In many families, sport is more than just entertainment, it becomes part of the rhythm of life, a tradition that brings people together. For us, that sport was rugby.

Our mum was never someone who followed every match or every league. But when it came to the Six Nations, she was all in. Those matches were a fixture of our childhood. No matter what was going on, we would all gather around the television as a family, sharing the highs, the lows, and every bit of pride that came with watching Wales play.

As we grew older, that tradition didn’t fade. Even into adulthood, and right up until she passed away, our mum never missed a Wales game in the Six Nations. It was one of her great yearly joys.

She passed away during one of those matches, Wales versus England. At half-time, Wales were winning, but in the second half, England came back to take the game. In the years since, we’ve often joked, with the kind of bittersweet humour only families understand, that she simply couldn’t stay around to watch England win.

After she passed, my brother and I wanted to honour her in a meaningful way. With the little money she left us, we bought Ospreys season tickets, something we’d talked about for years but had never quite managed to do. It felt like the right way to keep rugby, and her memory, close to us.

Since then, we’ve been to nearly every home game. Each match is more than just a sporting event; it’s a reminder of where our love for rugby began, of the countless afternoons spent together, and of the special place the game holds in our family’s story.

The Ospreys have become part of how we stay connected to her, a living tradition built on the one she started. Through every kick, tackle, and try, she’s still there with us in spirit, cheering Wales on just as loudly as she always did.

Gareth

I want to share just how much this team means to me on a personal level.

I’m a girl from Bristol, and my boyfriend is Welsh—a lifelong, passionate Ospreys supporter. Watching the Ospreys has become our thing: a shared hobby, a ritual, and something that has brought us closer together. Before meeting him, I had no interest in rugby at all. But now, it’s something I genuinely look forward to each season, whether we’re watching from home or making the journey to the stadium.

Life can be busy and stressful, as it is for so many people. For us, going to watch the Ospreys play is a genuine escape. Being part of the atmosphere, feeling the energy of the fans around us, and having something positive to focus on—it all matters more than people might realise. It gives us shared memories. It gives people, including us, a sense of belonging.

We love it so much that we’ve even talked about moving to Swansea. And truthfully, the Ospreys are a huge part of what draws us there: the community, the matchday experience, the pride that surrounds the club. If the Ospreys were to disappear, that would genuinely change things for us. It would take away something that thousands of people love and connect to.

Rugby clubs are not just businesses or numbers on a spreadsheet. They are anchors in their communities. They bring people together—across towns, across backgrounds, even across the Severn Bridge. The Ospreys have had a profound impact on my life, and I know we are only one
story among many.

The true value of the Ospreys cannot be measured on a balance sheet. It lives in the people they bring together, the memories they create, and the connections they inspire.

Chloe

I came across the Facebook post and felt compelled to share my story, because the Ospreys have been a huge part of my life from the very beginning. I’ve supported the team since 2003, watching players and coaches come and go over the years, but one thing has never changed—the Ospreys remain firmly in my heart. They always have, and they always will.

For me, the Ospreys are far more than a rugby team. I have struggled with mental health for many years, facing both good days and difficult ones. Through every one of those moments, following the Ospreys has helped keep my spirits high. Whether it’s a win, a loss, or a draw, the commitment and determination shown by the players, the coaching staff, and the fans has always lifted me in ways I cannot fully explain. There is something powerful in that unity—something that makes you feel part of something bigger.

I also want to give a personal shoutout to Mark Jones. He is always such a positive, cheerful presence, and over the past year his attitude has genuinely helped me more than he probably realises. I was hospitalised twice due to a heart condition, and during that time his positivity inspired me to believe I could return to work and even continue running. I still live with a Mobitz Type 1 heart block that is being monitored, but my attitude now is simple: keep smiling, keep rising, and keep believing that better days are ahead.

On behalf of myself, I want to thank the entire squad and coaching staff. Their passion and their togetherness keep our community strong and our spirits high, even on the toughest days.

