UNDETERRED by the pre match monsoon that had luckily cleared up come kick off, Tredegar Close played host to the annual Old Llandoverians v Old Breconians rugby match.

Following the postponement of the schools fixture four years ago, alumni of both schools have worked hard to ensure that the tradition continues year on year.

Credit must first go to Steffan Morgan, his brother Iolo of Brecon and all the support team that have given up their spare team to ensure a competitive match has been held each year between these two great schools.

The game started off with what one spectator would later say was ‘just the right amount of needle’. Belaying its status as a friendly old boys game, both teams launched into one another with the ferocity expected of a past schools match. It was clear to see that players of both teams were proud to wear the red socks and green and gold of their teams colours respectively.

A period of sustained pressure from Llandovery followed as the first 10 minutes saw them camped in the Brecon half, only a watertight defensive effort from the Breconians holding them at bay.

However the breakthrough game when Llandovery earned a 5m line out, cult hero Ed ‘Ginge’ Smith-Oakey rose highest to claim good lineout ball. The Llandovery pack bulldozed their way over for number eight and captain Jonathan Davies to claim his first try, a score in stark contrast to the excellent running rugby of the opening stanza.

James Morgan failed to convert but he soon made amends as following a sliced Brecon clearance five minutes later, he dummied his way past the kick chase and fed scum half Daf Rees-Evans for his half back partner to glide over in the corner for a wonderfully worked try. Morgan again was unsuccessful in the conversion.

An entertaining period of play followed, Liam Evans and Ollie Llewellyn both made scything line breaks but were unable to finish. Jack Mason was a terrier in the loose dovetailing nicely along with his back row partner Niall Read.

However Brecon had gained a foothold in the game and the pressure paid off after some neat handling resulted in a Brecon try. Iolo Morgan, brother of Llandovery team manager Steffan, converted for the visitors.

Soon after, the next Llandovery score came, the second from skipper Davies, to make the score 15-7. Nevertheless, Llandovery were playing with real zeal but it was Brecon who claimed the last score of the first half to cap an entertaining see-saw battle that saw Llandovery go in with the narrowest of margins at 15-14.

The second half really belonged to one man. Twm Jones. The Llandovery loosehead had already threatened with one monstrous run in the first half, but the second half, thanks to tireless work from his front row companions Josh Hope-Bell and Mike Scott, provided Jones with plenty of opportunity with ball in hand.

A tremendous catch from a spiralling bomb from fullback Tom Morgan set the platform for the moment of the match. Jones, from fully 40m as eyewitnesses swear, began thundering towards the Brecon line.

There was never a meter where he broke free, Brecon defenders hanging on in vain as Twm kept rumbling on, he crossed the line but with no less than five defenders on top of him, the referee was unable to see that Twm had put the ball down.

More action followed where veterans Chris O’Meara, at nearly 50, and Matthew Lewis were superb for the super whites, a 15 man lineout from Llandovery ended in captain Davies grabbing his third and his teams fourth try.

Special mention to hooker Scott who was faultless all afternoon with his arrows into the rock solid Llandovery lineout led by Smith-Oakey and second row Matthew Lewis. Morgan this time converted and a further Llandovery score seemed to have sealed the victory. However Brecon came roaring back with a superb try of their own. Iolo converting again to reduce the deficit to 27-21.

Llandovery responded well, and following a clean line break from centre Evans and more good work from Evans’ centre partner Joe Morgan, Joe’s brother James slotted a calm drop goal to extend the lead past the seven point mark.

This proved to be an important score as Brecon, unbowed and fighting till the end, and with superior fitness to a flagging but defiant Llandovery team, came back up the pitch and scored by the posts for another converted try.

However time had run out, fortunately for Llandovery, and the Lilywhites old boys held on for a superb win. A game played in the spirit of the world cup being held across the border. The old boys fixture now currently stands 2-1 to Llandovery with the next annual game to be held back in Brecon.