Llandovery College and Christ College Brecon will meet on Saturday in the 129th playing of what is historically known as the original Welsh Varsity match, the oldest rugby fixture between schools in Wales and England. The contest was first played in 1879 at Builth Wells, two years before the Welsh Rugby Union was formed.
For almost 150 years, generations of pupils from both schools have taken part in a match that has become central to the identity of both institutions. Known affectionately as Brecon Day in Llandovery and Llandovery Day in Brecon, the fixture is about far more than the final score, serving as a celebration of shared history, fierce yet respectful rivalry, and lifelong friendships forged through sport.
Historic Rivalry and Famous Names
The occasion has long captured the imagination of pupils and spectators alike. It was once described by former Western Mail Sports Editor JBG Thomas as "Wales's Own Varsity Match", while former Welsh international and British & Irish Lion Vivian Jenkins, who himself played in the fixture, called it "fierce, frantic and wonderful."
Over the years, some of Welsh rugby's most distinguished names have taken to the field in this historic encounter, including Alun Wyn Jones, George North, Andy Powell, Cliff Jones, Jenkins, and A.M. Rees. Christ College have won just 29 of the matches and drawn 10, but that record hides the ferocity and quality of their challenge over the years.
The Monkey Tradition
The week begins with one of the most cherished and unusual rituals in Welsh school sport: The Monkey. According to Llandovery College folklore, the first Warden of Llandovery College owned a pet monkey which was kidnapped by boys from Christ College Brecon. The monkey was supposedly killed and buried in Brecon, prompting a retaliatory expedition by Llandovery pupils who travelled to Brecon, recovered the monkey and triumphantly returned it home.
The monkey mascot itself was handmade in the 1930s by the sister and aunt of Cliff Jones, the legendary Old Llandoverian, British & Irish Lion and Wales international, during his time at the College. Normally housed securely in a glass case in the Main Entrance Hall, the monkey is only removed during Brecon Week. In keeping with longstanding tradition, it is entrusted to the Captain of the 1st XV, who must guard it day and night until kick-off. This year's responsibility falls to C. Inker, who received the monkey during Monday's official ceremony marking the beginning of Brecon Week.
Meanwhile, pupils from Christ College Brecon are traditionally encouraged to arrive with a coffin, hopeful that they might somehow reclaim the famous mascot and return it to Brecon.
Centenary Reunion and International Legacy
The fixture is defined by respect, as shown in the recent reunion of the two teams that played in the centenary match in 1979 when, 45 years later, old players flew back from the corners of the earth to meet up with team-mates and opponents alike at the Cardiff and County Club. Old Breconian and British Lion Rob Ackerman came all the way from Australia, while Llandoverian wing Bleddyn Rees travelled from the USA for a night of rugby tales and reminiscing that carried on long into the morning.
Writing in the Brecon-Llandovery Centenary match programme in 1979, British Lion Vivian Jenkins explained the mystique of the game and its everlasting legacy. He insisted that the tension and pressure that he experienced before the game was greater than that he had known either as a Welsh international or even British Lion.
Post-war British Lions Rees Stephens, Kingsley Jones, Geoff Evans, Ackerman, North and rugby's most-capped player Jones cut their competitive teeth in the Brecon match before enjoying glittering careers on the world stage. No fewer than seven Old Llandoverians have captained Wales, starting with the great CP Lewis, through Gwyn Jones and up to Alun Wyn Jones, who also captained the British and Irish Lions on their tour to South Africa in 2021.
Christ College can boast that there were three old boys picked for the Wales team that beat New Zealand 3-0 in 1905, the most famous game in the history of Welsh rugby. Right wing Willie Llewellyn and loose forward Scethrog Williams were part of the legendary win, but it was left wing Teddy Morgan who gained everlasting fame with the try that beat the All Blacks. The game was also historic in that it was the first time that Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau had been sung at a rugby international. The press reported that it was Old Breconian Teddy Morgan who led and encouraged team mates and the 47,000 crowd alike to bellow out the national anthem as a gesture of true Welsh defiance.
Form and Prospects
Both schools have produced over 70 internationals between them. As for the form book, Llandovery started off the season with an impressive 45-7 win at Millfield, lost 38-35 to Ysgol Glantaf, before beating Coleg Llandrillo 24-7 and Whitchurch HS 35-30 in the highly competitive Welsh Schools and Colleges league.
Christ College no longer play in the league, preferring to face more old friends in the independent school sector. They started off shakily against Monmouth, losing 42-19, recovered well to beat Kingswood 42-12 and were far from disgraced in holding Millfield to 38-12. They lost 40-22 to Clifton College, who had already taken powerful Sedbergh's scalp 24-5, a result that puts the Brecon effort against Clifton into very good light.
On Saturday, nothing is likely to equal the brilliance of fly half Dai Gealy's five tries in Llandovery's 31-5 win in the 1956 match, but one thing is certain. Christ College will go into the game as underdogs as have generations of Breconians before them, but they will fight tooth and nail to the very end in the true tradition of this great fixture.