Craig Thomas

Where do I even begin? The Ospreys are so much more than a rugby team to me. They are family. They are friends. They give a sense of belonging that is hard to put into words.

Before retiring, I spent many years as a palliative care nurse. It was more than a job—it was a privilege. But it was also emotional, draining, and often heart-breaking. Every weekend, the Ospreys offered me something precious: a few hours of release. Those matches gave me space to shout, to scream, to laugh—a rollercoaster of emotions that helped me cope with the realities of my work. Rugby became not just a pastime, but a form of therapy.

My connection to the team goes back decades. My dad took me to games from the time I was little. He played for the Whites, for local sides, and even refereed. Supporting rugby is woven into our family history. My husband, my daughters, and now my grandchildren have all grown up following the Ospreys. We’ve travelled to away games—Paris, Montpellier, and many others—creating memories that have become cherished family moments. Supporting the Ospreys has given us a shared passion and quality time together that nothing else quite matches.

Along the way, we’ve met so many wonderful people. Fellow supporters who have become lifelong friends. Whether at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea or at the Brewery Field in Bridgend, it has always felt like home. There is a warmth and a welcome within the Ospreys community that you simply cannot manufacture.

It’s difficult to truly capture what being part of the Ospreys family means to me. It’s history, belonging, joy, togetherness. It’s the feeling of being part of something bigger—something that has shaped my life in more ways than I can ever fully explain.

The Ospreys aren’t just a rugby team.

They are part of who I am.

Janet Powell

For our family, supporting the Ospreys has never simply been about rugby, it has been a source
of joy, belonging, and profound connection from the very beginning of the region’s journey.
No one embodies that connection more deeply than Rebecca. Living with special needs and
relying on a wheelchair has never once held her back from pouring her heart into the team she
adores. She lives and breathes the Ospreys. Her excitement on match days is something that
radiates from her the moment we arrive, usually at least an hour and a half before kickoff,
because that’s when her favourite ritual begins: meeting the players.

For Rebecca, those precious moments grabbing an autograph, taking a selfie, or sharing a few
words with her heroes mean everything. They bring her closer to the team she cherishes and
have created countless memories that our family will hold forever. One of the highlights was her
unforgettable lunch with the squad at Llandarcy – a day filled with kindness, care, and genuine
warmth from every player she met.

Match days at the Brewery Field carry their own magic. From her spot in the Conservatory,
Rebecca is often greeted personally by players – always led by her numberone favourite, Justin
Tipuric. The joy that lights up her face is unmistakable. Then there are the moments of pure
delight, like the screams of excitement whenever Dan Edwards slots a conversion through the
posts.

But it’s not only the team who make match days special. Fellow supporters have become like
extended family, taking time to chat with her about team selection and the latest rugby gossip.
Among them is Cheryl Dunnett, who Rebecca lovingly calls “Auntie.” These friendships mean as
much as the rugby itself as they remind her she is part of something bigger.

People may look at the money spent over the years on tickets and merchandise, but to us, that
has never mattered. How can you place a price on happiness? For those three hours in the
stadium – whether it’s a 3pm, 5pm, or 8pm kickoff, rain or shine, Rebecca isn’t defined by
disability. She is simply a supporter. A passionate, dedicated Ospreys fan cheering for her team
like everyone else around her.

The thought of losing that connection – the team, the supporters, the sense of belonging, would
be devastating for her. The Ospreys are not just a rugby side to Rebecca; they are her heroes,
her community, and a vital part of her world.

So, what do the Ospreys mean to us?

One word: connection.

Rebecca, Colleen & Keith Jenkins

Last week, Trebanos RFC took three teams to a fantastic tag tournament at Cardiff Arms Park — two U7s squads and one U8s team proudly representing the club!

After giving it their all on the pitch, the day only got better as we headed over to the Principality Stadium to watch our local heroes take on France.

The excitement from our young players was something special.  They were buzzing to see their idols in action and bursting with pride — just like the rest of us every time our boys pull on that jersey.

