Win at Pooler

Pontypool 14 RGC 23

SRC Round 2, Saturday 20th September

Conditions that were more suited to December, without the Christmas lights, RGC came away with the present of an away win.  Pontypool has been a fortress in recent times, so it was always going to be a battle to break through for the win

Kicking, composure and staying in the game were always going to be key, and it wasn't til the final minute that the game was won.

The homeside took the lead after some good fortune, after a pass looked forward, but Morgan Lloyd broke down the field before Walker Price went over.

From the restart, James Brown was shown a yellow card after he was penalised for a high tackle, so RGC were down on men and the score.

Kicks were being swapped in the hope of forcing a handling error and getting some good territory.

RGC were coping well, being a player down, with the scrum holding and the defence working hard.  Some quick offloads from Connor Dever, Delwyn Jones and Charlie Probert made a good attack

Pontypool had to cope with the kicking game from the Gogs, as RGC ensured the home side didn't claim any points during the 10 minutes of the yellow card.

James Brown returned to play, after a sinbin that definitely felt longer than the standard 10 minutes and more like 14 minutes.

As soon as it was equal playing numbers, Pooler extended the lead with a Keiran Meek penalty,

The ball was going aerial, as the conditions became wetter, but a errors from a kick out on the full, to a knock on cost the Gogs momentum.

The scrum started to stand strong, with Scott Bullock impressing in the front-row

RGC’s work rate didn't drop, and they were rewarded with a try after Dion Jones chased a kick to the line, forcing a lineout which resulted in a Daf Thirsk score. Billy McBryde added the extras.

A superb take from James Brown from the restart again put RGC straight onto the front foot.  Penalty was awarded to the Gogs and McBryde gave his side the lead.

The boot of Dion Jones and Ciao Parry were again pinning the homeside back time and time again.

RGC's lineout was firing well for 35 minutes, but would be disappointed with the final 5 minutes of the half, when crucially they had good territory but lost 3 lineouts.

The scrum was making a statement for RGC, and it continued early in the 2nd half.

With it being a tight score, discipline was always going to be key, especially around the breakdown.  RGC conceded 2 in quick succession, before Pooler's scrum-half knocked on when he was racing to the line.

They did get to the line, but were held up as RGC got hands and bodies between the ball and the whitewash.

In a game that was close, and every point proving crucial, McBryde tried from distance with a penalty, but the ball dropped short of the posts.

With 20 minutes remaining, Pooler emptied the bench with replacements, looking for that spark.

Yellow card Gareth Parry, and Meek hits the penalty for the first score of the 2nd half on on 65 minutes.

The lead was held for a minute before McBryde nudged RGC ahead again.

The game started to open with with some tired bodies, but it was RGC that were asking the questions. Dion Jones was managing to create some space with his quick feet and strong running.

Kicking was still the go-to for both sides, and after Caio Parry took the ball he was swarmed by a body of Pooler bodies and the penalty was awarded to the homesides.  Poolers' top point scorer Meek last season added to his stats with another 3 points.

A couple of knock-ons from RGC enabled the homeside to regain the ball, and slow the pace down in the last 10 minutes.

The Gogs scrum was having the upper hand, winning another penalty, but the lineout again didn't find RGC hands.

With the clock hitting 79 minutes, composure and belief were needed and again around the breakdown RGC worked hard and won the penalty.  For the lead, McBryde smashed it between the sticks with all eyes on the ball and for the first time, a silent Pontypool Park.

One last play was on the cards, and as the homeside got into the RGC half, they moved the ball, but a loose pass was claimed by the boot of Caio Parry, with the winger out sprinting everyone to grab the ball and touchdown at the posts.  McByde ended the game with the conversion.

Next Up - RGC v Llandovery, Saturday 27th September, 2.30pm at Stadiwm CSM

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