With Brecon 1st XV having a weekend off, the Athletic took centre stage.

BRECON ATHLETIC 62 – CAERAU ELY 0

On a rare dry day, the Parc de Pugh pitch was in remarkably good condition, aiding the team as they sought to continue their push for promotion. The task for visitors Caerau Ely, on their first trip to Brecon, was a difficult one. The long journey north across Bannau Brycheiniog could not have been particularly appealing, especially after they had suffered a 42-10 home defeat to Brecon earlier in the season. However, they stuck to their task despite conceding 62 points, and in the final 10 minutes of the match, they put the high-flying Brecon team under severe pressure. During that period, with the game and bonus point comfortably secured, Brecon’s defence stood firm, denying the gallant visitors a consolation score they surely deserved.

For Brecon, the game started well, with full-back Jake Crockett cutting through the Caerau defence to score his first try within five minutes. It was the start of a remarkable afternoon for Crockett. From the kick-off, Caerau regained possession, only for Crockett to intercept and run in from halfway, adding a conversion himself. He soon completed his hat-trick after a great Iestyn Phillips tackle won possession for the home team. Centre Owen Morgan carved through the defence off a lovely switch with outside-half Gareth Price, creating the space for Crockett to finish the move with a try, which he also converted.

Try number four came from a neat move in which blindside wing Iestyn Havard looped infield to receive a pass from lively scrum-half Josh Evans. Havard made the half-break before feeding centre Tudor Roderick, who ran in to score a try converted by Crockett. Roderick, constantly a threat with his elusive pace and balance, then scored his second try. The move was kick-started by wing Iestyn Havard, with Roderick finishing with a side-stepping run through the visitors’ defence. Co-wing Havard then set up the next try with a great break before offloading to hard-working flanker Henry Morgan Gervis, who allowed Crockett a simple conversion under the posts. That score brought the first half to a close, with Brecon leading 38-0.

The second half started in the same dominant fashion. A strong Gervis tackle earned possession, and Crockett chipped through the defence to score his fourth try. Almost immediately from the kick-off, he claimed his fifth, with Tudor Roderick and replacement wing Ben Griffin creating space for Crockett to finish and convert. Crockett’s sixth try came after a period of Caerau pressure, during which they were denied a score as they were held up over the goal line. From the goal-line drop-out, Brecon reclaimed possession and Crockett ran in for his sixth try, adding his sixth conversion to finish with an extraordinary individual points total of 42.

Brecon created one final try after Tudor Roderick linked with Ben Griffin, who scored in the corner, taking the score to 62-0. In the final 10 minutes, Caerau showed remarkable resilience, keeping possession through a series of close phases and crossing Brecon’s line - only to be held up for a second time. Their defiance in the face of a heavy defeat earned the respect of the large home crowd, and when the final whistle blew, the Brecon team also showed their respect for the visitors.

During the win, Brecon’s backs took the glory with nine of the 10 tries, but it was the forwards who laid the foundation. Second row and captain Will Prosser carried hard, gaining valuable yards throughout the match and working well with his second-row partner Eifion Phillips. The front row of Iestyn Phillips, Rhys Evans, and Dewi Worwood were solid in the scrums against a big opposition pack and lively in the loose. The back row of Henry Morgan Gervis, Davey Herdman, and Josh Millichap supported their backs superbly, making good ground with the ball. Cameos off the bench from the evergreen Darren Witcomb and returning Osian Davies showed that the team has realistic ambitions to challenge for a unique double as Division 5 League and Cup winners.