As the year 2018 unfolded Brecon RFC’s Youth and two senior teams were set a massive challenge.

2017 had brought unprecedented success and there was a question as to whether the teams could maintain or even build on that historic level of success. The youth team in particular were following on from a unique treble success after being crowned League Champions, Heart of Wales Cup Winners and Breconshire Cup Winners.

Not only did they have the success of the previous season to live up to but they also had to integrate a group of new, young players into the squad to fill the holes left by a number of players who moved on to senior rugby. As the 2017/18 season moved towards its climax during May the team was again well placed in three competitions.

They held second place in the league just behind the leaders Treorchy and they reached the finals of both the Blues North Youth Plate and the Breconshire Youth Cup.

The finals brought mixed fortunes with an outstanding victory over Beddau in the Blues Plate and a defeat to nearest rivals, Gwernyfed, in the Breconshire Cup. In the league they just failed to overhaul a very strong Treorchy team whom they trailed by just one league point. When the season opened in September the Management team was tweaked with Tom Jones, Team Manager, Huw Phillips, Coach, and Andy Lewis, Coach being joined by Jason Jenkins who stepped up into Youth Rugby from the Under 16’s with a number of his players.

They started the season in positive style and that momentum has been sustained through to the end of the year. With just one league defeat in five matches they lie second behind Ystrad Rhondda in the league and will be promoted to a higher tier for the remainder of the season. In the Welsh Youth Cup they have made history by reaching the quarter finals for the first time where they will play Pontypridd away on Saturday 16th February.

Their Cup form to date has been outstanding with victories over Gwernyfed, Abercynon and Newbridge and so while Pontypridd on their home patch will be a massive challenge the team are eager to test themselves against the best.

The 1st XV started the year in fine fettle. Their only defeat from twelve league matches was away to unbeaten league leaders, Brynmawr. With two more wins in early January the possibility of promotion was certainly in the minds of many supporters as they faced arch rivals, Brynmawr at Parc De Pugh on 20th January.

Unfortunately Brecon lost by 21 points to 10 and from there the momentum stalled somewhat. From the remaining 8 league matches Brecon won 5 and finished a creditable third behind winners Brynmawr and runners up, Penallta.

As preparations for the new season began in July so the management team was re-shaped. Alan Witcomb and Andy Powell continued as Director of Rugby and Head Coach respectively and they were joined by a new team of Huw Davies, Team Manager, Matthew J Watkins, Backs Coach and Matthew Lewis Defence Coach. Pre-season preparations and momentum built as the team produced an impressive run of form and results. By 10th November The 1st team boasted a 100% record with 9 wins from 9 matches including an outstanding away victory over last year’s champions Brynmawr. The only thing that could halt the progress was the weather and that had a disastrous effect as Brecon spent four weeks without a game. Finally on December 15 they managed to play a fixture against Nelson and maintained their league title challenge with a bonus point win over Nelson.

Still having ambitions to reach the last 16 of the WRU Plate they face a re-arranged away game against Rumney just before Christmas with the hope that they enter the New Year still challenging in both the Plate and League.

Exciting times are ahead. The new goal at the start of the year was to survive. To the credit of the team management, coaches and players that goal was easily surpassed as the team were a resurgent outfit after the turn of the year.

Eight wins were recorded from the 12 league matches and the team were finally placed 5th, their highest ever National League position.

The second team, not to be outdone, have also had an outstanding Year. While to some extent they are the Cinderella team of the club they fulfil a vital role in developing players.

Not only was this role accomplished during the 2017/18 season but the side was also successful on the field. They finished second in the Rhondda and Est Glamorgan League winning 75% of the matches played.

With Alan Taylor joining the management team as player coach in September and with a large pool of players there was optimism at the start of the season. That optimism was not unfounded as the team has swept all before them with a record of nine wins from nine matches.

For the second XV also the weather has been the only dark cloud on the horizon. A number of matches have been cancelled and the young team was deprived of a prestigious win when their match at Ystrad Rhondda was abandoned with the team in control both on the field and the scoreboard.

Now at the end of 2018 Brecon RFC is looking forward to the New Year. There will be many challenges on the way but the foundations have been laid for long term success and there is an air of optimism within all sections of the club.

RON ROWSELL