After seven rounds of games at the start of the season the 10 teams were given a near month long break before they start the next phase of league fixtures. The next seven rounds will take the teams into the New Year, when the SRC Cup will kick in while the Wales U20 Six Nations takes centre stage.
The SRC experiment has been well received by all stakeholders so far this season, clubs, fans, players and coaches, and has featured many more young players than in the past. On average there are 45 academy players playing each week with the average age of some teams having dropped to 23.
The ball in play time has increased, the intensity has risen and those players preparing for the U20 Six Nations have been getting regular game time rather than sitting on benches.
“The style of rugby we’re trying to play shows there is alignment to what we’re doing at senior level and that’s hugely important around the coaching and player development. That has been a huge positive for us,” said Cardiff Rugby academy manager Gruff Rees.
“Behind the scrum players like Sion Davies, Harri Wilde, Steff Emanuel, Elijah Evans, Tom Bowen, Kodie Stone are playing alongside quality semi-pros. We wanted to use the SRC to reduce the average age of our side and it is under 23 – and significantly lower if Jason Harries doesn’t play!
“But you need people like Jason who can be mentors to players on and off the field. Players like Jason, Tom Habberfield and Dewi Cross are hugely influential for the younger players.
“Tom Bowen and Steff Emanuel are training full time with the senior squad and others such as Elijah Evans and Matty Young also enjoying that exposure. That means it is a delicate balancing act between game-time and development.
“They’ve played significant minutes, but we’ve also taken them out when we’ve needed to in terms of protecting them around the training loads.
“I’ve been really pleased with the way we’ve played and tried to express ourselves. Dan Fish and his coaching group have ensured there is a Cardiff identity to our game, which is important to us.
“We’ll tweak a few things now as we go into the next block, but I think it’s hugely exciting that more young players will be exposed to our programme as we go through the season more young players will get exposed to that program.”
Currently two points clear of Ebbw Vale at the top of the table, Cardiff will head to Llandovery seeking revenge for their Indigo Premiership semi-final defeat there last season. The Drovers also beat them in the final the previous season at the Arms Park.
The Steelmen won at Church Bank earlier in the season and carried off the newly installed SRC Challenge Shield. Initially held by last season’s champions, it is put up at every home game by the holders.
Having captured it in their 31-28 triumph on 5 October, they successfully defended it at Eugene Cross Park against RGC a week later in a 31-16 victory. They were hoping to put it on the line once again in their first Gwent derby of the season against Newport this weekend, but the weather has won the day, and the game has been postponed.
Still seeking their first win of the season, Swansea head to Colwyn Bay to meet RGC, while Pontypool host Aberavon. Bridgend met Carmarthen Quins at the Brewery Field last night.
