A POPULAR rugby player has been remembered with a memorial match at one of the host of clubs he played for.

Eifion Davies, who was nicknamed Engine, played for Brecon RFC from 1979 and remained involved with the club before succumbing to cancer in March 2016 aged 59.

On Saturday the club, where Eifion also served as vice chairman, hosted the charity match featuring current players as well as some of those Eifion had played with for Builth Wells, Ebbw Vale, his first club Llanwrtyd and Breconshire County.

His widow Julie, of Merthyr Cynog, said: "It was totally emotional and enjoyable. It was an incredible day and the game was played the way Eifion played rugby which was enjoyable but hard."

Julie and Eifion, who were childhood sweethearts, had been married 41 years and had two children, Chele, now 38, and Sean, 39 who played in Saturday’s game.

His parents Elwyn and Olwen Davies and other members of the family also enjoyed the day.

"Rugby was a huge part of Eifion’s life and he made tremendous friends and Saturday showed that in abundance. There was an incredible turnout."

A charity auction followed the match and funds raised for Macmillan Nurses, the Velindre cancer hospital in Cardiff, St David’s Hospice which operates across south Powys and the Welsh Rugby Trust for Injured Players are still being counted.