International and First Class Players
Several players have started with Garndiffaith and have gone on to win international caps. One such player was W. A. Williams who played outside half. He went on to Pontypool where he picked up an injury, when fit again he was left out of the side to face Neath. He then moved to Talywain before moving on to Newport, where he gained three Welsh caps in 1952/53. When his career finished his time with Newport he came back to play for the Garndiffaith at the age of 44.
Wilf Parfitt played wing forward for the Garndiffaith and went on to captain Pontypool against the Springboks in 1951. The second Welsh international to join Garndiffaith in the early 1950s was Graham Jones. He went from the Garn to Ebbw Vale, where he won three caps. He returned to coach Gardiffaith and made them stronger in both fitness and ability.
Other players from the Garn to go to first class clubs include, Arthur Fynn who went to Pontypool and Willy Beal who joined Tredegar.
Brian Cordy, played his first game in 1953 when just 17 years of age. He captained the side in the 1964/65 season. He also played for Pontypool before returning to Garndiffaith as coach in 1969/70 where he coached the side for ten years. During which time they won the Monmouthshire Union League twice and were runners up twice. The club also won the Ben Francis Cup and came runners up during that period. Cordy went to senior coach and alongside his role at the Garn he helped coach the Monmouthshire Union and Monmouthshire County Sides. In 1979/80 he left the Garn to take up coaching duties at Abertillery, who were then a first class club. Cordy is a Life Member of the club.
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