout match reports stretching to the 2009 final, the only final played between the two sides in the semi-pro era, these contrasting traditions were consistently emphasised.<\/p>\n

\"Llanelli
Llanelli Star, May 13 1988<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The establishment of such traditions can often be traced back to key individuals. For Neath, Brian Thomas was seen as the driver of the club\u2019s identity, first as a physical and uncompromising player and then as Neath\u2019s team manager in the 1980s. Alongside coaches Ron Waldron and Glen Ball, he helped to revolutionise Neath\u2019s play. Meanwhile, Scarlets coach John Maclean is credited with putting the team\u2019s attacking identity into writing for the first time, formally defining a style of play that had previously existed largely as an unwritten tradition. Coaches, officials and supporters from both clubs have regularly looked back to these individuals and the traditions they helped to establish.<\/p>\n

That these narratives persist, despite evidence that they might not always be accurate, shows their power. Commentators often reproduce clich\u00e9s and myths, solidifying the traditions for decades to come.<\/p>\n

The Superior Eight vs the Best Backs<\/h1>\n

Of course, it isn\u2019t just commentators who sustain narratives and traditions. Supporters play a crucial role in reinforcing a club\u2019s identity. Unfortunately, the article doesn\u2019t explore the voices of supporters in much detail, but a look through newspaper reports and TV coverage around the cup matches demonstrates their importance.<\/p>\n

The best example comes from BBC Wales\u2019s preview of the 1989 cup final between the two sides. In the clip linked below, we can see these traditions being articulated. For example, a Neath fan claimed that the Neath pack wearing down the opposition would be key to success in the 1989 final. Another praised the Llanelli three-quarters but concluded that \u201cthe Neath 8 are a little bit superior\u201d.<\/p>\n