RUGBY CLUBS IN MOURNING
A RUGBY club has suffered its second tragic loss in a matter of weeks.
Championship side Beddau’s vice president and club stalwart Scott Barnes died on Friday. He was just 40 years old.
His death comes less than three weeks after player Tom Owen, 21, from Efail Isaf, near Pontypridd, was electrocuted while working for Western Power Distribution.
Players held a minute’s silence for Scott – who joined the club aged seven and rose up through the ranks to senior level – before the start of their Swalec cup match against Ebbw Vale at home yesterday.
“We have only just got o over one big loss,” said Gareth Jenkin Jenkins, treasurer of the club, based in Beddau near Pontypridd. “It’s terrible for the c club. He [Scott] is well respected upu here. Everybody loved him. He was such a lovely kid. I call him kid because I am 60. He lovedlo the club.”
He said club memb members and the wider community will be supporting each other through this latest shock. “It’s a communitycommunit club. Everybody in the communitycom supports the rugby and the rugby club.
It’s the m main focus of the village.” Gareth said ScottS was a member of a wellknown localloca family who join joined the minis section aged sevensev and grew up as part of Bedda Beddau RFC. He becamebe a vice president 15 years ago, despite moving away to Jersey, and would still come home for all of Wales’ international matches and big events at the club.
Gareth said the former bricklayer, who had been working as a prison officer in Jersey, had returned home in December when the club held a testimonial match for Beddau RFC life member and close friend Gethin Jenkins.
Gareth said Scott was due to return home for the Wales match against England at the Principality Stadium last weekend, but had been admitted to hospital.
He added his death, which he said is thought to have been caused by a blood clot, came “out of the blue”.
Scott’s friend Jamie Willis, who grew up with him and played with him at Beddau, said he will be missed “massively”.
“He was a hugely talented sportsman and excelled at snooker, football and particularly rugby. He represented East Wales at schoolboy level [at rugby],” said Jamie.
“He had an unbelievable skill set despite playing prop forward. He could pass the ball like a scrum-half and kick the ball like an outside-half!
“We will all miss him massively. His smile would light up any room and he would be capable of turning a serious situation into a funny moment in an instant.
“He will never be forgotten by the village, community and certainly the rugby club.”
Gareth Jenkins said the club was not aware of the funeral arrangements as yet.
Tom Owen remembered: P7