Fixture

With Brecon 1^st XV seeing their fourth consecutive postponement the focus of attention fell on its young and successful, second XV. The team led by player coach Alan Taylor and Team Manager Lyn Parry have impressed throughout the season to date with ten wins from the fourteen matches played. They maintained that good form in their latest match at Parc de Pugh where they faced Cefn Coed. They scored six excellent tries while denying the battling Cefn Coed team a single score. That result was pleasing in itself but what impressed the relatively large crowd of supporters even more was the team’s desire to play an attacking, open and entertaining brand of rugby. Their opponents, Cefn Coed contributed to the entertainment by competing to the final whistle and making Brecon work hard for their scores and to defend stoutly in order to keep their opponents out for the full eighty minutes.

From the kick off Brecon posted their intent to throw caution to the wind and to attack. They immediately put their opponents under severe pressure with their pace and fluidity of movement. Within minutes the whole of the back line were directly involved in the game. Prompted by excellent half backs Sam Hellard and Gareth Price, the ball was moved consistently into midfield where centres James Hellard and Rhys Peters impressed. Displaying quite different skill sets and contrasting styles both players complemented one another. James at inside centre was the ideal link. His hard straight running held the opposition while his excellent distribution skills allowed others to flourish outside him. Rhys Peters by contrast looked silky smooth in the outside channel and was a constant threat. Outside him, the wing pairing of Matthew Watkins and Joe McDean saw plenty of action and always looked dangerous. Behind them was tall, rangy full back Kyran Dillon. He displayed superb counterattacking skills. Long striding and deceptively quick, he also showed an eye for the gap and the ability to step off both feet.

It was the back line that delivered Brecon’s first scores. The first came after a good Matthew Watkins run and a beautiful wide pass from Gareth Price which gave Rhys Peters a chance on the outside. He took it beautifully with a hand off as he drifted wide and then showed the pace to finish. Sam Hellard was the next to score following a great passage of play where Cefn were stretched wide on both flanks. Eventually Cefn were penalised and Sam Hellard showed great awareness as he took a quick tap and ran through to score. The third try quickly followed. From deep Kyran Dillon made a break and then kicked ahead. The chase was excellent and James Hellard gathered the ball, took the tackle, and fed Matthew Watkins, giving him a clear run to the line.

Fifteen points down and with just 20 minutes played was hardly an enviable position for the Cefn players as they gathered under the posts while the third conversion attempt sailed wide. To their credit they showed great spirit and a willingness to battle back. Their scrum was a potent weapon and they worked hard at the breakdown to slow Brecon’s possession and they succeeded in holding Brecon out for the remainder of the half.

As the second half started so the focus of the game became more forward orientated. The Brecon scrum which had creaked at times in the first half gradually began to turn the tide. The front row of Ben Kenchington, Luke Millichap and Jamie Evans started to, not just hold their own, but put their opponents under pressure. With second rows Owain Williams and Will Posser carrying well and winning good line out ball it was only a matter of time before Brecon added to their score. This time it was the lively back row that not only claimed the score but contributed during the build-up. The trio would not be one of the biggest back rows in local rugby but their appetite for work was second to none. Number 8 Josh Millichap made one of his characteristic, impressive runs to start the scoring play. Iwan Davies, who was everywhere, won the ruck and set Sam Hellard off on a great blindside run. First in support was Brecon’s other impressive flanker Matthew Williams. He took the ball through the final despairing tackles to post Brecon’s first points of the second half.

Brecon immediately added their fifth try and it was perhaps one of the best. Kyran Dillon started the move in his own half. Forwards and backs linked with replacement prop Dewi Worwood showing wonderful hands as he fed replacement outside half Gari Davies. Davie finished brilliantly as he jinked past a number of would-be tacklers to score a try under the posts and add the conversion.

Brecon’s final try was another long-range affair. Rhys Peters this time made a great run to start the move and then great handling involving forwards and backs gave replacement wing Dafydd Edwards some space on half way. He beat the defence on the outside and tore off towards the try line. The cover just managed to reach him with an ankle tap deep in the 22 but he bounced back up onto his feet and finished clinically.

In the remaining minutes Cefn mounted a comeback and threatened to score but the Brecon defence met the challenge and Brecon left the field in buoyant mood.