Fixture

Brecon continued the impressive start to their Championship West campaign with an emphatic ten try, 62 points to 8, bonus point victory over visitors Ystalyfera. This third consecutive, bonus point victory propelled Brecon to the top of the League as they leapfrogged league favourites, Narberth who, for the first time this season, failed to win a bonus point in their hard-fought victory at Bonymaen. However, before anyone gets carried away, these are early days with just three of the scheduled twenty-two league matches played. Furthermore, while Dale McIntosh and the coaching team of Gavin Dacey and Owen Sheppeard, will have been pleased with the ten try victory, they will have identified certain areas and times where Brecon’s performance dipped below the high standards which they have set, and are aiming to consistently produce.

The game started well from a Brecon perspective. The team was sharp and clinical and their scrum was a potent weapon, with the front row of Iwan Dowling Jones, Aneurin James and Andy Nicholl together with replacements, Dewi Edwards and Owain James dominating their opponents and making big contributions around the field. By the twenty eighth minute they had already claimed a bonus point, and led the visitors to Parc de Pugh by 24 points to nil. Right wing Sam Jones opened Brecon’s account with a simple run in after outside half Jake Newman, and impressive centre Ollie Lewis, linked beautifully to create space out wide. The second try came after Ystalyfera created a period of pressure in the Brecon twenty-two. Brecon’s defence held up well and a great Geraint Workman clearing kick took play to halfway where the irrepressible Osian Davies claimed a loose ball. The ball was spread wide and Sam Jones executed a lovely step to cut through the defence for his second try which Newman converted. Try number three followed almost immediately. From a scrum on halfway full back Jake Crockett took a pass from impressive Number 8 Logan McIntosh. Crockett cut through the defence and then fed supporting flanker Iwan Havard who showed pace to finish under the posts making Newman’s conversion a formality. Crockett turned from creator to scorer for the fourth try. Logan McIntosh drove off the back of a scrum in midfield. He fed Crockett on ten metres and he cut through and accelerated away to score a brilliant individual try.

With the bonus point in the bag Brecon suddenly lost their way. They started conceding penalties at the breakdown or by being too eager on the gain line. Their fluency was lost and they allowed Ystalyfera to get back into the game and they deservedly reduced the deficit. After Brecon were penalised for holding on deep in the Ystalyfera half they took a quick tap and then kicked downfield. Their chase was excellent and they immediately caught and stripped the ball off the receiver and scored a converted try. They added to that score with a penalty following a mistake in the Brecon defence.

When the half time whistle blew Brecon’s lead had been reduced to fourteen points. Things didn’t improve for some time in the second half as penalty after penalty prevented Brecon from building any kind of continuity. For spectators and coaches this was a disappointing period where play became very loose and untidy. Fortunately, Brecon slowly regained their rhythm. Once that was established, some continuity returned. Hooker Aneurin James created the first opportunity of the half with a powerful run on the left wing before linking with centre Tomos Davies who broke clear on the visitors ten metre line to score and excellent try. After this score Brecon restored some control but, for a time they struggled to find their accuracy until a couple of good Ollie Lewis runs created an opportunity which Geraint Walsh exploited before passing the ball to Sam Jones. The ball was knocked down in flight but Jones picked up the loose ball and darted over. Dion McIntosh converted from wide out.

From that point on Brecon suddenly found their clinical edge and Ystalyfera fell away. Brecon scored the next try from a line out on half way. In midfield the ball was pulled back to Sam Jones entered the line off his wing. He linked with Geraint Walsh who passed inside as he was tackled near the line and Logan McIntosh showed great hands to gather the ball and score. Dion added the conversion. The next try followed quickly. It was simple but executed brilliantly. Alwyn Lee, as always, was instrumental in winning the ball and Osian Davies took on the Ystalyfera defence deep in his own half. He gained good ground before Logan Mcintosh took the play further forward in midfield. He fed supporting second row Geraint Powell who executed a perfectly timed take and give pass to put Sam Jones away for his fourth try. Again, McIntosh converted from wide out. The final two scores were claimed by Ollie Lewis after the Brecon scrum drove their opponents off the ball and Geraint Powell who celebrated his return to Brecon ranks as he dotted down after huge Brecon pressure.

Brecon now have a week’s grace before they travel to Trebanos for their next league match. With the coaching team setting high standards there will undoubtedly be a focus on maintaining, focus, intensity and accuracy throughout the full eighty minutes. The win on Saturday was comfortable against gallant, but limited opposition. Against stronger opponents they cannot allow their performance to dip in the way it did in the middle quarter of the game, surely a lesson that Dale McIntosh and his team will hammer home as they prepare to build on their great start to the season. A start that has been reflected with similar success for the Athletic team which travelled to Penallta to claim a 31 point to 7 victory.