Brewery Field
Former names | The Brewery Field Riverside Hardware Brewery Field (2010–2013) Bridgend Ford Brewery Field (2013–2017) Morganstone Brewery Field (2017–2021) Timbuild Brewery Field (2021–2022) |
---|---|
Location | Bridgend, Wales |
Coordinates | 51°30′36″N 3°34′54″W / 51.51000°N 3.58167°W |
Public transit | Bridgend |
Owner | Brewery Field Ltd. |
Type | Stadium |
Capacity | 8,000 |
Opened | 1920 |
Tenants | |
Bridgend Ravens (1920–1929, 1935–1949, 1957–present) Bridgend Athletic RFC (2015–present) Bridgend Blue Bulls (2005) Bridgend Town A.F.C. (2009–2013) Celtic Crusaders (2005–2009) Celtic Warriors (2003–2004) |
Dunraven Brewery Field (Welsh: Cae'r Bragdy Dunraven) is an 8,000 (1,100 seated) capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales. It is the home ground of the rugby union team Bridgend Ravens. Bridgend Athletic RFC often use the ground for their home matches, as well as the Ospreys who sometimes play at the ground, including their age grade teams.
Sports
Rugby union
Bridgend RFC returned in 1935, but were forced into exile once more in May 1949, after a rugby league team had signed up to take the lease of the ground. After the
Celtic Warriors played most of their home matches at the ground in their only season in 2003–04. The team was formed during the advent of regional rugby at the top level of rugby union in Wales and was the partnership of Bridgend RFC and Pontypridd RFC. The ground hosted all but 3 of the club's home games. A then capacity crowd of 10,000 saw the team host London Wasps in the 2003–04 Heineken Cup. The team was culled after just one season due to financial difficulties by the Welsh Rugby Union, neither Bridgend or Pontypridd had any sort of ownership of the region at the time of closure. Following the demise of the Warriors region in June 2004,[3] the Neath-Swansea Ospreys had their borders extended to cover much of the Bridgend and Ogmore areas to the east.[4] However, for logistical reasons it was decided that no home games would be played the Brewery Field.
In 2010, the Ospreys announced that their fixture against the
2010 saw the ground host all of
It was announced in August 2015 that Bridgend Athletic RFC will play the majority of their home matches at the Brewery Field.[7]
Rugby league
Rugby league team Bridgend Blue Bulls played at the ground in 2005, winning all their home games, including the RLC Welsh Grand Final 56-16 against Torfaen Tigers. The ground also hosted the final of the Harry Jepson Trophy, which the club reached and ran out 60-10 winners over Leeds Akkies. The club moved to Porthcawl RFC for the 2006 season.
Rugby league test matches
The list of rugby league internationals played at Brewery Field.[8]
Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
November 2, 2003 | Wales | 4–76 | Australia | 2003 Kangaroo Tour | 3,112 |
October 16, 2005 | Wales | 22–14 | Scotland | 2005 European Nations Cup | 1,176 |
October 29, 2006 | Wales | 14–21 | Scotland | 2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying | 2,378 |
October 28, 2007 | Wales | 50–10 | Papua New Guinea | Friendly^ | 1,456 |
October 17, 2009 | Wales | 12–48 | England | Friendly | 3,249 |
November 8, 2009 | Wales | 28–16 | Scotland | 2009 European Cup Final | 1,608 |
^ not a full international, as not played to international rules (excess substitutes were used)
Football
The 2010
International football arrived at the ground for the first time in October 2010, with the venue hosting two games from the
Other uses
The stadium held a Bryan Adams concert in 2006,[12] which was organised by the Celtic Crusaders and was seen as a huge success with over 15,000 in attendance.
Ownership
The ground changed ownership in March 2009.[13] Before this change, the long-term lease was owned by the Crusaders and the Bridgend Ravens had to rent the ground from the Crusaders throughout the winter.
In July 2010, a story was published that many misunderstood to mean Bridgend Ravens had sole ownership of the famous ground. In fact the story was only reporting that Bridgend Ravens had finally purchased their half of the lease for the Brewery Field from Bridgend Town, having not been financially able to at the original transfer of ownership. The ground remained in 50/50 ownership between Bridgend Ravens and Bridgend Town Football Club.[14] August 2014 was a landmark day for the Brewery Field. Bridgend Ravens announced that under a new Management Franchise Licence they would be in full charge of the day-to-day running of the ground.[15]
Naming rights
In August 2017, Bridgend Ravens announced that the stadium would be renamed the Morganstone Brewery Field on a two-year deal.[16] Morganstone replaced the previous naming rights holders, Bridgend Ford, a local Ford car dealership.[17] A local independent builders merchant, Timbuild, replaced Morganstone in August 2021, becoming the stadium partner on a two-year deal.[18] Dunraven Windows, a home improvement company, became the club's stadium partner in August 2022 on a two-year deal.[19]
References
- ^ ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
- ^ "Club hasn't gone to ground after 130 years". WalesOnline. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ "WRU axe falls on Warriors". BBC News. 1 June 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
- ^ "Regions call to ex-Warriors". BBC News. 7 July 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
- ^ Orders, Mark (10 January 2019). "The 'critical' reason why the Brewery Field is to host Ospreys' key Guinness PRO14 clash against Ulster". WalesOnline. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
- ^ "Ospreys NYD fixture against Cardiff to be held at Dunraven Brewery Field | Ospreys". www.ospreysrugby.com. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Ath to Play at Brewery Field". Bridgend Athletic RFC. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ "Brewery Field - Results - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ Phillips, Terry (31 May 2013). "Bridgend Town and Bryntirion Athletic merge to make Pen-y-Bont FC". walesonline. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Brewery to host Penybont in Europe". Penybont FC. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (13 July 2023). "Europa Conference League: Penybont 1-1 FC Santa - spirited hosts draw on European debut". BBC Sport Wales. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Rocker Adams makes Bridgend debut". BBC News. 2 June 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ "Ambitious plans for Bridgend's Brewery Field". WalesOnline. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ "Rugby: Bridgend Ravens net online TV deal". WalesOnline. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Aled (30 August 2014). "Bridgend Ravens agree Brewery Field licence deal". Bridgend Ravens RFC. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ "Morganstone secure Brewery Field naming rights". Bridgend Ravens RFC. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- ^ "Bridgend Ford Partner With Bridgend Ravens". Bridgend Ford. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Aled (23 August 2021). "Introducing.. The Timbuild Brewery Field!". Bridgend Ravens RFC. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ "Introducing the Dunraven Brewery Field". Bridgend Ravens RFC. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.