The smiles in the photos say it all… the future of Welsh rugby is bright and it’s right here.

#OurBloodIsBlack

Gareth Bevan

Before anything else, I want to share the most important news:

Cai is now just one month away from celebrating his 21st birthday. He is happy, healthy, and thriving.

What follows is our family’s story; one that shows not only the profound impact Ospreys Rugby has had on our lives, but also what the loss of our region could mean for generations of local children who look to the team for inspiration, hope, and identity.

My husband and I have supported the Ospreys since the region was founded. Naturally, when Cai was born in 2005, he was raised in black and white.  He and his friends idolised Shane Williams — copying his sidestep in under 8s rugby at Morriston RFC and dreaming of one day pulling on the Ospreys jersey themselves.

We were season ticket holders, attended every match we could, and Cai loved spending his school holidays at the Ospreys rugby camps.  For him, the Ospreys weren’t just a team.  They were heroes.

In November 2013, when Cai was only eight years old, our world changed. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour and admitted to hospital in Cardiff.  He endured a major operation to remove the tumour, followed by six weeks of daily radiotherapy and a full year of chemotherapy.  The treatment was gruelling.  The days were long.  The uncertainty was terrifying. But throughout this darkest period of his young life, something shone through the fear: rugby, and the Ospreys in particular, gave Cai hope.

Several charities stepped in to grant Cai wishes during treatment – and every single wish he made was rugby-related.  His first wish was to attend an Ospreys training session.  He even asked if a friend he’d made on the paediatric oncology ward, another young Ospreys supporter, could join him.

On that day, the players presented Cai with signed jerseys and photos.  Later, he met more of the squad during a Wales training camp at the Vale.  To adults, these moments might seem small — but to a sick eight year old boy fighting for his life, they were everything.  These players weren’t just athletes.  They were heroes who made him smile at a time when smiling was difficult.  They gave him something to focus on — something to look forward to – when his life revolved around hospital beds and treatment schedules.

Sixteen months after his diagnosis, Cai was finally able to return to school.  Although he still needed scans, medication, and regular hospital visits, he began to reclaim something close to a normal childhood.  He was unable to return to playing rugby, but that didn’t stop him finding his place in the sport he loved.  When he regained his strength, Cai proudly modelled the Ospreys’ new kit at a season launch, and he was later honoured with a Child of Courage award, with video tributes from several Ospreys players.  We will never forget the kindness behind those messages.  He later became a water/ball boy at his dad’s home club, Brynaman RFC, and is now the first team “physio” while studying for a degree in Sports Science at UWTSD.

We are still Ospreys supporters today — and like so many families, we are heartbroken at the thought of losing our region.  For us, this is not about sport alone.  It is personal.  The Ospreys gave my son a reason to keep fighting.  They gave him moments of joy during unbearable hardship.  They gave him role models, hope, and pride in his community.

If the region disappears, what will children like Cai — and thousands of others across Swansea Bay and beyond — have to look up to?  Who will inspire them?  Who will give them that sense of belonging, identity, and local pride?

This is about far more than rugby.

It is about the future of our young people.

Joanne Evans

Our vice-chair Grant Berni will be cycling 380 Miles from Amsterdam to Paris in support of Ospreys in the Community and their mental health and social isolation projects.

Grant said “I cycled from Swansea to Dublin last season to raise funds for OitC.  It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but it was one of most memorable experiences of my life.  Last season 25 riders made the journey and its fantastic to see this grow to 55 riders for the ride to Paris.”

OITC support over 150 people weekly living with dementia across 7 groups, these sessions are essential to the members helping to get them active, connect with likeminded people and ultimately keep them living independently for longer.  OITC also supports the wellbeing of 1000s of young people each year building resilience, coping strategies and helping to gain confidence in themselves.

Donations are vital to the sustainability of these sessions and to help OitC reach more people.  You can click here to donate to help Grant raise funds for OitC or use the QR code below.