LAGACY & STORIES

The word legend is too often used to describe outstanding individuals. In Keith's case it is totally apt. This is a man who led senior rugby at Brynteg for over 40 years, and he would have coached many of your fathers and uncles at an outstanding level.

After growing up in Ogmore Vale and playing for The Valley side, Keith went to Swansea University to gain a degree in Economics and enjoyed university rugby. After marrying his beloved Jan, they lived in Bridgend — Jan as a doctor, Keith working in the computer section of Port Talbot Steelworks while playing for Bridgend RFC and Bridgend Sports RFC. Many pundits at the time rated Keith as one of the best uncapped centres in Wales. He had a very successful career at Bridgend but chose to move on to the Sports, where as captain they won the Silver Ball competition three years in a row.

During this period Keith landed a post as Economics master at Bridgend County Grammar School and was Master in Charge of the senior rugby section. In those days the seniors played every Saturday and Wednesday from September until the end of the season, with two training sessions a week. Keith was ahead of his time, collecting WRU coaching awards as well as rugby league coaching qualifications. That experience was evident in his methodology at Brynteg: always attention to fine detail, always time for the individual. His coaching set players up to move seamlessly on to senior rugby or the university game. He was renowned for producing Welsh schoolboy caps, too many to mention, a great many of whom went on to represent Wales — and of course he nurtured many of our Lions.

Old boys hold Keith with the highest of respect for his tutelage both on and off the playing field. A passion he developed in 1976 was for the game of sevens, which he studied in great detail. The first tournament the school entered was the Windsor 7s, which we duly won at a gallop. That was the start of sevens at the school, and what a legacy has followed.

The late Cliff Daniel led the first senior tour, to Victoria and Vancouver in 1974, with Keith coaching. It proved so successful that Keith almost didn't come back — he was offered a job as Economics master and MIC Rugby at St Michael's School in Victoria. Thank goodness he didn't take it, or so many Brynteg pupils would have missed out.

With Keith at the helm, Pete Cavalli as tour manager and assistant coaches Steve Hiscocks, Paul Bowen, Wayne Morris and Rob Sage, Brynteg toured South Africa in 1998: the first southern hemisphere venture. Many more tours followed, with Steve Rudall and Alan and Richard Harris also touring as assistant coaches. Every coach and player was greatly influenced by the legacy of Keith Crockett. What a man.

The link with St Mary's College, Rathmines, Dublin began in 1979. Some parents of St Mary's boys were in Wales for an international match and staying at a hotel in Porthcawl. They got into conversation with local schoolteachers involved with the District U11 team, and wanted a game against a local U12 side on their next visit to Wales. Wayne Morris was contacted and asked whether Brynteg would be interested. The rest, as they say, is history. And what history.

St Mary's first and second visits involved their U11 team, who played Bridgend and District Schools, so Brynteg's first two visits to Dublin were also with the district schools team. A wonderful tradition was forged, not only on the field of play but, as importantly, off it. Boys stayed with their Irish hosts when in Dublin and returned that hospitality when the Irish came to Bridgend. Many friendships were kindled that still exist to this day.

Taking boys out of their comfort zone and placing them in another house and another culture proved a wonderful learning curve, and it was followed on all future tours. Brynteg parents played a full part in returning the hospitality shown to their boys.

The record up to 2016: won 71, drawn 13, lost 94. A and B teams travelled to Dublin for the first five years; after that A, B and C teams toured. U13, U14 and senior teams have also visited St Mary's.

Many St Mary's old boys went on to play for Ireland, among them Denis Hickie, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Tony Ward, Paul Dean, Tom Grace, Terry Kennedy and Johnny Sexton.

Number Ones are the Brynteg blazer, shirt, team tie and trousers worn by the senior squad on tour and on match days. Number Twos — the less formal kit — go with them for everything else.

The blazer badge was taken from the old Bridgend County Grammar badge, and the tie carries the badge together with the tour date, so every tour party has its own. Rob Howley came into school to present at an assembly wearing a blazer, and the rugby staff decided that was exactly what they were looking for.

What began as tour dress became the norm for the seniors at home and away, and remains one of the most recognisable things about a Brynteg side arriving at a ground.

One year the seniors were playing Llandovery College at home. We thought we were in with a good chance of pulling off an upset, and then the Llandovery players started to exit their team bus. Each of them wore a blazer, shirt, team tie and grey trousers, and just by doing so they won the match before they had even run onto the top field. It was obvious in the looks on our players' faces, simply because of what was, in effect, a rather poncey school uniform.

Brynteg has had a long and proud tradition of touring. One of the main methods of instilling values into generations of Brynteg boys was the Dublin trip. 'Rocky' Morris, who instigated the link with St Mary's, was responsible for starting another memorable tradition, and every last player who went to Dublin can still name his host and then "tell lies and talk shite" about the occasion, no matter how many years have passed.

Given all that, and the recent experience with Llandovery, it was decided that the tour party would be equipped — along with about a quarter of a ton of other stuff — with Number 1s, and with what became known as Number 2s for less formal occasions. The blazer badge was taken from the old Bridgend County Grammar badge and included, along with the tour date, on a tie. Rob Howley had come into school to present at an assembly wearing a blazer, and the rugby staff decided that was exactly what we were looking for.

We only intended that Number Ones be worn on the tour itself and on possible future tours. The boys, however, decided they would become the norm for the seniors both at home and away. It proved a far-sighted decision, and definitely helped to even the odds on many matches over the years.