Posted by When it comes to club legends the list generally includes names of players that have performed on the biggest stages, in the biggest games, in front of the biggest crowds.
In recent years that would mean the Arms Park faithful generally look towards those who helped lift the European Challenge Cup in 2010 or 2018, or who have been part of famous nights in the Heineken Cup, as well as any who have stepped up and stood out at the international level. Gethin Jenkins, Taufa’ao Filise, Josh Navidi, Lloyd Williams, Gareth Anscombe and Tom James, as a small example pool.
However, at Cardiff the legend list can expand beyond the reaches of the professional ranks and into the top level of Welsh domestic rugby as the Rags represent the club week-in, week-out at this level, led by a bona fide member of the legend list who made his 100th appearance for the Blue and Blacks over the weekend.
When Morgan Allen arrived at the club in the summer of 2018 it was a definite coup for Cardiff, almost to the point of being too good to be true. A long stint in the professional game with Dragons, Ospreys, Scarlets and Ealing had come to an end, but as we see fairly often players don’t always stick with it in the semi-professional ranks.
12 months, 30 appearances, 15 tries and a Welsh Cup later the foundations of a legend had been laid as the number eight was a major part of the Rags returning to the top of the game in Wales after around a decade of being stuck in the wilderness.
Defensively his dominant tackles were momentum altering, while in attack his ball carrying is a weapon in itself, and his handling skills take that to another level. Man-of-the-match performances were plenty, game winning showings similarly regular, while his consistency and durability saw Allen become talismanic in that eight jersey.
Over the intervening four years Allen has continued to be that talisman for Cardiff, assuming the captaincy after the departure of Joey Tomlinson and consistently ranking as one of the best players in the league, leading the Blue and Blacks to a Premiership triumph as well as another Welsh Cup win.
The longevity of the 33-year-old and unrelenting quality of his performances have won games on its own in that time, while also being an incredible example for the likes of James Botham, Gwilym Bradley, Alex Mann and Mackenzie Martin who have and will step up to the first team.
Reaching 100 games for the Rags despite covid, the strain of balancing rugby and work, and the varying amount of games in a Welsh Premiership season is a fantastic achievement for the skipper, and it was pleasing to see him mark it with a try in a dominant victory over Neath.
Fingers crossed there’s still plenty of gas left in Mogzy’s tank – an undisputed Cardiff legend.
Cardiff Rugby Life 
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