Brian Thomas
Sadly, former coach and life member Brian Thomas, passed away this week, without doubt the most successful coach in the history of Dunvant RFC, winning a total of seven titles in his time in charge. We took the opportunity this week to speak to past captains Keith Eaton and Dai Morris who gave their memories of Brian.

Brian a family man, married to Sheila and father to Julie and Phil and his many grandchildren, initially played for Mumbles along with his close friend Doug Baker who was also a work colleague in the local Ford factory in Jersey Marine. His rugby career started with Mumbles before playing for Swansea and Neath, also appearing for the Barbarians against Swansea in 1960.

Brian’s coaching career started after completing his coaching badges alongside a certain Jim Telfer, under the tutorship of the WRU’s Ray Williams with Mumbles Youth before a successful period with Vardre, during this period, on the advice of Roger Slack, Dunvant approached Brian with a view to taking over as coach for the 1981/82 season and the rest is history.

Brian immediately forged a partnership with Keith Eaton as his first captain and later as a coach (whom he never forgave for getting married on first Saturday of season) bringing a new discipline and organisation to rugby at Dunvant, working with Roger Slack for many years as assistant coach. Peter Thomas was his long-time close friend and long-standing team manager affectionally known to all as Kinnock, along with Derek Butler as first aider and Brian “Buzza” Bevan as Kitman forming a strong and loyal partnership, always meeting up on a Sunday for a drink to review the week.

Brian brought an organisation and discipline to the club, bringing a team spirit through his outstanding organisational skills, insisting that everyone went on the bus together. An exceptional backs coach, he learnt a lot from Ray Williams whose philosophy Brian strongly believed in, making the most of the fitness of a smaller pack stretching teams around the field through quick ball and strong defence. Who can remember the Union Jacks or sets on a Tuesday evening, especially after a defeat and making Keith Eaton count every ball in after a training session. The coaching philosophy of Brian had to be taken onto the field, and this was achieved by empowering young captains such as Keith and Dai to play in that style.

His record as a coach is as follows, winning the West Wales Rugby Union Section D, Section C, Section A league titles, West Wales Champions, Presidents Cup, Heineken 2, followed by winning Heineken 2 again, before rising to the pinnacle of the Premiership.

Brian’s second love was cricket, and he was a very good all-rounder. An accurate medium fast bowler and attacking batsman who once scored a century against North End at Ashleigh Road, no mean feat on those wickets.

We send our deepest condolences to Sheila and the family, we will long remember the impact that Brian had on the history of Dunvant RFC.