Fixture

St Josephs RFC | 1st Team 8 - 29 Brecon RFC | 1st Team
Jake Mitchell Newman
2 Try
Gari Davies
1 Try
3 Conversion
1 Penalty

Match Report
28 December 2014 / Team News

St Joseph's 8 - Brecon 29

Brecon ended 2014 in great style. A return to league action saw the side continue to maintain its push for promotion with an emphatic bonus point win at St Joseph’s, Cardiff. While the score suggests that the win was comfortably achieved the reality was that this was a hard fought win against a big, physical team. St Joseph’s certainly didn’t turn up just to make up the numbers. From the outset they were confrontational and competed very hard at the breakdown where they used their physical presence to good effect. At times their physicality was excessive and there was a continual undercurrent of niggle in the game. Brecon, in response, refused to be intimidated and they ground out a victory that promoted the team back to the head of the league table.

It has to be noted that Brecon were aided by the dismissal of a home second row after some 20 minutes with the sides’ level on three points. Prior to that dismissal Brecon had looked the more inventive of the two sides and had created opportunities to score without closing them out apart from a penalty kicked by Gari Davies. That three point lead was deserved but was immediately squandered when Brecon, not for the first time this season, failed to secure the kick off and gave away a kickable penalty.

The sending off incident followed immediately after Brecon flanker, Davy Herdman, chased the kick off and hit the receiver with a trade mark crunching tackle. The flying elbow in response could not be ignored and the referee had no hesitation in showing a red card.

Down to 14 men so early in the game surely rocked the home side but it didn’t temper either their appetite for the game or their physical commitment. The immediate impact of the sending off certainly offered Brecon the opportunity to take the lead when Gari Davies kicked the penalty to the corner. The depleted St Joseph’s pack held the line out drive but could then not cover Gari Davies’ break which took him under the posts giving him a simple conversion.

The large crowd of travelling support must then have felt the game was there for the taking but St Joseph’s response quickly dispelled that notion. Again Brecon failed to deal effectively with the kick off and were put under pressure. A penalty to the corner forced Brecon to commit to the ensuing maul and when the ball was moved wide a yawning gap appeared in Brecon’s defence and the home flanker crossed for a try. 

Now just two points ahead Brecon knew they were in an attritional match despite their numerical advantage. Territorially they controlled the game but whenever they looked to be in a position to score the St Julian’s defence held firm and showed great resilience and character. Twice Brecon had a scrum on the 5 metre mark and twice the seven man St Julian pack somehow kept Brecon at bay, first when the scrum turned through 90 degrees and then when the stole the ball against the head. Brecon did eventually cross the line with a driving maul but again but the home side somehow managed to get bodies under the ball and they held out until half time.

The feeling at that stage was that Brecon would win the match but any thoughts of a bonus point was now of secondary importance. Brecon certainly knew they were in a hard physical contest and they had to make the most of the elements which now favoured them. To this end outside half Gari Davies, aided by full back Celfyn Davies and left footed centre Jake Newman made good use of the wind to ensure that the game was played in opposition territory. No matter how committed their opposition were the continual onslaught they faced while being a man down was sure to tell at some point; providing Brecon maintained their focus and composure. Much to their credit they stuck to their plan and when a great Jake Crockett kick and chase earned them a scrum on 5 metres they finally capitalised. With the scrum heading for the line the St Joseph’s pack opted to bring it down and the referee immediately ran under the posts to signal a penalty try. When Gari Davies added the conversion the game was secured but with twenty minutes to go the bonus point was still some way off.

It looked even more remote when St Joseph’s, mainly through their number 8, countered and stretched Brecon. However, the scrambled defence was effective and winger, Joey Morgan, countered with a weaving run and Brecon earned a penalty on half way. Davies duly put the ball into touch deep in the home 22 and from the line out Brecon started to drive. St Joseph’s to their credit resisted but they had been forced to commit too many players to the maul and when the ball emerged Dan Edwards moved the ball blind to an unmarked Jake Newman who crossed in the corner.

Now with ten minutes remaining Brecon needed to push for the bonus point. Clearly the efforts of the afternoon were now having an effect on the home side which by now was hanging on but still showed a determination not to cave in. Another penalty to the corner set up the position. St Joseph’s effectively dragged the forming maul down before Brecon could gain any momentum but when the slow ball emerged Gari Davies slotted a deft kick through the advancing line of defenders. As the ball bobbled on the try line the home full back failed to secure it and Jake Newman was left with the simple task of touching down over the try line. Gari Davies converted and there was an appreciable sense of satisfaction. The win and bonus point was achieved in the face of determined opposition and brought the curtain down on a year which has seen a total of 27 matches played, with 24 wins, 1 draw and 4 loses. There will be hope that 2015 will start where 2014 left off when Brecon play 3rd placed Pontyclun at Parc de Pugh on Saturday 3rd January.

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