Happy birthday REL

It was a big weekend for our life member, scribe, friend and all-round thoroughly good egg: Roy ‘REL’ Lewis celebrated his 90th birthday – and in some style, knowing the Lewis family! As well as his family, Roy’s great loves in life are Ebbw Vale rugby, rugby in general, the Welsh Guards, Frank Sinatra and a nice glass of red. It is said that the telephonist at his former employer used to enquire of anyone who asked to speak to him, “Is it the rugby or the Guards?”

At 90, his writing on rugby remains as perceptive and witty as ever. I can vouch for this as an avid reader of his programme notes – and in recent years his website articles – going back to 1976.

Many happy returns from everyone at Ebbw Vale RFC, Roy!