Round one this weekend will be in the semi-finals of the WRU National Plate at Ebbw Vale. It will be the fifth time in eight seasons the Pitmen have reached the final four, while it is new territory for Brecon.
Penallta may be going into the game as slight underdogs against a side that is unbeaten this season in league and cup, but head coach Jack Condy’s men will hold all the aces when it comes to knowledge, especially if the game becomes tight.
A fourth final is the goal and, whoever wins, will also be laying down a marker in the battle for the Division 1 East league title. Rounds two and three will come later in the season with the league title up for grabs.
Penallta won the 2017 Plate final at Principality Stadium on try count after their game with Ystaylfera ended in a 16-16 draw. The previous year they had lost out 12-10 to Bedlinog in the cruellest of circumstances when a last minute drop goal cost them the title.
They were semi-finalists in 2015 and won the title for the first time back in 2012 when they beat Nant Conwy 21-15. Over the same period they added the Silver Ball title with a victory over Ystrad Rhondda to further underline their cup credentials.
“At this stage of the season, with things being so tight in the league as well, it seems as though every game is a cup final,” admitted Penallta head coach Condy, who played for Penallta in the final of the 2014 WRU YOuth Cup at Principality Stadium.
“We’ve got a lot of cup experience, but Brecon have got a very good side with a very strong set-piece. We know how hard it is going to be to beat them.
“We can’t afford to let them get on top up front because that will just allow Gareth Gunter to run the game for them. He is an excellent outside half and we need to get after him and not allow him to settle.
“We’ve had a couple of weeks recently where we didn’t play very well and we were very disappointed to go out of the Silver Ball with a quarter-final defeat to Birchgrove. We know we have to be at our best and last weekend’s big win at Dowlais will have helped our confidence.”
The 59-5 away win was just what the doctor ordered ahead of the first of a hat-trick of crunch matches against former Wales and British & Irish Lions back row star Andy Powell’s unbeaten Brecon side. They made it 15 wins in a row in the league with a 26-3 home win over Pontypool United to maintain a two point lead over the Pitmen at the top of Division 1 East.
Powell is now into his second season in charge at Brecon, while former Llanelli and Scarlets back row man Condy is in his first at Penallta. The key question at Eugene Cross Park this weekend will be which one of them will be heading to Principality Stadium for a final against either Bonymaen or Treorchy.
“At the start of the year we did say we wanted to try and win the cup, but Penallta are a great side and have won this Plate competition in the recent past,” said Powell.
“We knew it was going to be hard, but the players are mentally ready. It will be a tough challenge to beat Penallta first, but if we do make it to the Principality Stadium it would be an amazing opportunity for the players.
“It would also be a great day out for the fans and amazing for Brecon. I took over as head coach last year, but I think I probably put a bit too much expectation on the players.
“I want to win this competition for the boys. In pre-season we all sat down and the boys said they wanted to win some silverware and things are going well at the moment.
“But every game is a potential banana skin if you don’t turn up with the right attitude. Since I’ve taken over the boys have trained so hard and become different players within a year.”
WRU NATIONAL PLATE SEMI-FINALS
Bonymaen v Treorchy (Glynneath RFC)
Brecon v Penallta (Ebbw Vale RFC)
