Around The Touchline Feature:

 
 
For many years my visits to Narberth Rugby Club were eagerly anticipated because it meant a chat with Geraint Bowen, easily one of the more charismatic players who had emerged around the county and still playing then for The Otters after playing once for Wales, almost 50 times for The Scarlets and any number of appearances for Pembrokeshire in the halcyon days of inter-county matches for Pembrokeshire.
 
But if you were lucky enough to chat to a character nicknamed ‘Bows’ by his team-mates and all at the club you would have found him immensely approachable, down to earth and with a wicked sense of humour - and even now, 30+ years on, he hasn’t changed a bit, other than the fact that with his three grandsons now keeping him and wife Sian busy then we don’t meet so often.
 
But when we do cross paths it is still a pleasure to walk down memory lane with him, as we did recently for this feature!
 

‘Bows’ features as county upset Llanelli – and he joins The Scarlets

 
Geraint was a fine full back whose early play with The Otters and Pembrokeshire caught the eye at Stradey Park as he played for the county against Llanelli, who were captained on the night by Phil Bennett, and he landed four penalties and a dropped goal in a surprise 15-9 success.
 
Welsh cap Clive Griffiths had gone north and Geraint made his Scarlet’s debut at 23 when he was called in at short notice for a midweek game at home to Cardiff and found his old pal Glyn Davies (who later coached Tenby) in the 15 shirt for the opposition.
 
“It was pouring with rain but I really enjoyed the experience and before long I was playing on a regular basis with my old heroes like Phil Bennett, Ray Gravell, Roy Bergiers; JJ Williams, Derek Quinnell, Hefin and Gareth Jenkins”
 
So Geraint began a great run of form which saw him become top scorer for the season as he landed 185 points with his powerful right boot.
 

Called up for international duty

 
“Then I was chosen to go on tour to Canada and The US with the so-called Wales B team that included a significant number of full internationals like Steve Feneck, David Burcher and the late Eddie Butler - and it was a great thrill to learn I had been selected to play against Canada and an even greater thrill as we won, with Feneck as man of the match.
 
“It’s a cliché perhaps to remember running out and singing ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ but it’s true because the game flew by. We were given two jerseys for the tour and so I swapped one with my Canadian opponent and both are now in the Narberth RFC clubhouse.”
 
The Otters’ club house was then the venue for a special presentation years later as good work by Clive Rowlands saw both North American games being up-graded to full internationals and so Geraint was the deserved recipient of his cap, which was beautifully presented, with his initials on the cover.
 
As one of the invited guests I can only say that it will long remain in my memory and there was a double boost for Geraint because a little before that he and his family were invited to the Wales versus Fiji international and he received it formally there!
 

A leg broken at Twickenham – and then more leg damage against Swansea

 
When the 1980 season, after his Wales’ appearance, came Geraint started well but in a match against Harlequins at Twickenham he thought he had sustained a dead leg in a tackle but after trainer Bert Peel insisted he went off he sat in a chair and was told by a doctor that he had broken it. Bert, a real old timer at the club brought a smile to Geraint as he said “He’s probably from Harley Street and doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
 
It was his tibia that was broken and so he had to rest but admits that he came back too early and paid the price as he played for the county against Cardiganshire and sustained muscle damage and it meant another six weeks lay-off.
 
His bad luck continued because at the start of the next season he played for Aberystwyth against Swansea (after a request from his old pal Mark Keyworth) and he damaged his cartilage in the other leg - and he was out until Christmas.



 

Family matters . . .

 
‘That really put the kybosh on things but Sian was brilliant in encouraging me to play on once I had recovered – and  as my No 1 supporter has been brilliant, as have our children Aled (rugby with Narberth Crymych and Tenby), and Catrin (who swam well and played hockey). Sian was a natural sportswoman and did well in swimming, hockey (for West Wales) and athletics - and worked for some time with Sport Pembrokeshire.
 
“And I am so glad I did listen to Sian because I was only 28 then and had the rest of the season with Narberth Seconds; and with support from the late Jeff Harry and Dai Miller I was selected to play alongside Brian ‘Beakie’ Davies (Crymych) in playing for the Welsh Districts out in Holland, which was another great experience!”
 

