WRU National League Division 3 South East

Saturday 22nd March 2008

Brecon 12 – Llantwit Fadre 39

After three straight wins Brecon were fairly confident that they could use home advantage to register another victory which would virtually ensure survival in Division 3. That confidence, however, was undermined by a skilful Llantwit team that displayed great finishing power. With both sides committed to an open style of rugby on a day which provided anything but seasonable weather, there was always the likelihood that tries would result from errors. It proved to be the case particularly as far as the visitors were concerned. They pounced on the slightest mistake and capitalised on it even when they were in their own half. Their clinical finishing inflicted the season’s heaviest defeat on what has recently been an improving Brecon side.

It would be harsh to say that Brecon sank to their lowest level of performance in this match. There were a number of notable individual performances and at one stage in the second half it looked as if Brecon could mount a remarkable comeback after falling twenty points behind during the first. The critical action took place about ten minutes into the second half. Brecon scored a good early try when Ewan Williams, who had another excellent game at No 8, drove over from a quickly taken tap penalty near the Llantwit line. With Rob Jones converting Brecon started to take control of the game.

A second try looked to be on the cards after Ceri Price stole a line out and Ewan Williams gave Eurin Morgan the ball in space. Eurin made good ground, shrugged off his opposite number’s attempted tackle and cut inside. With just the full back to beat and Geraint Price outside on the wing, all that was required was one good pass. Unfortunately the ball was slightly behind and the chance was lost for the time being. Almost immediately Brecon were back on the attack and again looked threatening. A score now and they were definitely back in the game. Sadly the score went the other way as centre C. Thomas intercepted a pass just outside his 22 and raced the remainder of the field to score.

Brecon still came back and from another quickly taken tapped penalty prop Gareth Owens drove over. Gareth, together with his prop partner, Andrew Davies had outstanding games in the tight and loose and they hardly deserved to be on the losing side.

Still well behind on points Brecon continued to chase the game. Rob Jones, not for the first time, made a lovely break at outside half and linked with Owen Morgan, another youngster who impressed, and he almost put Geraint Price away once again.

After so much good work Brecon again fell to some smart work orchestrated by an outstanding outside half M. Thomas. He initiated the move once again from deep in his half. With some great support and lovely handling in the build up eventually right wing G. Walsh was put away for a converted try.

This was the final nail in Brecon’s coffin and to add insult to injury G. Walsh scored his second carbon copy try which was again converted to make the score line pretty grim for the home team and its support.

It was hard to credit that on a day when a number of individuals performed well the team leaked tries so readily. It all began in the first half which Llantwit started at pace. It took some magnificent defence especially involving Huw Baldwin to hold the initial attacks at bay. Then after so much commendable work in defence, Brecon gave away a try when the ball was tapped back from their own line out and a Llantwit flanker pounced on the loose ball for the opening try.

Almost immediately they scored a second when a driving maul from a line out ten metres from the line proved to be unstoppable. Brecon responded but threw away chances when they lost at least three opportunities to reap rewards for their hard work by losing line outs on their own throw, deep in the opposition 22.

When Llantwit scored their third try of the first half form deep in their own territory it looked all over until Ewan’s score offered a glimmer of hope before that faded away with the flurry of long range tries that blasted holes in Brecon’s leaky defence.