WHEN Andy was asked if he was prepared to allow Brecon RFC to nominate him for the Award of Welsh Rugby Hero he responded with, "If it will possibly help the club win £5,000 of Under Armour kit and equipment for the club then I am prepared to have my name put forward.

However, I believe that there are other people in the Club who are equally deserving of the Award."

The response from the Club was an unquestioning and whole hearted endorsement of Andy’s nomination.

Everyone involved in Brecon RFC knows of Andy’s commitment, efficiency and all round work ethic. His work has touched almost every area of the club, serving as a committee member, collecting money at the gate on match days, co-leading the Club website and Newsletter projects, acting as one of the main organisers of the annual Mini Tournament, editing and publishing 1st XV match day programmes, directly assisting with the present Under 15 team as it progressed through the age groups, raising sponsorship for the club by liaising with Club, Kit, Match Day and Programme Sponsors and being one of the leading members of the Club’s Development or Vision committee.

Even with that long list there are sure to be elements that are missing from his full portfolio. Above all Andy is Brecon RFC’s “go to” man when something needs to be done.

With that as the background there was never any doubt that the whole of Brecon RFC would get behind Andy’s nomination. When it was announced that he was one of the 15 shortlisted candidates for the Award out of a huge entry from across the whole of Wales the whole Club was delighted.

Very quickly, however, there was also the realisation that if Andy was to be recognised then not just the Club but the whole community would have to be involved. With fourteen other deserving candidates, all vying for votes from their more populous communities, Brecon’s campaign needed to be co-ordinated.

Everyone chipped in and website, Facebook and Twitter accounts suddenly became alive with messages. In addition the community of Brecon’s twin town of Gouesnou, Brittany, also threw the weight of its support behind the project.

Many of that community have had contact with Andy through their annual rugby visits and with a contingent having just returned to Gouesnou, after spending a number of very happy hours in Brecon Rugby Club over the weekend of the Wales v France 6 Nations match, it was never going to be difficult to enlist their support. In the same way many town clubs got behind the campaign believing that if anyone deserved this Award then it was Andy.

When the announcement came on Thursday March 17 the news of Andy’s success was greeted emotionally and with a genuine sense that nobody could have been more deserving of the Award.

Andy, on hearing the news appropriately summed up with the following comment: "This competition has been such a great idea for grass roots rugby and the difference the prize will make to Brecon RFC is huge.

"I am so excited for our players and would like to say a huge thank you to Peter’s for launching this campaign as well as to the WRU and Under Armour. To be crowned Peter’s Welsh Rugby Hero 2016 is a dream and I offer special thanks to all who voted for me."