News

What a start to the season for Brecon RFC! Brecon’s Millennium scoreboard graphically displayed a result which bucked the trend of the previous three seasons where the opening game has been lost. The emphatic win against respected rivals Pentyrch lifted the spirits of all at Parc de Pugh and further joy was added when the news came through that the 2ndXV defeated Porth by 22 points to 17 and the youth team triumphed in Aberdare winning comfortably by 31 points to 5.

The important win over Penyrch was never going to be easy and so it proved although by the time of the final whistle the scoreboard suggested otherwise. Brecon controlled the game in the early stages, playing the game at pace and with great ambition. Their early ascendancy was rewarded with three penalty goals, all beautifully converted by outside half Gari Davies who proved his worth to the side with his outstanding boot contributing 21 of Brecon’s 36 points.

With a nine point lead and with the game flowing in their favour Brecon should have converted some of their opportunities into tries but they were denied by a resilient Pentyrch defence and their own errors. That inability to stretch their lead could have proved costly as the lively Pentyrch team began to work their way back into the game in the second quarter. Lively outside half M Hayward, outside centre N Gill and number 8 N Jones all made important contributions to the visitors’ effort as they began to exert pressure in the Brecon half. Their efforts were rewarded when Hayward converted a penalty and for a period they were only held at bay by some strong tackling particularly from Davey Herdman, and some outstanding work in the tackle area by his back row colleague Osian Davies.

As the half drew to a close so Brecon again looked to take control. With the scrum gaining ascendancy and with the likes of man of the match Rhys Jones carrying the ball beyond the gain line with powerful runs a try seemed imminent. When it did come, however, it was totally unexpected. Brecon, on the attack, worked the ball into midfield on the Pentyrch 22. From a breakdown the ball emerged quickly and Owen Morgan looped around the ruck to offer himself on the right. What was likely to have been a scoring pass to him suddenly fell into the arms of opposite wing J Simmonds who read the play brilliantly. With nobody between him and the posts he sprinted away and touched down to make Haywards conversion a formality.

With the last play of the half Brecon fell further behind when Hayward kicked his second penalty.

Brecon needed to start the second half well in order to regain control of the match. This they did. After a Rhys Jones charge was halted in the on the oppositions’ 22, Osian Davies broke straight through the middle of the ensuing ruck and sprinted in for a try under the posts. Davies converted and followed that up with his fourth penalty.

A further penalty followed when the pack led by the front row of Ryan Harris, Josh Williams and Rhys Jones drove their opponents off their own ball and Number 8 Tom Daley drove at the heart of the defence. The threat was snuffed out illegally at the breakdown and Davies again bisected the posts.

With the game running away from them Pentyrch responded by adding further width to their game. Left wing W Adam Jones almost made the corner only for some desperate defence to foil his effort at the last. Then when in a good attacking position Brecon broke out of their 22 when scrum half Dan Edwards harassed his opposite number to such extend that the ball broke loose and Edwards hacked upfield to within 5 metres of the Pentych line. Brecon’s drive off the line out was halted when it was illegally pulled down and from the penalty Brecon opted to use their dominant scrum. The Pentyrch 8 failed to hold the drive and when the scrum collapsed on the line the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try which Davies converted.

Although probably now out of the game, Pentyrch launched a series of attacks. They came close to scoring, once when they were held up over the line and once when they lost the ball on the line. Brecon, however, resisted and when they finally broke out they showed the clinical finishing which had been missing during the afternoon. Gwyn Pengelly instigated the move with a great break down the middle of the field. When faced with the final scrambling defence he kept a cool held and finally drew everyone before releasing a pass out wide to Owen Morgan who scampered in unopposed. Davies maintained his 100% record with the boot as he added the conversion which brought an end to the first successful opening league match since they beat St Peters on 4th September 2010.