RUGBY RELICS HOME  -   WORLD RUGBY MUSEUM

ABOUT US

Established in 1991, RUGBY RELICS is the World's leading supplier of Rugby Union Memorabilia. We are a mail order only business based in Neath, the birthplace of the Welsh Rugby Union and home to Wales' oldest rugby club, Neath RFC. We are a family business, please scroll down for more information on family members.  

For further information on rugby in the town of Neath, please visit this exhibit in our rugby museum CLICK HERE 

WHO'S WHO ?

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Dai Richards - Dai started collecting rugby memorabilia in the late 1960s. The acquisition of a 1965 Wales v England programme started the ball rolling in what has become a lifelong obsession with the history of the rugby union game and it's artefacts. The collection has grown steadily over the last 35+ years and is now considered one of the finest in the world. The collection has been featured by the BBC, S4C, Times and Western Mail amongst others. Rugby Relics was founded in 1991 and has since provided an unrivalled service to collectors, historians and the media. In 2002 The World Rugby Museum was launched as the World's first on-line museum dedicated to Rugby Football and it's wonderful history. To view some of the items in Dai's collection visit the World Rugby Museum

Dai's sporting career has been an interesting one. As far as rugby is concerned he played occasionally in school and after leaving school he took up refereeing, passing the WRU referees exams in 1978. At one match a team was short and when a committeeman offered to referee the game, the young 'whippersnapper' played. Dai found the game to his liking and embarked on a playing career. This didn't last long, he ended up dislocating his shoulder, in this his second and last season of youth rugby, Dai played one season of senior rugby for Baglan RFC and was selected to represent the Aberavon & District team. A recurrence of the dislocation meant the end of his rugby career. Not being one to put his feet up, Dai started playing soccer, continued with squash and then took up running as the jogging boom was in full swing. An instant love affair with endurance sports began as Dai found his stamina and speed stood him in good stead as he toed the start lines of South Wales. In 1985 he won the county 5000 metre track championships and competed in his first triathlon. He has continued competing in single and multi-sport events since then during which time he has represented Wales at senior level in 6 different sports (cyclo-cross, triathlon, mountain running, mountain biking, duathlon, and marathon kayaking). The pinnacle of his sporting career was when he was crowned World Champion in the veteran category in the sport of Quadrathlon in the year 2000. For more information and to see a full run down of his sporting career visit Dai's page CLICK HERE   

Dai Richards

 

RICHARDS-Marriage.jpg (54900 bytes) Hayley Richards - Hayley is the proud mum of the bouncing boys Dale and Simon, see below and she keeps us all in the manner we are accustomed to. Pictured here at our wedding in the Cook Islands. Hayley is the company secretary and works part-time in the office.
Hayley Richards

 

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Laurie suffered on the front of the mountain bike (on a kids seat) as a youngster - actually she loved going downhill "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" was all we could hear and since then she gets her downhill kicks from roller coasters !!!!! Laurie was working as the Office Manager until 2013 but has now moved on to pastures new.

Laurie

 

 

Vicky - Dr Victoria is currently working for the Royal Chemistry Society. She has now retired from a successful slalom kayak career which saw her become Welsh Champion (2010), finish 4th in the Great Britain Senior Championships and represent Great Britain and Wales on numerous occasions. For a run down on Vicky's kayak career including 5 Welsh Under 18 Championships CLICK HERE

Illustrated - Victoria on a canoe slalom advertising poster

Victoria Richards

 

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Dale  - Like his dad, Dale is an all round sportsman. He has represented Wales at both orienteering and cyclo-cross. He is currently working full time at as a technician at Virgin Media and has recently become the proud father of a bouncing baby boy, Gethin.  

Illustrated - Dale on the front of Compass Sport Magazine while competing in the Welsh Orienteering Championships 2004 and a montage from the Welsh cyclo-cross championships in 2006 

Dale Thomas

 

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 Simon - Simon is a keen sportsman, he enjoys swimming & orienteering where in 2008 he represented Wales. Simon appeared together with Dad on the BBC Antiques programme Flog-It in 2003. Simon collects Welsh international rugby programmes and his favourite teams are  ...................wait for it..................Neath, Neath, Neath and the Ospreys. He was a team mascot for the Ospreys on their first match in Europe in the Liberty Stadium at Swansea against Stade Francais. Now with letters behind his name, Simon Thomas BSc Hons, he is currently studying a Masters degree in Chemistry at Cardiff University and working part-time with our on-line social media prescence.

Illustrated - Simon taking part in a swim/run event in Carmarthen 2003 and receiving the 'Magic Moments' turf from Shane Williams & Brent Cockbain 

Simon

 

