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Rumney
17 Ystrad Rhondda 26
Saturday’s victory at Riverside Park assured Ystrad
will be spending next season in Division One & further
cemented their status as the Rhondda’s Premier club.
In truth the result was in the balance until the last couple
of minutes, former Wales International Steve Ford’s
Rumney proving to be a tough nut to crack & the home
side held a slender 17-16 lead with less than ten minutes
left, but like the established Division One clubs such as
Newbridge & Caerphilly, Ystrad showed patience &
maturity which proved vital in the last quarter.
Both sets of forwards did a good job of disrupting each
other’s scrum ball in the opening exchanges &
after a couple of breaks by number eight Thomas Hetherington
& centre Dale Griffiths it was Ystrad’s discipline
which gave the home team the opportunity to gain the first
points, from a penalty on half way Rumney’s outside
half kicked for the corner & although flanker Nathan
Hughes claimed good ball at the lineout a misguided clearance
kick allowed Rumney space to launch an attack, in spite
of a fine tackle in midfield by Captain Chris Hanly quickly
recycled ball found Rumney with men over & scored under
the posts for a converted try.
The dry conditions suited the quick style of play both teams
like to implement, scrum half Mark Jones setting off on
a mazy run into midfield from a tap penalty, well timed
offloads to Hetherington & prop John Watkins meant Ystrad
were able to set up a ruck just under the Rumney posts,
though Wayne Jervis got held up just short from the next
phase the fly half presented the ball for Jones to find
full back Geraint Shalton who glided through two defenders
for a try.
The scrums settling down gave Ystrad the chance to use the
power of Hetherington off the base, with scrum half Jones
& flankers Nathan Hughes & Masin Al Azzawi in support
a try looked likely but the referee adjudged Hughes overhead
pass to Hetherinton with the line at their mercy to have
gone forward, pressure on the Rumney defensive scrum enabled
Masin to charge down the outside half’s kick &
touch down for his team’ second try.
A well struck Rhymney penalty in first half injury time
meant the sides were locked at 10-10 at the interval.
Jervis edged his team in front early in the second half
with a superbly struck penalty from just inside his own
half.
Rumney dug deep the previous week for their win versus Beddau
& looked to do the same against their Rhondda opponents
as, despite a great defensive effort on the Ystrad line,
where flanker Chris Bevan was instrumental, culminating
in turnover ball for the visitors, but from the ensuing
scrum a mix-up behind allowed Rumney’s left wing to
pounce on a loose ball for a try which would be converted.
Jervis kept the scoreboard ticking over with another penalty
& set up a nailbiting final ten minutes 17-16 behind
as solid centre Dale Griffiths left the field due to a gash
to his nose, replaced by Mr versatile Tom Hocking.
From the restart a great take by Captain Chris Hanly allowed
Jervis to punt the ball deep into Rumney territory &
a powerful Ystrad defensive scrum forced the home team to
ship poor ball into midfield from which the visitors turned
the ball over, a Bevan charge into the heart of Rumney’s
backline enabled Jervis to sit back in the pocket &
swift ball from Mark Jones resulted in Ystrad gaining a
17-19 lead courtesy of a well struck Jervis drop goal.
It was a case of “de-ja-vous” as a forward set
up from the restart saw Jervis send the ball almost to the
opposition goal line from inside his own twentytwo, a good
chase forcing Rumney’s full back to clear to touch.
A combination of hooker Carl Facey & lineout jumper
Nathan Hughes which worked well all afternoon saw Ystrad
embark on a forward drive where Bevan, Hanly & prop
Craig Griffiths were prominent & concluded with scrum
half Jones breaking blind & sending inspirational wing
Dean Jones over in the corner for a match winning try. Jervis
completed a fine afternoon with a conversion from the touchline.
This was another all round team effort & the win means
Ystrad will finish the season higher in the National leagues
than they have in their history.
This Saturday Ystrad are home against Merthyr kick
off 2.30
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