As the Christmas Festive season approaches, Brecon’s Senior and Youth teams certainly brought Good Cheer to the faithful at Brecon Rugby Club with a Hat Trick of Home wins. The Youth were first to bring their Tidings of Good Joy when they posted a 33 points to 14 victory over Mumbles. That victory secures a Quarter Final place in the WRU Shield. Next up was the Athletic team. They overcame a formidable Penallta team by 24 points to 13 in a hard fought Division 5 Cup battle. That victory also secured a Quarter Final place for the impressive Athletic team. Finally the 1st XV clinically saw off the Challenge of Bonymaen by 46 points to 14, in a Premiership match, with the result elevating Brecon to fourth place behind Pontypridd, Neath and Merthyr.
The 1st XV win was certainly welcome both in terms of the result, which delivered five league points including a try bonus point, and the manner of performance. This was a huge step up from their previous fixture when they suffered a disappointing loss at home to Narberth. It wasn’t a perfect performance. Two areas of concern will undoubtedly be scrutinised by Dale McIntosh and his coaching team. During the first half the scrum came under severe pressure and at one point yielded penalties at three consecutive scrums. The other issue came when the team lost focus after establishing a 34 points to nil lead in the forty fifth minute. They allowed Bonymaen to hit back with two converted tries before a re-set allowed Brecon to re-establish their dominance and score two further tries before the final whistle.
While those were the negatives there were far more positives to come out of the match. Claiming seven tries, which came from a mixture of long range, multi-phase moves and close range, patient build ups, was certainly pleasing. The work rate of the whole team was also impressive with forwards and backs sharing the work at the breakdown and combining well in the open to deliver two short range forward tries and five tries shared between Brecon’s two centres and two wings. The Brecon line out also functioned really well with Callum Bradbury, Tom Offa and Alwyn Lee winning clean ball on their own throw and stealing possession off a number of opposition throws. While the scrum suffered for a period in the first half, it was pleasing that Brecon could re-adjust, making use of a strong bench, in order to address the problem and to end the match with the dominant scrum. Brecon were also accurate and clinical when receiving a kick off. Jack Dixon set the tone with a great catch and break off the first kick off. Others followed suit, as Brecon faced a totally of eight with all bar one ending with Brecon taking the game into the Bonymaen half.
There were other pleasing, individual successes. Tom Richards, returning after injury, put in an excellent performance both in attack and defence. In attack he created for others and scored a try, while one defensive play was exceptional. He gathered a low bouncing ball near his try line, beat the first chaser and then outpaced the next on the outside. Finally, he delivered clean ball at the breakdown for Brecon to clear. James Roberts, at number 8, had his best game in senior Brecon colours to date. He tackled hard, carried powerfully and used his strength to muscle over for a close range try. There were a number of other standout performances with most featuring in the tries scored.
The first of those came from centre Jack Dixon. With seven minutes on the clock Brecon had a line out on the Bonymaen 22. Callum Bradbury won clean ball and in mid-field Tom Richards drew the defence with a straight run. Bradbury received the ball off the breakdown and Jack Dixon ran powerfully on to his flat pass to break through the defence and score. James Dixon added the conversion and then a penalty goal.
The second came after some great interplay between wings Sam Jones and Chad Davies, Tom Richards and Callum Bradbury. Brecon earned a penalty and kicked for the corner. Following two further penalties, Alwyn Lee set up a maul off the line out and James Roberts barged over for the try which Dixon converted. Almost immediately Brecon scored their third. James Dixon cleared the ball down field from the kick-off. Alwyn Lee stole the line out and the ball was moved wide off a long Lewis Jones pass. The handling across the line was swift and accurate and full back Jake Newman delivered the scoring pass to Sam Jones. The last two named players featured again in the fourth, bonus point, try. Off a line out on the Bonymaen ten metre line, the ball was moved left. Sam Jones, off the right wing, entered the line and opened up space. He linked with Newman who committed the last defenders before offloading to Chad Davies for him to score.
Try number five came immediately after the kick off to start the second half. Alwyn Lee chased, jumped and gathered the kick off brilliantly. Ever present, Ioan Edwards carried the move on to within 5 metres and the after a series of drives Andy Nicholl was unstoppable as he drove over for a try which Dixon converted.
Brecon then allowed their intensity to dip and to Bonymaen’s credit they took their opportunity with two close range tries. The first off an impressive rolling maul and the second after a series of pick and drives. Brecon needed to restore their accuracy and concentration but at first that didn’t look as if it would happen. They gave away a penalty while on the attack and then a further ten metres for back chat. Bonymaen kicked into the Brecon 22 and looked dangerous, only for prop Cameron Cox to put in two great tackles and to dislodge the ball. Brecon ran out of defence and then put in a chip and chase. Ioan Edwards won the ball brilliantly on the ground and then, along with Tom Offa and Kristian Dacey, showed great hands to put Sam Jones away for his second try.
The final score came after a good Tomos Davies run and a quick Geraint Workman tap penalty. Brecon failed to capitalise immediately but when a great double hit from Matthew Williams and James Roberts dislodged the ball, Logan McIntosh claimed the loose ball, broke, and fed Tom Richards for the final try which Dixon converted to end a more than satisfying afternoon from a Brecon perspective.