Strongy's last blog

The end of the season has arrived and I sit in work (during my break) thinking of what I can say in this, my final Captain’s Blog.

The expectations we had as a squad never materialised - we were well capable of achieving more than we did… we had talked of a cup final and pushing for the league title. The one final title we could have won was taken away from us by the WRU. The rules for the Principality Premiership play-offs are nothing to do with me, but it wasn't exactly as if we had two internationals or superstars playing for us!

I honestly believed we could have taken Neath this time round. To say the players were gutted in training when "Clangers" came to tell us the news would be an understatement! I have said in past blogs that physically and ability-wise we can beat anyone on the day, but there's that mental attitude that gets in the way at times - that's down to the individual and I guarantee you that no player turns up not wanting to perform for the club.

It has been a long season with the introduction of the B&I Cup and the Premiership play-offs and it took it's toll on the squad. There were injuries a plenty, the physio team have been working flat out and have done well to keep players fit. With the knowledge Dai Thomas has and the doctors associated with Pontypridd, the players have a medical back-up team to rival any premiership football club! I for one would have missed far more games if it wasn't for Dai sorting me out with scans and treatment… I thank him for all he has done for me.

The end of the season brings with it contract talks for the following year, something which ordinarily I hate doing but the last five years have been made easy for me. Firstly the move to Ponty to work with Simon King and Johnsey and to play with the likes of Dale… easy. Captain the club… easy. Continue to captain the club… easy. Things proved to be slightly different this year as contracts and my role within the club were reviewed, and this in turn meant that there was no captaincy for me.

That played on my mind for the following week or two, I wondered whether it was time for a change even though Chief explained that I still had a big part to play. There were sleepless nights, daydreaming and asking family and friends what I should do. It has been one of the toughest decisions I have had to make, but a move closer to home seemed the easier option. Pontypridd is like an extended family and all the players are friends for life, we've shared the highs (winning the Konica Minolta cup) and lows (the tragic loss of a top man in Snid) of rugby over the past few years, and I've got some great stories to tell for years to come.

A special mention to a player whom I've had the pleasure of travelling with these past five seasons - Dico, a great player who continues to improve year on year and has shown this year by winning the Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards, that he has so much more to give to Pontypridd rugby… a Ponty legend he will be!

What has amazed me over the years with Pontypridd is the wealth of talent that continues to be unearthed. We lose a good player (mainly to Cardiff or Neath) and Chief and Johnsey in their roles of regional academy coach and school teacher will have someone in mind who they know will fill those boots. I'm sure there will be more future internationals who will come through the ranks of Pontypridd RFC. The blend of youth and experience is a must for survival in the Premiership these days. I've told Chief he can ring me anytime he wants and I would love to come and play on Sardis Road again!

I've loved my time being involved with Ponty and you all know how much I feel you mean to the team, the support is by far the best in the Premiership and the way regional rugby is going we will have more support than the Welsh regional teams! As a captain its one of the ways I could get the boys going was to tell them to listen to that support, many times I've had the hairs standing on the back of my neck just walking back after the warm-up!

On a personal note I've been overwhelmed at the support I've had from many of you.  I've thoroughly enjoyed writing these blogs, and hope you've enjoyed reading them too.

I will sign out with a genuine and collective “thank you” to everyone involved with Ponty RFC. You haven’t seen the last of me, I promise you. Look out for me supporting from the terraces and queuing for a drink at the bar alongside you next season!

OLE, OLE, OLE!

Nathan Strong
17^th May 2010

www.ponty.net/strong-nathan