Having secured promotion already Tenby United had one more task in hand before it was time to relax on the beach, the cup final. Aberaeron were their opponents in the eagerly awaited final which was held at Parc Lloyd Thomas Crymych. 

Aberaeron despite being in the third division was never going to be an easy opponent, having impressed in that league all season. However it was Tenby who got over the line in more ways than one in what was an excellent advert for the county's cup competition. 

The game ended Aberaeron 27 Tenby United 37. The perfect end to a season that couldn't have gone much better for the Seasiders and we wish a huge congratulations to everyone involved in the club. Coach Andrew Barlow again kindly joined us to share his thoughts and reflections on the final and the season.

1. So here we are again but this time with a trophy to your name as well as promotion. How are you and the boys feeling?

I think the main feeling I have is immense pride for all the players, staff and all involved with the club. There are too many people to name that work exceptionally hard to support not just the first team but every other junior team throuout the club and it was great to cap a fantastic week for the club with the Pembrokeshire Cup win. Regarding the boys, well quite rightly they have enjoyed celebrating their victory. They deserve a huge amount of credit for all their hard work over the season and I am sure they will continue their celebrations into this week as they embark on an end of season tour.

2. Talk us through your final prep and the day itself?

We prepared as diligently and as professionally as we could for the final. We were fully aware of the challenge that Aberaeron posed and left no stone unturned in our preparation. At this stage in the season though, the players know what is expected of them and likewise a final is not the time to drastically change our game, therfore we used our 3 sessions to fine tune out defensive/attacking skills and organisation whilst being mindful of the game plan and strengths Aberaeron would bring. Our final team run on Wednesday was one of the highlights of the season for me. I've not seen the boys so focused. The session was player led with communication and game understanding at its best. On game day we met Saturday morning as we usually do and have a coffee. Before we departed though we invited all the players and supporters to watch a small motivational video prepared by our club photographer Tom D'Arcy. There were hairs standing on the back of everyone's neck as we boarded the bus. This video set the boys up perfectly to go and create their own history.

3. We won’t ask you to talk us through aftwrwards.. but I take it you all had a good celebration?

As I mentioned earlier the boys celebrated very well and will continue to do so this weekend however, the most pleasing aspect for me about celebrating was the on field photos at the end of the game. To be able to see father/son, husband/wives, player/family photos all sharing the Cup is something I will never forget.

4. Are the boys ready for a rest or would you be quite happy to roll straight into next season, given the momentum you’ve picked up?

The boys 100 % need a break. To be fair the rugby season these days lasts nearly 10 months and is getting increasingly more physical as these youngsters all seem to be getting bigger. In fairness to the boys though they all keep themselves in good shape during the off season and this will be important as we prepare for division 1. I feel that our fitness this year won us a lot of close games and likewise want this to be a point of difference in our goal of being successful in the new league.

5. For you personally you’ve obviously achieved a lot in the game. Where does this season stack up?

I've been lucky with my rugby coaching to date but this season is right up there. Coaching International rugby whether it be for Wales RL, Poland, Czech Republic etc is extremely satisfying, and winning European titles is great however, what you don't see at that level is the personal development within individual players. This is my 5th season with Tenby and when I started in 2019 most of these boys were 18years old players with raw talent. To be able to be a small part of their rugby development and see improvements in every part of their game is extremely rewarding and to be able to see them gain promotion and lift a Cup after all their hard work over the years leaves me exceptionally proud.

 

As we've touched on a great achievement for everyone involved from coaches to ground staff to physios, and we wish everyone at Tenby United a great summer just don't forget about the gruelling pre season that awaits.

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