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04 May 2018 / Club News

When tomorrow comes...

It’s been a while since the first week of November 2017, when the Quins took on Bridgend Athletic at the Brewery Field who, unbeknown to everyone, would find their feet and embark on an unbleamished record after that match.

Suffering from a spate of injuries to key players, the ‘Ath’ had not got off to the start their true talent is capable of. If their full compliment of talent were available, they would not have lost some of the matches they did.

The Athletic were the first team of the season to prevent the Quins from gleaning a bonus point. Since that game, the Athletic have remained undefeated in a most competitive league.

In the last fortnight the Athletic have beaten Bonymaen twice and given Ystalyfera their first seasonal taste of defeat. It was all the more remarkable considering their victory in the Swansea valley was an uncommon thumping of Ystalyfera's at their Ynysdarren home. The Newbridge Fields bunch are well and truly on form.

Saturday is the final game of a fantastic season for the Athletic. Those four defeats mean at best the Bridgend men will finish runners-up and at worst third in the league when all the beans are counted, but the consistency they have shown since November is stunning. The feel-good factor will definitely take them on a crest of a wave into 2018-2019.

Much of the Athletic's play revolves around their back-row. Players like Ben Howe have been a thorn in the Quins’ side for a number of clubs, a number of times. If his restarts are anything to go by, outside-half Bevan could drop-kick a satellite into orbit and he can command games for his forwards.

Then of course there is the traditional Athletic threat of being able to create a try from almost anywhere on the field, out of anything.

In a case of 'mine is bigger than yours,' if Bridgend Athletic's undefeated run is impressive then consider the Quins who also hold a long undefeated league record. The Maesteg men were last beaten in the league back on December 3rd 2016. Guess who against - Bridgend Athletic! Since then the Quins have lost just twice in thirteen months of rugby - both Nant Conwy away in the WRU Plate. Let's hope there's not a pattern here.

Since last Saturday when the Quins were still looking at harvesting twelve points to secure the Division One title, things have changed. Every point Ystalyfera dropped would be a bonus to the Quins, especially as the two clubs are set to meet on May 12th. It seems Bridgend county borough teams have proven a tough hurdle for possible Champions Ystalyfera, with the 'Fera falling to the Athletic, Quins and in midweek to Kenfig Hill.

All this has led to a reduction in the target of league points the Quins need to chase down to win the league. Requiring three more points to lift an incredible eighth national league title, a win on Saturday would seal the crown.

Recognized as a difficult task against a team on fire, a win against the Athletic would be an incredible step to ending the season at the summit of the league. However, it is one step at a time

It promises to be an action packed, scintillating affair on Saturday with one side seeking to end their season on a high, the other aiming to go into the next two weeks aiming even higher and both to maintain long-standing or rather running, unbeaten sequences.

South Parade is definitely the place to be at 2.30pm.

Perhaps Quins followers would like to be at the Dairy Field, Llanharan prior to the 1st XV Division One clash to cheer on the 2nds in Barrie Morris Cup Final action against Cefn Cribbwr 2nds.

The kick-off is at 12:15hrs so it will be a case of watching the final and a dart back to Maesteg.

The 'Riders' are always a team of tricks and an ingrained will to win. The chance of silverware will appeal to them immensely.

Saying that the Quins is a team full of desire and talent. Experience in not a problem, it just means playing to potential.

The anticipation of a good day's rugby is excrutiatingly exciting. The possibility of being a successful day... we'll just have to wait and see, there are two opposing teams just itching to have a good day themselves. When tomorrow comes... we just can't wait.

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