Fixture

After the monsoon weather of the previous week Brecon players were pleased to have dry conditions at Blaenavon. Spectators, however, faced a bitingly cold wind which angled across the pitch towards the lowest corner. With the slope and the wind it was therefore clear that most of the play would take place in the bottom quarter of the field. Brecon started with the advantage of playing towards that corner and at the kick off must have been hoping to establish a lead which could be defended in the second half. Within 30 seconds of that kick off, however, Brecon found themselves 7 points down.

There was no problem with actual kick itself or the chase but when the Blanavon second row caught the ball on his 22 the anticipated hit never materialised. Instead, just as Moses parted the Red Sea, so the second row seemed to part the would-be tacklers facing him. Having left them in his wake he sped around the wing cover and then cut inside the last remnants of the defence to score near the posts, leaving the conversion as a formality. Brecon were 7 points down without having touched the ball or a member of the opposition.

This was hardly the start Brecon planned or would have visualised in their most vivid nightmare. Then, when the scrum creaked and they failed to consistently win ball on their own throw at the line out, the nightmare scenario seemed to be the most likely outcome.

That nightmare scenario, however, was shaken off as the team woke from their lethargy. They defended doggedly and in spite of a dearth of possession, they began to get to grips with the game. Outside half, Jake Newman, used the elements superbly with long, accurate kicks towards the bottom corner and the back row trio of Dafydd Thomas, Ewan Williams and Davey Herdman tackled, carried and made a fought hard at the breakdown. Centres Eifion Jones and Rob Price also showed up well in both attack and defence and in the wider areas Brecon began to look the more dangerous of the two sides. However, Brecon’s opportunities were limited as the big Blaenavon pack, prompted by an excellent scrum half, set about an aggressive attritional campaign designed to intimate their smaller visitors.

In that pack their try scoring second row and number 8 stood out. The second row almost completely monopolised the line out as Brecon failed to cope with his athleticism and the Number 8, supported by his pack, ran aggressively at the close defence. To Brecon’s credit and although they spent much of the time on the back foot, they were not prepared to be intimidated and effectively held their opponents at bay. Their attitude was epitomised by Ewan Williams who, from the back of a retreating scrum, managed to gain ground and find support. So effective was the rear-guard action that Brecon, first drew level, then took the lead and at half time should have gone into the break with a six point advantage.

The levelling score was beautifully created. Jake Newman chipped over a flat defence and Rob Price gathered and burst through a few would be tacklers. Within sight of the line he was brought down but had the presence of mind to pop the ball up out of the tackle into the path of wing, Blake Parata, who had tracked in field in support. Blake took the pass and crossed near the posts. Newman converted to put the scores level.

With Newman using his boot effectively to keep pegging Blaenavon back, Brecon looked to take the lead. A superb piece of combined play involving Rob Price and Dafydd Thomas should have led to a second try but instead Brecon had to be satisfied with a Newman penalty and a three point lead.

Just before half time that lead should have been extended when they were awarded very kickable penalty, only for them to agonisingly see the kick slip past the outside of the post.

The second half did not start as dramatically as did the first but Brecon found themselves defending deep down in their right hand corner after they had been driven off the ball at a scrum on half way. In spite of their spirited efforts, Blaenavon finally broke through. Their scrum half dived over following a series of forward drives and their lead was increased with a well struck conversion.

The score remained at 14 points to 10 for most of the remainder of the second half. Truly Brecon never looked like being able to overhaul the deficit, with the bulk of the play taking place in their half, but they defended doggedly and as time ticked by so the possibility of coming away with a bonus point became a distinct possibility. That possibility evaporated following two critical events. Jake Newman, who was having an excellent game, was carried off the field with a torn hamstring. Then Rob Price, one of the stand-out players in the back line was sent to the sin bin for a tip tackle. Under so much pressure and down to 14 men, Brecon’s re-organised defence finally collapsed. A desperate attempt to go for an interception with the defence stretched, created a big hole in what had been a watertight mid-field and the home centre broke through the yawning gap to score a try which was converted.

With minutes remaining Brecon heads finally dropped and after a barn storming run by the home full back Brecon let in another try when the Number 8 broke from an advancing scrum and scored the final converted try. Those closing scores were hard on a Brecon team which battled hard for so long against more powerful opponents.