Even though Martyn Fowler’s side will be missing six ‘tracked’ players who are in a player management block with Cardiff Rugby, they will start as firm favourites to kick-off their campaign in winning style.
CAVC won the title by beating Llandovery College in the final at Principality Stadium last season and Fowler has told his latest group of youngsters that they will go into this season with a target on their backs.
“When you are the champions everyone wants to beat you and they always raise their game against you. That’s what we are expecting from Bridgend College and we will be giving them the respect they deserve,” said Fowler.
“One of the main aims for the season is obviously to try to keep hold of the title. We know how difficult that is going to be and teams like Llandovery, Coleg Sir Gar, Coleg Y Cymoedd, Coleg Gwent and Glantaf will be to knock us off our perch.
“We had a bye in the first round and we come into the opening game having played various forms of matches against a number of English sides – King’s College, Wimbledon, City of Oxford College, Bishop Wandsworth School, Oundle, Beechen Cliff and Hartpury College.
“We sent a squad of players to South Africa in the summer to train and play and they won both their games there. We are in reasonable shape and really looking forward to getting started in the competition.”
Eight players won international honours from CAVC last season, Harrison James and Mackenzie Martin at U20 level and Harrison Bellamy, Ethan Rudyj, Saul Hurley, Lucas De La Rua and Gabe Lacey at U18 level. A further 12 players represented Cardiff Rugby at U18 level.
Martin and James and now playing for the Cardiff RFC side in the Indigo Premiership along, while Lacey is on the books at Aberavon this season.
“We are a physically bigger side than last season and I think we are looking good. We’ve got 320 kgs in our front row and we’ve got a few players back from last year,” added Fowler.
“We found ourselves playing against a large number of Welsh boys when we played against the Wasps Academy linked City of Oxford College, but I was happy with the way we performed against the English sides.
“But now it is heads down back home to try to match last season. We’ll take each game as it comes and be as competitive as possible.”
National Schools & Colleges League – Round 2
14 September
Bridgend College v Cardiff & Vale College
Coleg Llandrillo v Neath Port Talbot College
Coleg Y Cymoedd v Coleg Gwent
Gower College v Coleg Sir Gâr
Llandovery College v Whitchurch HS
Newport HS v Ysgol Glantaf
