Ben Thomas was delighted with the effort on show, after captaining a youthful Cardiff Blues A side to victory over Dragons at Ystrad Mynach.
The centre enjoyed his first outing of the season, slotting five points from the tee, as tries from Harri Millard and Ellis Bevan proved decisive in tricky conditions.
Thomas, who had a breakthrough season with the senior side in 2019/20, says the whole experience was enjoyable and was pleased to see a number of eye catching performances from his side, as they looked to put their hands up for involvement with the senior side.
“It was a brilliant effort from the boys. We had a few boys who came in and were new to the environment and a few boys stepping down from the senior team,” said the former Academy Player of the Year.
“But everyone gelled well together, putting in a 100 per cent effort, and as captain that’s all you can ask for.
“It was quite a new team for us, so my role as captain was trying to keep things calm and make sure everyone is on the same page.
“When it comes to game day it’s about stopping it becoming frantic and keep everyone on the same page.
“A lot of us have a good relationship with Gruff, TR and Fishy after coming through the academy or by playing with Fishy. So it’s been nice to see them taking the lead on our team and it’s been a real good week for us.
“One of the real focuses for us in the week was knowing the senior coaches would keep an eye on this one.
“As much as you want to perform as a team, individuals still need to perform and I think everyone has done that today.”
The academy product featured in his familiar position at inside centre during the opening 40 minutes but pulled the strings from number 10 after the interval, coming within inches to crossing the whitewash.
Thomas was glad to get some competitive match action under his belt, and is eager to offer himself as a versatile player, willing to step into either position to assist the team.
“It’s always tough to come in after a long spell without a game, and it’s been six months for some boys,” added the former Wales under 20 international.
“But to come out and play like that after such a long lay-off was outstanding.
“Our defence was top notch and we took a lot of pressure from them and stayed strong.
“It was good to be back, but probably towards the 79th minute a bit of cramp was starting to set in.
“But it’s good to stretch the legs out and get my season going.
“For me, it’s about keeping both options of playing 10 or 12 open.
“I’m primarily a 12 but it’s still good to keep the 10 boots fresh and if called upon I’m ready to go.”