RGC returned to winning ways at Eirias with a 36-10 victory over Tata Steel. Report by Scott Lawson, RGC News.
RGC returned to winning ways at Eirias with a 36-10 victory over Tata Steel. It wasn’t a classic RGC performance but they put in a couple of spells in both halves to run in 6 tries for the bonus point win.
Tata had the chance to open the scoring in the opening minutes but they missed the penalty kicking into the wind.
The Gogs began to go through the phases as they edged towards the Tata Steel line, and it wasn’t long before they picked up the first try when Harri Evans spotted the gap to dart over the line. James Lang added the extras.
Tiaan Loots was causing problems on the wing as he made a couple of powerful runs down the line as the homeside pushed for another score. Loots did cross the whitewash only for the referee to bring the play back for an RGC penalty to the confusion of the home crowd.
RGC were doing all the right things, moving through the phases and building the opportunities pinning the visitors onto their own line for a spell. The pack were trying to power over and it was from a driving maul that the try came, with skipper Kelvin Davies getting score. Langs boot extended the lead.
It is fair to say RGC failed to do much more in the first half after those 2 tries and a number of errors and discipline issues brought Tata Steel back into the game. The visitors started to gain territory and the confidence in the passing lead to a number of breaking runs through the defence. RGC were getting punished in the breakdown and when they had opportunities to keep the ball more often than not it was lost.
Tata Steel drove the pack over for the try by Stuart Edbrook, and the crowd were beginning to get restless as the flow of the game changed. To make matters worse Afon Bagshaw was yellow carded for a late tackle and as the game headed towards half time Tata Steel had the possession, territory and a man advantage.
They failed to capitalise on that advantage by missing a penalty before the footwork of Harri Evans gave the Gogs some rest bite as the centre made a break down the field.
Whatever was said at half-time by Phil Davies it certainly worked with the homeside scoring 2 quick tries. It was the power of Kelvin Davies that bagged both scores, to make it a hatrick for the inspirational captain.
RGC were in full swing with some big runs and quick breaks, Richard Hopkins had a chance to score but he couldn’t collect a Loots pass.
The forwards were giving the pacey backline a platform to do some damage and when the ball was worked from right to left Tiaan Loots darted over in the corner. Lang kicked his 3rd conversion.
Lewis Barker and Afon Bagshaw then made a big break from their own half and when the ball was fed to Loots the winger had the pace and power to hand-off the tackle to claim his 2nd try.
Much like the first half RGC began to force the play too much and play the ball in the wrong places, which took the edge off the intensity and the game became scrappy again. The passes stopped going to hand, and chances were spurned as the match went on.
Substitute Tim Grey was given a yellow not long after coming on, and that plus a bit of tiredness gave Rory Morgan the try late on for Tata Steel.
The scoreboard showed 6 tries and a bonus point win for RGC, but the performance perhaps didn’t quite reach the standard expected of the players these days. That said it was the first game back after the International break and the team have 6 more games in the season run in. As the clocks Spring forward RGC now look to do the same next week at Bridgend Athletic.
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