RUGBY RELICS - THE STORIES

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In approx 1994 on a "stock" buying trip to New Zealand we bought from a collector the autograph book that belonged to Graham Henry as a boy. At the time Graham was coaching Auckland. The book contained autographs from the 1959 Lions, a few All Blacks and some cricket sides including the West Indies, the book was put away for a rainy day. It started to drizzle when Mr Henry was appointed coach to Wales and Wales defeated South Africa in the first match at the Millennium Stadium. The book started to make the rounds of the grounds and the Welsh team who defeated the books on that day were slowly added to the book. But there was a storm when the Kiwi coach was given the nod to lead the 2001 Lions Down Under. Dai and daughter Vicky travelled to Berkshire for the pre tour press conference and photo call. Vicky did the business and got the complete playing squad and Graham Henry to sign the book. The book was then auctioned at the launch of the Rugby Relics website. We have since bought the autograph book back and have added to the pages the All Blacks squad from the 2007 Rugby World Cup, a team also coached by Graham Henry.   
RR-Times.jpg (195150 bytes) "The Sunday Times" Five Nations supplement, article on Dai's collection. The top 10 items.
RR-German.jpg (210671 bytes) German Rugby magazine article on Rugby Relics by Holgar True. In the German language
shearer.jpg (183474 bytes) Alan Shearer's shinpads. We exchanged these for some Rugby League memorabilia and advertised them in the classifieds of the Newcastle Chronicle. A journalist saw the advert and the story snowballed from there 
collecting-programmes.jpg (290079 bytes) Rugby Programme collecting, an article in "Dragon News" by Dai Richards. 

     

Who said what about Rugby Relics.....................

 

KEITH QUINN - New Zealand broadcaster, author & journalist 

"Dai - your package arrived safe and sound today, thanks again for the great service - Keith Q, NZ"

 

Keith Quinn made his first rugby commentary for television in 1972, he called his first test, the All Blacks against England in 1973 and has since covered over 200 test matches including all five Rugby World Cup Finals. He has written 12 books on rugby including the comprehensive "Encyclopedia of World Rugby" (illustrated far left). Keith is chairman of the screening committee who choose the 'world's greatest rugby players' for the International Rugby Hall of Fame. He has covered over 30 All Black tours and continues to work for NZBC & TVNZ. Rugby Relics is proud to supply books and memorabilia for Keith as he records the history and great moments of rugby football. 


Books by Keith Quinn

Lions ’77 – 1977
Tour of the Century - 1978
Grand Slam All Blacks - 1980 
A Wounded Pride - 1983 
Disappointments, Disasters and Bizarre Records of New Zealand Sport 
The Encyclopaedia of World Rugby 
A Century of Rugby Greats – 1999 
Legends of the All Blacks – 1999 
Keith Quinn – A Lucky Man – 2000 
Keith Quinn’s – Outrageous Rugby Moments - 2002
 Journey to Nowhere – 2004 
Glory Days – 2006 

 

Hello Dai, - Great photos => the family were very pleased => especially my Dad and his sisters who had never seen the photos before ! Cheers - Oliver
from Oliver Pratten, London, grandson of Dennis Pratten, 1936 British tourist" who was delighted to stumble across the Jim Unwin exhibition in the World Rugby Museum which contained photos of his grandfather during the British tour of the Argentine.

 

Author Dick Tyson in the acknowledgements of his book 

"London's Oldest Rugby Clubs"

"Dai Richards at Rugby Relics. Sometimes you need to get hold of a piece of Rugby Memorabilia from a trustworthy expert and Dai is the best in the world! Give www.rugbyrelics.com a shufti.

nice one Dick !

 

 

Dear Dai, - Thank you so much for the beautifully wrapped books that have arrived safely today. Thank you for your efficiency - I can't wait to see my son Tom's face on Sunday morning when he opens the Marshall book. As he has some other pressies I'm keeping the Frost book for Christmas. Thank you again. Kind regards - EW - York

 

Dear Rugby Relics, - Just a quick note to say that my book arrived safely today,10/20/04. It is a fabulous book and one I will treasure for years to come. GS - Texas, USA

 

Dai, Just a quick note to thank-you for the 1969 programme and book which I recently purchased from you.  These were gifts for my boss on the celebration of his 35 years with the company and I'm pleased to say he was delighted with them. I was really impressed by the service you provided.  Your knowledge of your stock was great and you came up with some excellent alternatives when my first choice wasn't available.  The goods also arrived well packed and exactly as and when you said they would.  I know that most of the time people only say when things have gone wrong - but I wanted to thank-you for getting it spot-on. Kind regards. BH - Bristol

 

Thank you for the 3 programmes, I received them today. They are in mint condition and I will be recommending your web site to other rugby fans! Thank you again. HA - London

 

Delighted to find your website Dai, thanks for the programmes they were excellent. 

Nigel Starmer-Smith (former England international and TV Commentator)

 

What our customers say about the 1906 Springbok print.................

Dai, - The print arrived this morning! - Absolutley quality!! Thank you very much!! - Cracking service. - 

Best Regards, - A.S. ex-pat South African now living in the U.K.

 

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Author Nigel McCrery in his acknowledgements for the book 'Into Touch'........

Dai Richards. Rugby Relics. A man who loves the game and took a lot of time and trouble to help. Many thanks  

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Hi Dai, - The parcel had arrived in great condition today. The condition of all the magazines are in great
condition. I must applaud Rugby Relics for its great professionalism and speedy service. I will definitely make purchases with your company in the future as I trust your professionalism and thoroughness. Thanks once again. JS - Singapore

 

Over the last few months I have purchased several rugby items with final package for the year arriving today. I can only express my total satisfaction to the service and items I have received. The website is excellent in every way with a great range of items. The payment system has not been a problem and very professional. The packaging is also excellent and all orders have arrived in excellent condition. I look forward to purchasing more items next year - JT, Nelson, New Zealand

 

 

Shortcuts to Rugby Relics pages - please click on the links below..............

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