ACCORDING to a 2020 estimate, Builth Wells has a population of 2,627 people – about half of that number are likely to be inside the Principality Stadium this Saturday.

The country’s premier sporting facility, in Cardiff, will play host to the Welsh Youth Cup final on April 23, where Builth take on Bridgend Athletic on the same hallowed turf that almost all of the players – including their coaches – have watched the likes of their heroes Shane Williams, Alun-Wyn Jones and Leigh Halfpenny perform and win Six Nations Grand Slam titles.

The 22 members of Builth’s youth team squad will get to tread that same turf on Saturday, something a very select group of people can lay claim to, and head coach Chris Offa says it will be a moment none of them will ever forget for the rest of their lives.

“Most people go to the Millennium Stadium to watch rugby, not to play, so these players will get to do something very few people can say they’ve done,” said Offa.

“I think the furthest a Builth team got in this competition was losing to Bridgend Athletic in a semi-final about 20 years ago. The players will always remember this day for the rest of their lives.”

Offa and his men will hope the rugby gods are smiling down on them on Saturday, in fact perhaps they already have. Offa won the toss and selected the home dressing room – Wales’ dressing room – when the coaches of both sides attended a walkthrough at the stadium a few weeks ago.

Builth have already been on an “emotional rollercoaster” to get to this stage – the unbeaten young Bulls had led Penarth 10-8 for much of the second half of their semi-final at Brecon’s Parc de Pugh last month, only for a late infringement to gift their opponents a penalty and an 11-10 lead right at the death.

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Despite their youthful exuberance, however, this squad of young players is made of stern stuff – and after keeping the ball alive through several phases, centre Alecs Williams punched a hole in the Penarth defence beyond 80 minutes to send his side to Cardiff.

“The semi-final win shows the never give up attitude of this side, they always play with their heads up,” said Offa, who revealed the emotions of that game are already something that will never leave him.

“It was an emotional roller coaster, but our heads never dropped, they always believed. We spend hours and hours on simple skills and techniques and the boys showed all that in that last 20 phases, under pressure.

“One mistake, one knock-on and it’s game over, but they kept their composure and it’s something that I’ll never forget. They’re a team full of personalities.”

A win would be the final chapter in a thrilling storybook season for these players, but also for Offa, who is stepping down as head coach at the end of the season.

“I’ve been in charge for four years, Saturday will be a great way to hopefully end it,” he said. “I think half of Builth is going, there’s about 10 buses going down that I know of.”

Like his players, Offa and his coaching staff – backs coach Hughie Lloyd, forwards coach Shaun Hughes and team manager Lyndon Jones – are a collection of strong personalities.

“I’m the head coach but you surround yourself with good, strong personalities,” said Offa.

“With Hughie in the backs and Shaun in the forwards, we’re a well-oiled machine, we’re singing off same hymn sheet. Hughie and Shaun will be taking team on and Lyndon and myself are moving on.”