LLANDOVERY captain Richard Brooks is leaving the club after nine seasons in the Welsh Premiership.
No.8 Brooks, 31, remains convinced the Premiership is still the best breeding ground for Wales' brightest youngsters but that they need to be playing more often than they are.
“I started at Bonymaen and when I stepped up to the Premiership with Llandovery I noticed a big difference in the physicality tempo and speed of the game,” said Brooks, who switched to back row when Swansea Schoolboys decided he was too slow to play fly-half and brought in Dan Biggar.
“It took me six months to adapt to the new level. Since then the ball in play time has risen dramatically and the physicality has got more intense.
“Part of the reason I've decided to finish at Llandovery is because it takes so long to recover from every game.
“On some Saturday nights I've had to sleep on the sofa because I can't get up the stairs and it could take until Thursday night's training session before I felt ready to go again.”
Brooks had hoped to lead his side to a top two finish in the Premiership before the season was ended early, but still has the WRU National Cup win in 2016 to look back on as one of his best moments at the club.
He shared that 25-18 win over rivals Carmathen Quins with future Scarlets and Wales prop Wyn Jones, one of four team mates at Church Bank who have gained Test honours along with Emyr Phillips, Rhodri Williams, Richie Pugh and Adam Warren.
Brooks also played Premiership rugby against nine of Warren Gatland's World Cup squad in Japan and many more who have gone on to attain full caps.
“A lot more younger players have been coming into the Premiership but I don't think they are playing often enough,” adds Brooks, who hopes to play a few games for Bonymaen next season.
“They do weight training and maybe only play once a month. Playing Premiership rugby is the way for them to progress, they need to become battle-hardened by playing more regularly.
“So many of the current Welsh players have a lot to be thankful for about the way the Premiership helped to launch their careers. ”
