Cardiff Claim Opening Win

RGC 31 Cardiff 47

Saturday 13th September 2025

In a game where RGC scored 5 tries, they only came out with a losing BP where they struggled to gain a foothold for any length of time.

An enthralling 2 minutes to start the season when Connor Dever first made a clever show and go to set up Charlie Probert to score his side's opening try of the season. Billy McBryde converted.

From the restart, the Gogs were on the attack again when Gethin O’Callaghan raced down the pitch, causing panic in the home side's defence, but somehow Dewi Cross got his hands on a loose pass to speed down the wing and score.  Harri Wilde hit the extras.

RGC were opened up when the visitors broke down the middle, and 3 phases later, they were over for the try from Ben Fry. Wilde was again on target with the kick.

Wilde was on point with a simple penalty.

Gareth Parry fired his side into the attack with a run that gained territory and left a couple of Cardiff players on the floor. Minutes later from a lineout, the driving maul did its job and Patrick Nelson celebrated his 50th appearance with a try.

Some good work around the breakdown from Osian Burt and Gareth Parry resulted in a key turnover ball, as the visitors again found territory.

It was a half where RGC worked hard when they had the ball, but Cardiff were finding it much easier to break with the ball in hand. The tackle count was racking up for the Gogs, but so was the penalty count.  Wilde again to advantage with another 3 points

The man advantage was in RGCs favour when Ben Fry took out Dion Jones after he put a chip kick over, and was shown a yellow card.

The Stadiwm CSM crowd were on their feet when full-back Dion Jones got his hands on the ball, glided past a tackle before handing off another defender to cross for the try.  McBryde closed the gap to a point with the conversion at the break.

Soon after half-time it was Cardiff that pushed the scoreboard on, when 4 passes opened up the pitch before scrum-half Ieuan Davies ran across the whitewash. Conversion again added by Wilde.

Connor Dever was trying to add some pace to RGC’s attack, with Delwyn Jones making some inroads.

RGC went close, after Caio Parry intercepted, kicked ahead, and won the footrace, but the ball just bounced beyond the try line, with a finger tip away from scoring.

Minutes later, they did get the try when they moved the ball wide, then quick tap and Gareth Parry crashed over.  McBryde again was on target.

Momentum was gained for a couple of minutes but was soon lost when they couldn't keep hold of the ball, which was the frustrating tale of the 80 minutes.

When RGC needed to build and test Cardiff, they couldn't keep momentum and the visitors went in from close range, with replacement fly-half Lloyd Lucas converting.

Former RGC player Tom Cottle was winning the lineouts both for his new side, and claiming some of a RGC throws as well. At one point, the Gogs were in the Cardiff 22, the visitors broke to halfway, and that pressure was eased.

RGC did cross for try number 5 when Player of the Match Charlie Probert showed power and strong running to claim his 2nd of the game.

Like much of the game they could build on it a good try that got the crowd behind them, and Cardiff again found themselves at the Gogs line before firing the ball to winger Joe Goodchild to dab down.

Rinse and repeat when from close range it was another try for Carfdiff .

The final points were scored by Lucas, when he hit the penalty.