Ten finals - including one that had to be replayed - three venues, across five weeks, with thrills, spills and trebles to boot, it proved to be another action-packed series of Worthington’s Mid District Cup Finals.

This season, there were eight men’s finals, from the Premiership down to Division Six, between the two highest placed Mid District clubs in those respective leagues – as well as two women’s finals.

Eight of the 10 finals were staged at Pontypridd’s Sardis Road, with The Wern in Merthyr also hosting two. 

Bargoed RFC then also offered use of their facilities when the originally abandoned Division Five final was replayed.

For three of the competing sides, the Mid District Cup also proved to be the third leg of a treble-winning season.

One of those sides was Caerphilly, who topped a triumphant season after defeating Ynysybwl 27-16 at The Wern to lift the Division Two Cup.

Captain Sam Haley, Milo Crompton, Tom Lewis and John Leko scored the tries for the Cheesemen, with Harrison Parsons adding seven points from the tee.

It wrapped up a stunning campaign in style for Caerphilly – who went unbeaten on their way to being crowned Division Two East Central champions, winning 17 and drawing one, while also bagging the WRU Division Two Cup. 

“We’ve been building this for the past five years,” said head coach Gareth Short.

“When I took over, we were bottom of the league and heading for relegation; Covid saved us – and it was literally a reset from then.

“We created new values and a better club ethos. Over the past couple of seasons we’ve so nearly been there, but this year everything has come together.

“This is just the accumulation of the boys putting in blood sweat and tears these past few years.”

READ MORE: 

Also ending the season with three pieces of silverware are Beddau, after they defeated Aberdare 40-13 in the Mid District Championship Cup final, and Senghenydd Sirens, who overcame Gwernyfed Ladies 38-34 in a thrilling Mid District Women’s Trophy final at The Wern.

Raf Taylor, Rhian Bowden, Catrin Davies, Kaitlin Protheroe, Lianne Fletcher and a penalty try were the Sirens’ scorers, with Sarah Harper adding two conversions and Hannah Kennedy, one.

For the Sirens, it followed on from their National League East Wales title success and WRU Women’s Bowl victory.

Premiership champions Merthyr defeated rivals and WRU Premiership Cup winners Pontypridd 26-14 in the Mid District final in that division, while the Division One district cup belonged to Abercynon, as they comprehensively defeated Builth Wells 51-13 to ease the pain of agonisingly missing out on the Division One East Central title.

Wing Alex Hayman scored twice in a man-of-the-match display for Abercynon, who also had Nathan Jones, Jordan Coxley, Jordan Burke, Mitchell Savage and Taine Jones on the scoresheet. 
Dean Gunter kicked their other 16 points. 

The Division Three Mid District Cup honours belonged to Llantrisant after they overcame Wattstown, 39-24. 

Marcus Webb (2), Lloyd Matthews, Luke Newland and Elliot Jones scored the Black Army’s tries, with Morgan Raison adding four conversions and two penalties. 

Division Four East Central champions Ferndale completed a triumphant season as they edged out Tylorstown, 17-15, to retain the Mid District Division Four Cup. 

READ MORE: 

Two tries for Jacob Davies, one for Steve Daniels, along with a conversion Declan Conway won it for Ferndale.

The Division Five final between Cefn Coed and Deri, originally played at Sardis Road, had to be abandoned with just six minutes remaining after an injury sustained by Deri prop Matthew Cheasty. Deri were leading 10-7 at the time.

The decision was made to replay it, with Bargoed RFC this time hosting, and saw Deri go on to bag glory after they overcame Cefn Coed 34-24 to also secure back-to-back Mid District Cup crowns. 

Aaron Jones, Martyn Morgan and Jacob Rowe scored the Deri tries. Jones and Josh Rees shared kicking duties.

Bargoed seconds saw off their Penallta counterparts 33-12 in the Division Six final.

Meanwhile, there was a thumping 50-12 win for Ynysybwl Ladies over Abercwmboi Ladies in the Women’s Mid District Cup final. 

Gemma Thomas and Carys Williams bagged braces with skipper Samantha Galea, Sophie Norman and Tereza Moses also on the scoresheet.
Outside-half Norman ended with a 20-point personal haul after sending over six conversions and a penalty.

It is the second year of the Mid District Rugby Union’s expanded format for their end of season finals.

READ MORE: 

The competitions were revamped last year, with the old standalone Cup and Bowl finals replaced, in order to avoid drop-outs, as well as the unwanted scenario of some clubs reaching the final without playing a single match, as had previously been the case.

Teams now battle it out for a place in the final based on their league results over the season compared with other Mid District clubs, with the top two at every level of the WRU leagues locking horns in a final.

Dubbed ‘Worthy Weekends’, most of the finals have been played on Friday nights and on Saturdays, rather than in midweek as they were in the old format.

“It’s a great event and just shows how strong rugby is in the Mid District,” said Collin Smith of sponsor Molson Coors.

“The interest is here and the commitment is unbelievable. The rugby has been fantastic – and this is what it’s all about. 
“Long may it continue.”