Fixture

Penygraig RFC | Youth Team Under 18 14 - 22 Brecon RFC | Youth Team Under 18
Huw Thomas
2 Conversion
1 Penalty
Tudor Roderick
1 Try
Sam Hellard
1 Try
Dafydd Edwards
1 Try

Match Report
06 February 2017 / Team News

PENYGRAIG YOUTH 14 - BRECON YOUTH 22

Following some recent weeks of cup activity, Brecon Youth returned to league action on Saturday as they headed down to the Rhondda Valley to take on an improving Penygraig side at their historic Graig Park home, made famous by Max Boyce with his song about Japanese rugby players getting lost in the long grass!! However, it wasn't a lush meadow that greeted the visitors upon their arrival, as the recent spell of wet weather had rendered the pitch unplayable, necessitating a move to a secondary pitch located in nearby Tonypandy.

 

The playing surface at the new venue had also seen significant rainfall, and was very soft underfoot. Additionally, and this has been a common experience for this Brecon team on their travels, the dimensions of the pitch were such that, allied to the soft track, it all hinted at difficulties for any team seeking to play a more expansive style of rugby.

 

This has been the modus operandi that Brecon have aspired to under the guidance of coaches Huw Phillips and Al Taylor, and it has proved a virtue for them as the points they have acquired on the pitch have driven their standing in the table, where they currently remain in top place having secured some significant bonus points. This has proved important as they league has evolved such that four teams have put themselves very much in contention for the title, with all having taken points of each other at some stage. Penygraig have been very much in the mix in this regard, and have shown themselves to be the possible form side of the moment, having secured some notable victories against other league candidates.

 

Brecon therefore travelled in the knowledge that this was a game that, should they win, would send of very clear statement of intent of their ambitions and aspirations as they move into the spring and the latter stages of the season. This intent was clear from the start, this having been an area of potential weakness earlier in the season, as Brecon dominated the opening phases, both territorially and in terms of possession, gaining an early reward as combative centre, Huw Thomas, landed an early penalty.

 

The home team took their own impetus from this initial visiting onslaught, and started to drive the Brecon team deeper into their own territory. This was done primarily through the kicking skills of the home fly half and full back, and the Graig pack were proving to be a formidable unit as they took on the visiting eight at the breakdown with huge physicality.

 

The Brecon pack were not to be outdone in this regard, and the front row of the improving Tom Witcomb, particularly with some of his defending, and Nick Hughes and Josh Hamilton, the latter two very prominent in taking the challenge to the home pack, provided a sound base from which the visitors could build. Behind them, the efficient, yet understated, Finn Starkey, and Daf Havard, whose lithe build defies an impressive upper body strength, were both prominent in seeking to contain an increasingly influential home pack. The back row of Harry Preece and Wil Prosser, were both keen to engage in defence and attack, their efforts complementing the consistent all round excellence of open side Jonny Davies.

 

Frustratingly for the visiting coaching team, and supporters, the impressive positivity of the Brecon team play was undermined to a certain extent, by levels of inconsistency, and also a tendency to concede needless penalties when starting to secure the upper hand. The period of play in which this developed saw the home team attack on a relentless level, and they were duly rewarded when, after some initial attacks were repelled by impressive defence, they managed to drive through for the opening score of the game that, allied to the conversion, gave them a four point advantage as the game moved towards the break.

 

Brecon were not deterred by this, and regrouped positively as they immediately went back on the attack. Scrum half Geraint Workman continued his excellent first season form as he proved to be a live wire at the base of a busy pack, who sought to vary his game positively. Outside him, fly half Gareth Price was continually prompting colleagues and probing for weaknesses in a stout home defence within the narrow confines of the pitch. His persistence in this regard was rewarded when, after some slick handling and running off the ball, he was able to create space for the prolific Tudor Roderick to beat the last defenders to cross for a try, converted by co-centre Huwie Thomas, that restored the Brecon lead as the game moved towards the half time break.

