Sport In Profile UK Issue 01 | Page 68

BIRCH GROVE BIRCHGROVE Birchgrove RFC is based at Heol Dulais Birchgrove in West Glamorgan and their first team will be competing in Division 3 West Central B of the SWALEC Leagues. They are led by Chairman Jeff Hills who is supported by Secretary Carl Woodward and the club has made a considerable amount of progress under their guidance. Their first team enjoyed a strong season last time around as they compiled a record of having won 15 and lost 5 of their 20 matches. This saw them finish 2nd in the table with 75 points on the board. There were many positives to be taken from the teams performances and one of the main ones was the attacking brand of rugby that they managed to produce. This was reflected by the fact that they were one of the top scoring sides in the league with 556 points. This certainly ensured that any supporters attending their matches were well entertained and should encourage more of the local community to get behind them in the future. This has the potential to provide them with a valuable source of additional revenue which is particularly important during the off-season 68 ISSUE 01 when clubs are unable to rely upon matchday income. The brand of rugby that they produced did not affect their defensive performance however as they conceded fewer points than any other side in the league. This helped them to develop a reputation for being a tough tackling side with good individual defenders and a great team work ethic. Having a good defence is vital for any side looking to be successful as it gives them the potential to grind out results even when they are not playing at their best. This can help to spread confidence throughout the team, giving their flair players the freedom to go out and play. The team’s high league finish was a just reward for what was a superb campaign and they can be very proud of their efforts which should provide them with a perfect platform from which to build heading into the new season.