NEW PANTEG YOUTH THE TALKING POINT AT RECENT AWARDS EVENING

An immensely successful season for New Panteg under 16’s has paved the way for a re-convened Youth team next season, and so there was a very optimistic air about last Saturday’s awards evening at the clubhouse.

There was a lot to celebrate for the Under 16s – 19 wins out of 23 matches played (one drawn); a very successful tour to Barcelona; the emergence of several key players to take the team forward; the great news that at least three of the coaches will step up to Youth level with the team, and, importantly, that some of the new jerseys may actually fit one or two of the boys next year.

It’s going to be different next year – the age and experience of other established youth sides will combine to make it all a big step up, but there is a huge team spirit amongst the boys and a clear willingness to give it all they’ve got. 

So the awards evening was a very happy mix of celebration, fun and song – the latter an esoteric mix of Welsh classics; teenage angst rap and the Dawkins family repertoire of cultural ballads. There were several highlights – not least that four of the players were celebrating playing continuously since they were 5 years old. Jake Luffman, Hywel Evans, Alex Jefferies and Ashley Jeffries have been the mainstay of the team for the last 10 years, and continue to go from strength to strength.  

Ashley Jeffries gave an inspired captain’s speech, resolutely carrying on to the end despite inadequate briefing and occasional heckling from the head coach.  All players received season awards, and whilst we were all hoping for the long awaited appearance from local legend Iestyn Thomas as prize giver, we now believe a cardboard cut-out might have been the best option. Instead we were treated to a stirring address from Guest Speaker Graham Garland, who lucidly praised the team’s efforts and reminisced on previous glories.

The principle awards were a triumph for prop forward Alex Jeffries, who scooped both Player of the Year (Coaches award) and Player’s Player of the Year (Team selection). His season has been exceptional including excellent performances for the Dragons. Most Promising Player went to second row forward Iestyn Francis, in only his second season at the club, and Clubman of the Year was well deserved by Matthew Cleverly in recognition of his continuous support and loyalty, commitment and being first in the post training river plunge.

A key target for next season is already in the early stages of planning – an overseas tour. Sponsorship is already in hand, and if its anything like this years encounter in Barcelona, it will be an all action event, both on and off the field. The impending Youth season will work towards that, and some matches with English opposition are also planned, so that the team can work within their U17 age group.

Training will continue throughout this summer, with both Tuesday (fitness) and Thursday (skills) sessions. Anyone interested in joining us would be most welcome. We have an exciting and challenging season ahead.

QUIMICS RFC, BARCELONA 7 - NEW PANTEG RFC(U16s) 61

Atencion, toque, listos, empujar !

If you thought ‘crouch, touch, pause, engage’ was difficult to coordinate on Dowlais Top in mid December through a howling gale, then there were equally difficult obstacles for new Panteg’s U 16s to overcome when they visited Barcelona suburbs recently. If you were playing in the front row it wasn’t so bad – you could see the whites of the opposition eyes and judge the impact, even if timing the ‘hit’ was tricky. The second and back rows of the scrum were less fortunate, and, as the ref spoke not a word of English, the collective decision was to time it all on the tone of the referee’s voice. When it lifted slightly, it was probably time to get set and after that, you piled in. Sometimes it worked.

The Tour management had stressed the importance of getting to know the opposition; of getting the most out of the trip and not coming home wishing you had done more. What they hadn’t bargained for is that Eastern Barcelona isn’t your average Spanish, or even Catalan, hot-spot. Not only was the English language thin on the ground, but the age groups were different (Under 18s, not Under 16’s); Quimics RFC were fit and extremely combatitive; they played in the evening under floodlights on a plastic pitch; the temperature was more Copenhagen than Costa Brava, and some of the refereeing decisions, even without a translator, were let’s say interesting.

So it was in unusual circumstances that New Panteg kicked off against a backdrop not unlike a very crowded Brazilian hill town favela. It all made for a fabulous atmosphere, even if the small crowd (Eastern Valley meets Lloret de Mar) spent much of the time trying to keep warm.

The Quimics boys certainly didn’t let us down, and for the first quarter in particular, it was fast and very physical, typified on the 20 minute mark, when man-of-the match Ashley Jeffries, after a typically effective run, felt the full force of some destructive home side tackling and nursed a painful knee injury for 10 minutes. The inside centre, Mousey Lewis, made an admirable temporary scrum half, and even got the visiting team off the mark, sneaking in for a try in the corner after strong carries from flanker Jones and prop Jenkins. Jefferies returned to marshall his troops later.

Even in this difficult first period the New Panteg pack were outstanding, using their rugby knowledge and skill to outwit their bigger but less experienced opponents and this led to forceful runs from hooker Tudgay, abrasive prop Alex Jeffries and the opportunist No 8 Clark who revelled in some loose Quimics passing to pounce for an interception try.

With two conversions from Josh (chicken) Harris, whose bullocking runs also caused continuous problems, New Panteg approached the break leading 14 – 7, the Quimics centre having scored, arguably, the try of the match after a blistering 60 yard arcing run. But by half time the home side, unused to 70 minutes of boots and saddles rugby, were beginning to get weary.

New Panteg came out in the second half a stronger and moré effective side, and soon took charge. Quimics had a useful No 8 and centre partnership, but strong defence cut down their opportunities. Francis was starting to secure most of the line-out possession, and strong running from Loder and Cleverley soon paid dividends. With possession now being monopolised, the New Panteg backs had a field day and there were two tries apiece for centre Gibbs and elusive winger Norton, whilst full back Luffman and flanker Hardwick, who had an outstanding game in defence and attack, also added tries to help push the score along. Towards the end Quimics ran out of steam and Clark, in typical fashion, helped himself to his second try, following up a long downfield punt from Harris whilst the home team looked on. The strong running second row, Evans, and the captain Jeffries helped themselves to further scores, the latter nursing his knee injury in the process. Morris ably deputised in the second row in last quarter, whilst Dawkins, sidelined through an injury earlier in the season, could only watch in frustration.

If their rugby skills were a little raw on the pitch, Quimics were terrific hosts and showed huge enthusiasm and appetite for the post match activities, quickly picking up on the global rugby traditions of camaraderie, song and zip buzz,

New Panteg’s season to date has been a huge success with only 3 losses in 17 encounters, and a number of players have represented the Dragons and East Wales. The big step up will occur next season with the change to Youth rugby, where they currently have no representation. However, all the lads are up for it, and there’s plenty of help and support from parents, coaches, and quite a few older players, keen to return to a successful team.

Indeed, another overseas tour is planned for February 2012. The exact location is a well kept secret, but if its anything like Barcelona, then it’s likely to be work hard, play hard, with rugby an important, but not all-consuming centrepiece ! And this time we might take a translator with us….

Atencion, toque, listos, empujar !