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BRIAN PRICE
PLAYER, COMMITTEE MEMBER, V.P. AND SUPPORTER
Brian Price was rst introduced to rugby as a pupil in Brecon Secondary Modern School. One of seven brothers (Adrian, Tony, Brian, Des, Graham, Robin and Malcolm) all of whom have played rugby for Brecon, he joined the newly formed Brecon RFC Youth Team as a centre of great promise. Occasionally he was selected to play for the senior team alongside his former teachers and in 1967/68, during his last year as a youth player, captained the team. Fondly remembering his time with the Youth team Brian said, “ In those days we played at the Gas Works eld and changed at the Workingmen’s Club. No Showers, just two tin baths, how things have changed: For the Better.”
Brian’s rst year of full senior rugby 1968/69 coincided with the end of Brecon’s WRU probationary period. Now a fully- edged member of the Union, once again, Brecon went from strength to strength. Half way through that season Wynford Rees took the reins as captain and a golden period followed. The 1970/71 season brought unprecedented success. Seven players, including Brian, represented Breconshire County and Brian went on to become and almost permanent xture in the County side. He was respected by all the county players even those at arch rivals Gwernyfed where fellow County Player Vin Stephens told me, “Brian was an outstanding centre, uncomplicated, direct and with the ability to make others around him look good. He committed opponents and put others in space and to add to that he was outstanding defensively.”
Brian was named Player of the year at the end of the 1970/71 season when the team lost just 9 games. The following season was even more impressive with Brecon losing just 4 matches. In the centre that year was “the dynamic duo,” Brian, alongside his brother Des.
Brian was elected captain at the start of 1972/73 and success continued right up to a third round WRU Cup Match where Brecon drew Neath, probably Wales’ strongest club at the time, at home during November. It was decided to play the match at Penlan in order to cater for a larger crowd. The locals turned up in their hoards, 2,000 of them, almost all hoping for a massive cup upset. They were to be disappointed as Brecon fell to a 32 points to nil defeat. Brian recalls that day, “ My mum and dad saw that match, the rst and only game my mum saw me play. I remember having the ball two yards out from scoring under the posts, then SMACK! Dai Morris, Wales wing forward, tackled me and dumped me back ve yards from the posts, at on my back. Dad told me after the game, your mother was calling out, “Don’t hurt my Boy!” Mothers Eh!”
With that defeat momentum was lost and the remainder of that season and the following one, were not noteworthy. As I took on the reins of captain and coach in 1974 so Brian decided to move on to a higher level of rugby. He joined Newbridge and experienced life in the higher echelons of the Welsh game. His highlights of that time were,
“Playing games over the border. If you didn’t train you weren’t picked. I trained six nights a week. My training was mainly running on the road, hill sprints, press ups, sit ups and sprints between the lamp posts. No gym, no special diet just hard work. All the experience I gained at Newbridge I brought back to Brecon RFC.”
Without Brian my rst season as captain was not a great success. His return the following year coincided with the tragic pre-season accident to Keith Morris. Somehow the accident seemed to bring out the best in the club in a number of ways. The club pulled together to support Keith and family in events organised off the eld and on it the rst team lost just six games. During this season Brian struck up a centre partnership with Clive Williams which some described as “Magic”.
Brian’s nal playing year coincided with the Club’s Centenary season, a season which was probably the highlight of his Brecon career. During this time he formed a centre partnership with either, Des Parry or Gary Prothero amid an outstanding backline which included his brother Robin on the wing. The Team record that season was outstanding, winning 11 of the 12 designated Mid District games, losing to Abercynon in a league Play Off match at Abercynon by 12 points to 10. Reaching the nal of the Mid District Cup defeating Builth, Tylorstown, Mountain Ash and Ystrad Rhondda along the way and conceding only one try. Disappointingly, we lost narrowly to Penygraig at Sardis Road in the nal. Brian remembers that day well, “This was a hard fought game. We were leading right up to ve minutes to go. Penygraig scored a try in the corner to win the game. It’s all about playing the game till the ref blows the nal whistle to end the game. Hard to take, but all the Brecon players gave 100% that night.”
The team also reached the nal of the Mid District 7’s losing to Abercynon in the nal but winning the Brecon 7’s for the rst time in the Tournament’s 21 year history.
The end of that season brought an end to his involvement with the club as a player, apart from when he played
with the successful veterans’ team. His involvement otherwise with the club has never ceased. Brian continued as a committee member for many years and following the end of his commitment there became a Vice President, Trustee, ever present supporter and proud grandparent to a couple of our Junior players. I asked him what his future goals or ambitions for the club are and his response was, “It is important that the 1st XV stay in Division 1 for many years to come. I would love to see my grandson Kieran (KD) play for the 1st XV and personally, I would hope that I have many long years having a pint with lots of friends in God’s Waiting Room after watching Brecon play.” Ron Rowsell.
BRFC News
SPRING 2017
BRECON RFC VOLUNTEERS