Fixture

Brecon RFC | 1st Team 37 - 3 Pontyclun RFC | 1st Team
Jake Crockett
Try 3
Gari Davies
Conversion 2
Drop Goal 1
Davey Herdman
Try 1
Dafydd Thomas
Try 1
Aaeron Evans
Try 1

Match Report
04 January 2015 / Team News

Brecon 37 - Pontyclun 3

After 2014 proved to be one of the most successful years in Brecon’s playing history, with a record of played 27, Won 24, Drawn 1 and Lost 4, the 1st XV needed to open the New Year in similar fashion in order maintain their credentials as promotion candidates. The previous year had ended with an outstanding bonus point win at St Joseph’s and it was important that SWALEC League 2 East Central leaders, Brecon, continued in 2015 as they had left off in 2014. Everyone anticipated a close hard fought match as Brecon facing 3rd placed Pontyclun at Parc de Pugh on a wet January afternoon. What spectators actually witnessed was another emphatic bonus point victory for the home side which, at almost the mid-point of the season, consolidated their position at the top of the table. The victory was a testament to the way that the team has matured over the past year. The pack was dominant with each member of the unit playing an important role as part of the collective effort. Their hard graft allowed the back row to win the plaudits as the outstanding trio of; Dafydd Thomas, Craig Davies and Davey Herdman, each claimed a try.  The backs also were fluent and effective in spite of the wet, difficult conditions which suggested that running rugby would be at a premium. Making light of the unfavourable conditions the backs created three great tries of their own with wing Jake Crockett claiming the hat trick with some brilliant finishing.

Pontyclun kicked-off but immediately found themselves penned back in their own half as Brecon monopolised possession and territory. A diagonal cross-field kick by Gari Davies forced the Pontyclun winger to carry the ball over his own line and concede a 5m scrum. With possession safely at No 8 Craig Davies’ feet the Brecon eight drove forcefully for a well-taken try which Gari Davies converted.

Brecon resumed their attack from the kick-off. An efficient line-out on half way led to a flowing Brecon move which provided Jake Crocket with space to put in a beautifully weighted chip over the cover defence and re-gather to score in the corner.

Brecon then conceded a soft penalty in front of their own posts which the Pontyclun fly-half converted.

A series of scrums and lineouts followed the kick-off from which Brecon secured possession and, with the forwards clearing rucks powerfully, quick ball was moved to fly-half Gari Davies. Davies picked-up the low pass from his toes and struck a neat drop-goal to extend Brecon’s lead to 15 - 3.

Pontyclun were then able build on a series of phases deep into Brecon’s 22m but the Brecon defence stayed firm forcing a turn-over. The releaving Brecon kick failed to find touch and, with Pontyclun counter-attacking, a Danny Howe high tackle earned the Brecon player a yellow card and Pontyclun a penalty kick at goal which was missed. 

Despite being a man down, Brecon’s scrum remained combative and the defensive pattern continued to be effective. With the likes of Dan Edwards and Davey Herdman in particular working hard Brecon conceding no points while reduced to 14 men.

With Brecon back up to 15 men they renewed their attack and, from a defensive Pontyclun line-out, the clearing kick was charged down and collected by Davy Herdman for a try which Gari Davies converted from wide-out. Brecon went in at half time with a comfortable 22-3 lead.

In the second-half, and with the Brecon scrum proving increasingly dominant through the work of Ryan Harris, Josh Davies and Andy Nicholl (replaced by Jake Herring), the Brecon backs were provided with quality front-foot possession. However, points did not come with much of the 3rd quarter played between the 10m lines. Brecon did force a series of penalties which, with a focus on securing a bonus point try, they elected to kick to the corner. However on three occasions kicks proved inaccurate and touch-in-goal enabled Pontyclun to releave the pressure.

A fourth penalty was secured and Dan Edwards found a perfect touch on Pontyclun’s 5m line. An efficient catch and drive by the Brecon eight resulted in Dafydd Thomas touching down to make the score 27-3 and securing Brecon a valuable bonus.

Brecon showed great ambition in the final quarter twice moving the ball from deep and twice scoring. On the first occasions a solo effort by Jake Crocket saw him run from his own 10 metre line, on the left, to score in the right hand corner, leaving would be tacklers in his wake as he weaved some 60 metres down and 40 metres across the pitch. On the second occasion a sublime line break by the increasingly influential Celfyn Davies released Jake Crocket from the half way line to score his second in the space of 3 min and in the process complete a well-earned hat trick and seal a comfortable win for Brecon 37 – 3.

Two successive away games at Penarth and Pentyrch now face the buoyant Brecon as they continue their push for promotion.

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