Fixture

Brecon Under 16s have fun in the Sun

The new rugby season got under way recently for the successful Brecon RFC Mini and Junior sections with a Sponsors Day, organised to take team photographs of all age groups in the new kit that has has been provided as a result of a lot of effort, for all teams from the Senior 1^st XV through to the Under 7s.

It was to the Under 16s that the honour fell of taking to the paddock in the new strip, as they journeyed South over the Beacons to The Wern, the home of the Ironmen of Merthyr. The reason for their trek was to take part in the annual Reuben Morgan 7s Tournament, a successful and enjoyable event that has been established for a number of years in memory of a junior member of the Merthyr club, who died sadly and tragically young.

A beautiful day welcomed the 10 teams who had journeyed from the region to take part in this increasingly prestigious tournament, with Brecon falling into a group with Aberdare, Rhymney, Dowlais, Merthyr B, and Rhydyfelin. In the first game the team played was against what proved to be a very strong and athletic Aberdare team, with the opponents featuring a number of players who are merging in to the Blues set-up. The Brecon coaches, Tapper Price and Paul Amphlett, emphasised the need for a strong start, although their words did not seem to get through as Aberdare scored three early tries to put Brecon on the back foot. An improved second half performance saw Brecon come back with a couple of scores of their own and, although Aberdare ran out victors, the Brecon team had laid the platform for an improved showing as they moved through the rest of the group stages.

The early set back fired a hugely improved series of displays from Brecon, and they comfortably moved through the rest of the group stages, winning all remaining games. The fine day was conducive to encouraging players to use the space that the game of 7s affords, and it was notable that Brecon used their whole squad to ensure a developing strength in depth that they hope will serve them well for the upcoming season, their last as members of the Club’s Junior Section.

Having won their remaining games, Brecon ensured that they came second in their group, and therefore moved through to the knockout stages where they would face the winners of the other group. This group had featured another strong local team in Gwernyfed, and it was clear that this was a keenly contested grouping of teams, as all were managing to take points off the others. It meant that Gwernyfed were required to win their final game against hosts Merthyr, although it proved a difficult game for the Roosters, as the home crowd spurred the hosts onto a close win.

This meant that the semi final line-up was to be Merthyr v Brecon, and Aberdare v Llandaff.

Brecon took to the field against their hosts, knowing that a tight team performance was required against opponents whom they have come to know well as they have progressed through the age groups over the years. Brecon were able to rise to the challenge however and, whilst Merthyr were powerful and physical, Brecon showed an awareness of space that, allied to some clinical finishing, saw them progress through to the final having won 24-12.

Having watched Aberdare comfortably overpower Llandaff in the earlier semi, Brecon were conscious of the need to start strongly in the final against the only team to down their colours on the day so far. The improved spirit showed by the team as the tournament progressed was evident as they pressured the more powerful Aberdare team from the start, and played a high tempo rugby, allied to committed defence, that saw them go into the half time ahead by a couple of scores. The half time team talks saw the Brecon coaching team exhorting their squad to raise themselves for a final effort, whilst the Aberdare coaching team sought to fire some direction into their group of players. Ultimately, it was the latter who gained the upper hand, as a tiring Brecon defence became increasingly vulnerable against the power of their opponents, and this proved to be significant as Aberdare controlled the second half to add scores of their own as they secured the win.

Whilst the Brecon squad trooped off dejected, and fatigued after their exertions in the sun, Head Coach, Paul Amphlett, expressed his pride in the performances and commitment shown that day, and that this sense of pride was mirrored by the group of supporters who had followed them through their games. Additionally, he was able to point out that there was no shame in losing to what was a very strong team, and that their combined efforts had meant that one of their squad Dafydd Edwards, had been rewarded with the Player of the Tournament trophy, itself in memory of another Merthyr club member who had passed away, Kane Stevens. Dafydd’s attacking and defensive work had been indicative of the team as a whole, and this provided some recognition of those squad efforts.