Missed the plane from Paris with ‘Morgs’

 
Going back to his time at Stradey Park it must be said that is wasn’t all injuries because there were lighter moments, like the time when they flew to Paris to play Nice and when the squad were due to fly back  it was noticed that Geraint and another Pembrokeshire player in Peter Morgan were missing.
 
They only had £2 between them and were in the airport but an over-zealous official wouldn’t allow them in to the flight area and so the squad left without them - and the red-faced pair joined their team mates a day later!
 

Back to Narberth – and more success

 
But after his string of injuries Geraint rejoined Narberth, where Richard ‘Stag’ Jones was captain (and nominated by Geraint as the best he played under - and the following season, their centenary one, they marked with the double of league and KO Cup success.
 
“I had kicked well all season but in the cup final against Haverfordwest I must have missed TEN shots at goal so I was very relieved when we edged through by 6-0. It was a far cry from a previous cup final, against Milford Haven at Pembroke, when we drew 12-all and lost 12-9 so I ended up on the losing side despite kicking 21 points!
 
Geraint also had one season at Whitland, which didn’t go down too well with some people at Narberth, but his dad Godfrey hailed from Hendy Gwyn and he is a first cousin to Borderers’ ‘legend’ Tony Bowen - and whilst there achieved the honour of picking up his 50th Pembrokeshire cap against South Wales Police at St Davids RFC.


 

County honours – and three Welsh Counties’ Cup victories

 
In his county days he has had some wonderful memories in reaching that magic milestone, not least playing for Pembrokeshire on four occasions when they played in the Welsh Counties Cup Final - and won three of them.
 
“It was brilliant to be involved at that time because every player in the county regarded it as an honour and we had a very strong group of classy players, many of whom had played ‘up the line’ but wanted to represent our county.
 
“We all got on really well together and to be honest it was great to beat some of the more ‘fashionable’ counties like Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire in the process.  We beat Glamorgan in Neyland and Monmouth in Haverfordwest, plus Breconshire in Builth, no mean feat since they had some very good players who played regularly for Neath and Maesteg.
 
“We did lose one of the finals by just one score at Narberth and I think that was against Monmouthshire - but to be honest I’ve never been very good at recalling games we lost!




 

Time to finish after so long in the game

 
“I played until I was about 38”, Geraint told us, “but when I helped out the Narberth third xv in their cup final against Milford Haven at Pembroke I had this strange feeling come over me that I had to be careful not to get injured because of work and so I knew it was time to finish my time on the field.”
 
It was a long time away from his start in the game, when he was a pupil at Whitland Grammar School and played for Carmarthenshire Schools at scrum half, until he switched to full back because there was no-one else to fill the role after injury on a Midlands’ tour.
 
He also played regularly for Carmarthenshire Under 19s and as well as being on the replacements’ bench for Wales against Scotland he played for West Wales against the Australian Schools in a 19-3 defeat - and played for Narberth Youth alongside superb players like Roger Price in winning the Pembrokeshire Youth Cup.
 
Then it was on to senior rugby with a debut at Pill Parks against Llangwm and the need to adapt quickly to the more demanding physical stuff dished out by all opposing teams!



 

Other sports

 
Outside of his rugby, Geraint also played for Narberth, Llanddewi Velfrey (where had to endure the indignity of being stumped by yours truly) and Maenclochog as a big-hitting middle-order batsman.
He also played football for Narberth at junior level as a tough-tackling midfielder - and readily admits that he enjoys horse racing and  the odd bet – and has previously held shares in a couple of race horses!
 
Geraint’s final involvement came with coaching at Narberth and although he says he enjoyed most of it he had little time for player histrionics at a time when being paid to play was coming in and he found it hard to understand the commitment levels of some players.
 
“I would have liked there to be a Pembrokeshire team when the Heineken Leagues started because there have been some amazing players who could have been superb in the side - but it wasn’t to be and so now I just make odd trips down to the ground where I enjoy my touchline chats or pint in the clubhouse and just feel glad I played a great game at the time when I did!”