 

Whilst the first half came to a close with Penygraig again pressing, the whistle would have prompted confidence for the visiting coaching team as they saw their charges compete with great intensity and commitment. They would have urged their players to raise the tempo of the game and seek to play at a pace that would challenge the tiring home defence. The opening exchanges of the second period saw both teams enjoying periods of attacking play, and it was clear that opportunities would soon come for further scores. It was disappointing therefore, and somewhat against the run of play, that the home team were first to add to their tally when, following a kick through, the home team were adjudged to have got hands first to the ball for a score that, when converted, saw the scoreboard read 14-10 to the home team.

 

Whilst the visiting team challenge their supporters in terms of the frustrating inconsistency of their performances, the following period of the game did indicate how the team have most significantly improved this season. In falling behind to a home team that were riding a certain wave of momentum, with the home support being very vocal, this represented a scenario that would have challenged the team in previous encounters. On this occasion however, and consistent with their never-say-die spirit of the earlier cup fixture, the Brecon team raised their own levels of commitment and passion which, allied to an improving ability to move the ball to all areas of the pitch, meant that they were establishing themselves as the dominant force as the game moved into the final quarter.

 

Committed winger Carl Leeton was prominent in attack and defence throughout, and his back three colleagues, Sammy Hellard and Dafydd Edwards were finding themselves in possession more as they started to stretch the home defence. This was evidenced by the fact that it was these two that got their names on the score sheet as firstly, Sammy plunged over after an interesting chip ahead by skipper Prosser, and some neat follow up footwork by the winger, and then some neat hands released full back Dafydd on a 30 metre dash to the corner, evading the covering defence to slide over.

 

Another notable feature of the visiting play, and this has been the case all season, was the impact that the players off the bench continue to have. It is good to see elusive and intelligent back three player, Tom Griffin, back in the set-up, and Ben Kenchington was solidly impressive in his contributions at centre. Up front, the excellent Llyw Stephens added some real steel and intent, whilst Fraser Thomas and Henry Morgan-Gervis were dynamic in their contributions, again as players in their first season of youth rugby.

 

This closing period of the game saw Brecon very much in the ascendancy and, as the home team tired under an attacking barrage on a heavy pitch, the visitors would have been hoping for a further score to add a bonus point. It was frustrating that they were unable to do this and this was purely down their own inconsistencies, as periods of brilliance were undone by concession of needless penalties or in the option-taking in certain scenarios. There was some hugely impressive attacking play from the visitors and they will realise that they will have had an opportunity to press home a real scoreboard advantage against a team acknowledged as the form team in the league. Open side flanker, Jonny Davies, was exempt from the challenges of inconsistency, as he produced a man of the match performance, one that would have set a certain benchmark for his team mates to aspire to.

 

The final whistle saw Brecon secure a 22-14 victory and the positive aspect in this is that it was a hard fought win against strong opponents on their home turf, and it has also consolidated Brecon's position at the top of the league. The upshot of this is that they will not need to rely on the help, nor results, of others if they wish to secure the league title, which is what they deserve based on the endeavors shown. Another positive angle to this is that they did not need to call upon the further strength in depth on the bench in the form of influential players such as Ryan Price, Lucas Kakowlewski, Lewis Watkins, and Kian Davies. Injured players such as Rhys Evans, Josh Pritchard, and Rowan Starkey will as be keen to get back in the vibrant set-up, whilst the absent Ollie Price, Steve Hughes, Tom Richards, Sam Maggs, Dan Stroud, Jac Powell and Finn Arnold all have positive contributions to make.

 

Whilst celebrating the win, the Brecon squad will realise that, if they are to compete strongly in the competitions they still have an opportunity to win, they will need to continue to work hard and develop certain areas of their play. There is no doubting the ability of this group of players, and the coaches remain delighted to be working with such a talented bunch. They will be seeking to work on areas such as their exit strategies in defence, their composure and decision making in defence and attack, and their kicking skills in gaining yardage at the appropriate times.

 

The season enters a fragmented phase as the impacts of the Six Nations hit home, and some of the team seek alternative forms of entertainment and pleasure on the piste. The team will be keen to not lose sight of their goals, nor their key agreed words of focus as they move through the season. The coaches are hoping, and expecting, to see significant numbers attending training sessions, to continue to work hard in the knowledge that this will be rewarded if the players commit to this.

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