Emphatic Win to Beat Bridgend

Match Report: RGC 57–14 Bridgend Ravens
Saturday 11 April 2026 | Stadiwm Eirias

RGC delivered a performance full of attacking flair and clinical finishing to sweep aside Bridgend Ravens with a nine-try victory, racing to a 5th-place finish in the SRC and building real momentum heading into the playoffs.

Roared on by a lively 1,016 Stadiwm Eirias crowd, RGC were eager to come out the traps fast, but it was Bridgend who struck first. Dominiko Manaseitava crossed early for the visitors, with Fraser Jones adding the conversion to silence the home support. The response, however, was immediate and assured. RGC moved the ball with confidence, hands flowing through the line before Charlie Probert was put into space to finish, with McBryde levelling the scores from the tee.

That moment proved to be the turning point, as RGC began to find their stride. Playing with pace and ambition, they caused all sorts of problems for the Ravens’ defence. A beautifully judged crossfield kick drifted into the arms of Caio Parry, who stepped inside with composure to score, and with McBryde adding the extras, the Gogs edged ahead. The pressure continued to build, and when RGC opted for a quick tap penalty, Delwyn Jones powered over the line as the home side began to take control.

A yellow card for Manaseitava for a dangerous tackle reduced Bridgend to 14, and although the rain began to fall and take some of the tempo out of the game, RGC remained in command. The visitors did manage to steady themselves and grew into the contest again, aided by a restless crowd who felt decisions were beginning to go against the home side. Bridgend capitalised on that shift in momentum, working the ball wide from a lineout for Iwan Powell to finish in the corner, with Jones converting to keep them in touch.

RGC’s task became more complicated just before the break when Patrick Nelson was sent to the sin bin, leaving the hosts down to 14 men as Bridgend looked to build pressure early in the second half. But any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished. RGC showed composure and patience, building through the phases, jockeying for position before Sam Williams forced his way over for the bonus-point try, restoring control.

With that, the Gogs began to pull away decisively, their attack now flowing freely once more. A sweeping move across the field saw Sam Jones gallop down the right wing, the play eventually finishing with Caio Parry crossing again in the opposite corner. The forwards then asserted their dominance, driving with purpose before Jac Petch-Jones pulled the straps from the back, spun away from a maul to score, with McBryde continuing to add the extras.

Confidence coursed through the side, and it showed. McBryde himself soon found a perfect line to collect a pass and race under the posts, converting his own try, before RGC struck again from deep inside their own half, slicing through a stretched defence with pace and precision to bring up the half-century.

Even a late yellow card for Sam Williams could not halt their charge. In a final flourish, Bridgend attempted to attack, only for Caio Parry to intercept and sprint clear to complete his hat-trick, McBryde once again adding the conversion to cap a dominant display.

It was a performance that gathered momentum, finding rhythm with every fence, before pulling clear of the field in the closing stages. RGC now head into their quarter-final away at Llandovery RFC on Saturday 25 April, full of confidence, hoping this powerful run can carry them further still.