News

10 April 2017 / Club News

Season To Remember

If you missed Saturday's match programme, then here is our catch up with Afon Bagshaw

 

Season to Remember

 

There is no doubt that RGC are having a season to remember, various milestones have been marked starting with a debut year in the Premiership.

One player who has played a huge part in the on field success is Afon Bagshaw, with the full-back reaching an individual milestone himself reaching 100 appearances.

No Great Expectations

Afon and the rest of the squad started the season with no expectations “It was all about gaining experience in the league, not many of the boys had played Premiership rugby so we wanted to establish ourselves.  To be fair I think we have probably over achieved and to finish in the Top 8 changed our thinking.  The expectation in regards to the 2nd phase of the season came from within the squad, and we knew we had to deliver the standards needed week in week out in the top tier. As for the cup, it was our aim to go one step further than last season, and we did that in reaching the semi-final.

Competition in the Squad.

“Competition for places in the squad is getting stronger every week, with the first aim to get into the match day 23 and of course even more so that starting 15.  It great as it drives all the players on in training with some big games ahead. Everyone wants to play, so it is all about putting the effort in during the week.

We haven’t reached the levels needed in the Premiership since the split, and it has been disappointing.  Looking at the remaining games they are all cup finals, not just the match at the Principality Premiership.  We have to approach the league games as cup finals if we are to reach that top 4 finish.  Every team can beat each other in this league, so the opportunity to get into the play offs is still in our hands”

Coaching

When he isn’t tearing up the opposition backline Afon can be found coaching Coleg Llandrillo and RGC U16s, and even at the age of 22 he has plenty of rugby experience “I’m lucky to have been coached by some good people – Chris Horsman and Damian McGrath set the foundations in regards to making sure we were the best at the basics, and those skills under pressure got us out of Division 1 East.”

“Phil Davies then taught us game management and that emotional control that added to what Horse and Damo gave us.  When Mark Jones came in it was different in regards to he was a back himself so that attacking focus as the ability to plays as well as the kicking game has been of huge benefit for me.”

“Rugby is such a short career playing wise so I am getting the balance between focusing on my playing as well as the coaching which I enjoy. The great thing about the coaching especially the community coaching is seeing the young kids being inspired by RGC, and in turn pushes me on to perform on a Saturday. The community game is vital for RGC, as the kids that are 12/13 now will be the ones playing for RGC in 10 years’ time.”

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