Fixture

Brecon RFC | 1st Team 15 - 22 Blaenavon RFC | 1st Team
Jake Mitchell Newman
Penalty 5

Match Report
27 September 2015 / Team News

Brecon 15 - Blaenavon 22

Following two heavy defeats Brecon needed the best possible preparation prior to their important match at Parc de Pugh against Blaenavon. With Blaenavon also having recorded two defeats the game was critical for both sides in terms of building confidence and momentum. With that as the background Brecon suffered two critical blows in the week leading up to the game. With an already hefty injury list they suddenly lost captain Dafydd Thomas, broken thumb, and then last week’s Man of the Match, Gareth Davies, hairline fracture of the foot. The loses did nothing to instil confidence in the team and when the game started it was fairly evident that Brecon were feeling the pressure physically and mentally.

The first scrum immediately highlighted the difficulties that faced the home team. The Brecon eight were shunted back and penalised, signalling a hard afternoon for the men up front and limited ball for those behind. To the credit of the Brecon pack they never gave up and battled throughout but the pressure they were under took its toll as they surrendered ground and frequently penalties. A shining example of the battling spirit came from the youngest member of the pack, Andrew Hosie. Forced to play out of position in the second row he was involved in everything. He won ball at the line out, tackled like the back rower he is and generally impressed against the odds sufficiently to earn him Brecon’s Man of the Match award.

During the early phases of the game both sides made errors and both sides displayed their strengths. Blaenavon dominated the tight phases of scrum and driving mauls while Brecon tried to up the pace and did create gaps but always from a distance. Outside half, Jake Newman, did his best to put the team in opposition territory with some long, effective kicking but Brecon were unable to maintain pressure as first phase ball was often delivered on the back foot or they made errors as they lost composure in trying to create from first phase rather than building pressure. That lack of composure was also evident at the breakdown where Brecon were over anxious to win the ball and as a result gave away a string of penalties which allowed Blaenavon to use their powerful drives off the line out to gain territory and peg Brecon back.

When the first score came it was not a surprise. The Blaenavon scrum drove Brecon off the ball, won a penalty and outside half, Darren Pearce converted.

Brecon responded immediately when Blaenavon were penalised at the kick off. Jake Newman struck the ball beautifully from distance to level the scores. Then inspired by a turn over won by prop Mike Chapelle, Brecon pressed and Newman added his second penalty.

Again the kick off proved critical. Brecon failed to gather and the all too familiar pattern of surrendering points immediately after scoring re-surfaced allowing Pearce to level the scores with a penalty.

With the sides level the game entered a negative period in which both sides were guilty of making mistakes. The game became attritional and with that pattern persisting there could be only one winner. Blaenavon made their scrum superiority count by winning a penalty and Pearce kicked them into the lead.

Brecon did lift the tempo and a few well-constructed moves created the first opportunity for a try. Cameron Gardner’s run was halted inches short and with Blaenavon scrambling to re-organise, a score should have followed. A dropped ball put an end to the opportunity and Blaenavon worked their way up field with Brecon giving away a series of penalties and breaking the referee’s patience forcing him to show a yellow card. With numerical advantage Blaenavon kicked for the corner and an unstoppable forward drive saw them claim the first try on the stroke of half time.

Brecon cut the lead early in the second half as Eifion Jones broke in mid-field. Brecon failed to win the ball at the breakdown but won a penalty which Newman converted. Brecon now seemed to find some continuity but although Joey Morgan came close to scoring the stubborn Blaenavon defence held firm and all Brecon had to show for their efforts was another Newman penalty which was matched by Pearce.

This period, with Brecon in the ascendancy, came to an end as Brecon were penalised repeatedly and then out of the blue they conceded a second try. This time it was not as a result of forward power but came from a great counter-attacking run and some poor defence as wing L. Challenger broke from half way to score in the corner.

Brecon brought themselves back to within one score when Newman kicked his fifth successful goal but with Blaenavon sensibly closing the game down the final ten minutes drifted away leaving the spoils deservedly in the visitors’ hands.

When. during the week Brecon prepare to travel to Nantyglo, they will be desperately hoping for some good news on the injury front. The only things consoling them on Saturday evening was the news that the second XV defeated Gwernyfed by 27 points to 19 and also the famous Wales triumph at Twickenham where the National team demonstrated how to overcome massive injury problems. 

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