Wales Civil Service victorious in historic rugby match

Rugby teams from Wales and England Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC), came together at Cardiff Arms Park last night to replicate a historic match that took place in 1923 between the Welsh and English Civil Service.

Wales were victorious on the night, beating England in a 51-26 result. The home team came out on top in a high-spirited friendly match which showcased the best of Civil Service Rugby in front of hundreds of spectators. The match also raised over £1,000 for the Wooden Spoon children’s charity of rugby.

Civil Service Rugby Football Club were one of 20 clubs who founded the Rugby Football Union on 26 January 1871. The Civilian, known as The Accredited Organ of the Civil Service, reported on 1 April 1922 that soon after the formation of the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC), sports clubs were seeking to organise themselves into sports associations.

On 21st March, a meeting of representatives of Civil Service Rugby Football Clubs was held at Lake Buildings, St James Park, London. Draft rules were passed, and a Union of Civil Service Rugby Football Clubs was formed. A provisional committee was appointed to carry on till the first Annual Meeting to be held in September 1922.

The Union of Civil Service Rugby Clubs confirmed fixtures against the Navy, Air Force, United Hospitals and United Banks. This match remembers the original fixture between the English and Welsh Civil Service.

Matt Bazeley, CEO at CSSC, said: “Over the past year and throughout 2022 we have been celebrating the rich heritage of CSSC and the important role we have played in the nation’s sporting history over the past 100 years. As a founding member of the Rugby Football Union, it has been a real honour to see this match come together to both recognise and champion Civil Service Rugby and congratulations to the Wales team on their victory.”

The rugby match joins a series of events being hosted across the country to celebrate 100 years of sports within CSSC. Proceeds from the match ticket sales will be donated to the Wooden Spoon Rugby Charity.

Part funded by the Cabinet Office and specifically designed for civil servants and public sector workers, CSSC is an exclusive not-for-profit membership organisation inspiring over 140,000 members to explore new ways to be active and healthy.  To find out more about CSSC and whether you are eligible for a membership, please visit: https://www.cssc.co.uk/join

(Lead image: John Smith)