The following announcement was made in the Remembrance match day programme on Saturday the 11th of November 2023.
Ar ddydd Sadwrn yr 28ain o Hydref, pythefnos cyn yr oedd o fod i chwarae heddiw fe gollon ni David Ward (1981-2023). Mae’r 20 gair a llai o rifau hynny’n dal yn syfrdanol, ond eto’n oeraidd, effaith uniongyrchol marwolaeth Dave. Yr hyn nad ydyn nhw'n ei wneud a'r hyn na all unrhyw eiriau ei wneud yw dweudwrthych chi faint mae'n brifo. Faint fydd yn brifo. Yr hyn nad yw’r 20 gair hynny yn ei wneud yw dweud wrthych am fachgen o Salford a oedd yn caru ei rygbi, bron cymaint ag yr oedd yn caru Donna, Brooke, Billy, Nicky a Freddie bach. Yr hyn nad yw'r 20 gair hynny yn ei ddweud wrthych yw pa mor ddrwg o ganwr oedd o a sut nad oedd hynny byth yn ei rwystro. Nid yw’r geiriau hynny’n dweud wrthych am y gwên direudus honno yr oedd bob amser yn ymddangos , a sut nad oeddech chi erioed yn gwybod a oedd yn dda neu’n ddrwg. Sut y byddai yn cynnig help i unrhyw un a sut roedd o yn gofalu am ei gyd-chwaraewyr, ei ffrindiau.
Cyn lleied o eiriau, yn union fel nad yw'r Lle ar y dudalen hon yn ddigon i Dave, ond gallaf ddweud un peth wrthych am y 20 gair hynny a allai eich helpu i ddeall rhywbeth am Dave pe baech erioed yn ddigon ffodus i fod wedi cwrdd ag o, chwarae rygbi gydag fo neu gwrando arno fo yn canu. Gallaf ddweud wrthych fod y 18 gair hynny ymhlith y rhai mwyaf anoddaf i mi eu hysgrifennu erioed.
Hwyl I ti,
Dave! Colled enfawr
Mewn Cefnogaeth ac Undod
In Support and Unity
On Saturday the 28th of October, two weeks before he was due to play today we lost David Ward (1981-2023). Those 18 words and fewer numbers capture shockingly, yet coldly the immediate impact of Dave’s passing. What they don’t do and what no words can ever do is tell you how much it hurts. How much it will hurt. What those 18 words don’t do is tell you about a Salford lad who loved his rugby, nearly as much as he loved Donna, Brooke, Billy, Nicky and young Freddie. What those 18 words don’t tell you is how bad a singer he was and how that never seemed to stop him. Those words don’t tell you about that cheeky grin he always seemed to have, and how you never knew if it was good or bad. How he would offer help to anyone and how he cared for his team mates, his friends.
So few words, just like the space on this page really isn’t enough for Dave, but I can tell you one thing about those 18 words that may help you understand something about Dave if you were never lucky enough to meet him, play rugby with him or listen to him sing. I can tell you that those 18 words are some of the hardest I’ve ever had to write.
See ya, Dave!
You will be missed
At the time of his death, Dave played for the North Wales Buccaneers and had been previously capped while representing Wales. Armed Forces Rugby League announces the retirement of the AFARL Squad Number 25 in honour of David Ward.
Date retired: Saturday the 28th of October 2023
Gwna dda dros ddrwg, uffern ni'th ddwg
© 2024 AFRL Cymru