Fixture

After a convincing win against local rivals Crickhowell the previous week, a fixture that saw the season pick up after the Six Nations lull, Brecon Youth XV travelled south once more, over the Beacons, and headed down the Cynon Valley to visit Mountain Ash. The visit to Parc Dyffryn Pennar was eagerly anticipated, as the home team had been the sole victors against the Brecon unit in the League this season. The significance of this was highlighted by the fact that the two teams topped the League, with the team from "The Old Firm" enjoying a points ascendancy over the visitors.

Coaches Huw Phillips and Martin Keylock were acutely aware of the significance of this fixture, as a loss for their charges would, effectively, have taken them out of the running for the league title. Training in the week leading up to the fixture had taken on a keener edge, as the coaching team plotted to specifically deal with the threat posed by the table toppers, and to ensure that their team kept the title chase open. Mountain Ash had proved to be a physically strong team, who had certainly tested the Brecon resolve in their earlier fixture and, whilst the arrival of the visitors to the ground was greeted by early Easter sunshine, there was no doubting the enormity of the task ahead. The pre match routine had a real intensity about it, with both teams keen to gain early advantage with the pivotal fixture looming.

The game kicked off with Brecon receiving the from their hosts. After securing possession, they enjoyed a period of play that took them deep in the host team's half, as they sought to impress upon all that they were not going to allow the league leaders to dictate the style and tempo of the game. The hosts rose to the challenge of this early onslaught, and the play of both teams was characterised by enormous physicality in the contact area.

The home team had a real physical presence throughout and they used this to assert a certain degree of control on the territory, and looked to have created a number of early scoring opportunities. In what was to become an aspect that was redolent of how the game evolved, the defence of the Brecon team was magnificent in this phase, with the sterling efforts of the forward pack being supported by a committed urgency out wide. Notwithstanding this, the home team did manage to create a more obvious opportunity as they brought their powerful left winger into the line out of position. This created a clear overlap which they duly took advantage of to establish the first score of the game.

This proved to be a very symbolic time, in the context of how the game unfolded, as the Brecon team spurred themselves on after this setback and didn't let the score impact negatively upon their own game. They duly enjoyed a period of pressure of some ten minutes or more, where they became encamped deep in Mountain Ash territory, creating numerous phases of controlled play, although the control sometimes wavered as individuals looked to take the ball on when perhaps continued high tempo and movement may have been a better option. However, they were able to maintain possession and, despite some strong home tackling, chances would duly come. It was with a certain frustration however, that the half time whistle blew with some real chances to equal the scores having been left on the field.

The half time talk given by the coaches would have been about the need to focus on the positive aspects of the Brecon play, not least of which was the fact that, for large periods of the first half, they had more than matched the league leaders, and that  if they continued to play the game at their tempo, further chances would duly come.

As the second half kicked off, Brecon enjoyed the advantage of the varying breeze at their backs, and this enabled them to continue where they had left off by gaining possession in the home half.  After some first half pressure in the scrum, and some careless mistakes in the lines out, Brecon improved markedly in these areas, highlighted by them choosing to scrum when the referee penalised a home team indiscretion deep in their 22. The scrum in a central position had proved to be a launch for a well worked move in a number of games earlier in the season, and so it proved again, as No 8 Rob Wainwright, and scrum half and captain, Huw Prothero, worked some space to send prolific centre Lewis Powell flying over the home team goal line for the equalising score. Whilst his fine kicking form momentarily left him, failing to convert his own score, the mood of the visiting team was greatly bolstered by this passage of play, and they looked to defend a predictable backlash with real confidence.

As expected, the home team came flying back at the Brecon fifteen, although it was a period when the resolute Brecon discipline outmatched their hosts, who gave away a number or penalties, or lost possession in contact, enabling the visitors to clear long into home team territory. The Brecon defence at this time was truly heroic, with the pack of forwards standing up to the home team physicality and ferocity time and time again. This was done in a calmly committed fashion, with this level headed approach seeing the Brecon team draw another indiscretion that Powell duly stroked over to give the visitors the lead for the first time.

The obvious response to this soon became manifest, as Mountain Ash raised the tempo and commitment of their own game, only to be met by a Brecon fifteen who were committed to seeing their seasons aspirations not flounder at this point. The home team approach saw them throw a certain amount of caution to the wind, and their forwards and backs were all prominent at this time. This approach can tend to be high risk however, and the tackles being put in saw the ball being dislodged or knocked on an a number of occasions. One such home team turnover saw the quick witted Prothero move the ball quickly to the left, where flying winger Alex Edmunds, who enjoyed a fine game, was able to run in under the posts from 60 metres out, a score that, once converted, gave the visitors a two score cushion with which to defend the last five minutes.

This five minutes proved to be a furious period where the home team frantically sought the scores to see them effectively secure the league title. The level headed approach of the Brecon team, led by flankers Andrew Hosie and Ioan Edwards, and with returning prop Richie Davies also prominent, was backed up by an adherence to the coaches principles and game plan. One area that had been identified as a home team strength was their driving line out. This became the tactic they adopted to break down the Brecon defence, although the visitors matched this with huge effectiveness. One such attempt at this driving line out, saw the Brecon pack decide not to commit to the challenge, thus rendering the tactic illegal, and which led to a crucial turn over ball.  To do this when under such pressure, and when the home team were able to plunge over their line, albeit illegally, showed great calmness and leadership and, crucially, proved to be the defining differences between the two teams.

This passage of play is, possibly, the finest piece of action that this team has put together this season, and is indicative of a real belief and commitment to each other. The team were able to hold on for their best victory for some time, and they have now given themselves a real opportunity at being able to lift the league title. In this regard, the coaches were quick to point out the work that still needs to be done and the need to maintain such levels throughout the remainder of the season, starting with the visit to difficult opponents Abercynon next weekend. The performance of the team gained them huge respect from their management team, and the supporters who made the trip, and it is important that they players now show the same level of respect to themselves, and their team mates, by committing to working hard for the next three to four weeks. The coaches also commented that a strong squad is being established, with some Under 16s players (this week Rhys Evans and Dafydd Edwards) adding to the strength in depth. Whilst they may not get the same amount of game time, it all adds to a strong squad evolving in the key latter weeks of the season.