BARRY RFC’s Youth team face their toughest test of the season so far when they take on Carmarthen Quins in the semi-final of the WRU National Youth Cup at Cefn Cribwr RFC on Saturday (2.30pm). The prize for success is a place in the final at the Principality Stadium on Good Friday.

Both teams come into the tie topping their respective regional competitions - Barry the Cardiff Blue Premier, Quins the Scarlets Carmarthenshire West. Saturday’s opponents are something of an unknown quantity to Barry head coach John Dimond as the teams operate in different regions.

“We haven’t seen any of their rugby. They are top of their league, coached well by Wayne Proctor, the former Wales winger,” said Dimond, “And they will probably have two or three Scarlets’ Academy players in their squad. I expect it to be a battle.

“We have a full squad available, and will go there with the best we’ve got. Our boys are being tested at the top of their rugby spectrum now, and this is probably the highest-ever level of youth rugby at the club.”

Dimond has no worries over Barry’s fitness levels, which have been consistently high. So in training the focus has been on the breakdown. “We aim to put more people in the breakdown, to negate their platform. If we can do that, we can starve their back line of some ball. I think it will be down to small margins.

“With the amount of work the boys have been putting in, it would be a fitting accolade to finish their season in youth rugby, before they transition to senior rugby, in a final at the Principality.”

The WRU provides a team of four officials for the game. Should it end in a draw, tries scored will decide the winner. If that is also level, Barry will go through, having been drawn as the away team.

Barry reached the last four with a 48-12 victory at Wrexham in the first round, and a 32-22 home win over Neath Athletic in the last 16. They were scheduled to host Pontypridd in the quarter-final, but Ponty withdrew from the competition after two heavy league defeats at the hands of Barry.

Carmarthen Quins won 22-20 at Newcastle Emlyn in the first round, and then drew 29-29 at Rhiwbina in the last 16, going through as the away team. In the quarter-final they were home to Machen, winning 22-20.

In the other semi-final Gorseinon take on Tondu.

  • Barry’s first team return to Admiral National League Division 1 East Central action on Saturday with a visit to Mountain Ash. Barry won the home fixture 20-12 in October.

Ken Watkins