Two match reports from this exciting North Wales Cup quarter final game played on Thursday night.
Following report kindly supplied by Ruthin RFC.
The North Wales Cup quarter final between Rhuthun and Nant Conwy was played out on a firm, heavy pitch on a still cold night at Cae Ddol.
Early pressure came from the visitors who showed off their quick running backs and good offloads from the start and went ahead after 10 minutes with a penalty goal from Delwyn Jones.
Almost immediately the Blues countered with a fine try by wing Sion Roberts which was not converted.
A good passage of play followed with Ruthin probing at Nant’s defence and equalling the visitors in forwards play with neither side gaining much advantage from the scrum.
Nant were always dangerous on the break and after they broke into Ruthin’s half attempted a penalty goal but the ball bounced off the upright.
A further period of Ruthin attack followed but Nant’s defence held and after an interception around the half way line the visitors broke into the Blues half and Robin Glyn went over for a try which Jones converted.
The Blues tried to reduce the arrears but missed a penalty goal and at the break Nant were 10-5 ahead.
At the start of the 2nd half Nant were down to 14 men after a yellow card but Ruthin were unable to capitalise and Nant had most of the possession and missed the opportunity to go further ahead with failed penalty goal attempt.
Neither side were making much headway in the heavy conditions, Ruthin’s scrum had lost its competitiveness and they began to concede more penalties.
After the Blues went down to 14 men Jones kicked a penalty goal for Nant putting them 13-5 ahead.
The game remained tight with neither side taking complete control and there was no further score when the whistle blew for full time. Nant’s organisation and clinical execution clinched their semi-final place.
Following report kindly supplied by Nant Conwy RFC.
Clwb Rygbi Nant Conwy
Iau / Thursday 11.02.2016 Rhuthun – 5 v NANT CONWY –13
Cwpan Hŷn Gogledd Cymru / North Wales Senior Cup
Sgorwyr NANT CONWY scorers:
Cais / Try: ROBIN GLYN
Trosi / Conversion: DELWYN JONES[1]
Cosb / Penalties: DELWYN JONES [2]
Sgoriwr Rhuthun scorer:
Cais / Try: SION ROBERTS
Ar noson braf ar faes cymharol drwm, gwelwyd gornest rhwng enillwyr y Gwpan tros y ddwy flynedd diwethaf.
Dechreuodd y tîm cartref yn gryf gan basio’n gyflym i’w gilydd ond bu iddynt droseddu mewn un symudiad. Llithrodd yr ymgais am gic gosb heibio’r pyst. Ond, wedi 10 munud, holltwyd y pyst gan Delwyn Jones gyda chic gosb arall. O’r ail ddechrau, gwelwyd symudiad gorau’r gêm o safbwynt Rhuthun pan enillwyd y bêl, pasio hyfryd ar hyd y linell gefnwyr gyda’r asgellwr, Sion Roberts [11] yn creu cylch i sgorio cais yn y gornel dde.
Aflwyddiannus fu’r ymdrech i ychwanegu deubwynt. Wedi 20 munud, trosedd arall gan Rhuthun ar tro hwn bu i’r bêl fownsio’n ôl oddiar y postyn a’r sgôr felly’n aros yn 5 – 3. Parhaodd Nant Conwy i amddiffyn ac i ennill tir yn araf. Wedi 36 munud, gwelwyd cais y gêm wrth i’r prop pen tynn, Robin Glyn, godi’r bêl tua 24 metr o’r pyst; ochrgamu dwy dacl a llwyddo i ruthro i sgorio cais dan y pyst serch fod cefnogwyr Nant yn gweiddi arno i basio!. Troswyd y cais gan Delwyn i roi sgôr o 5 -10 ar yr hanner.
Rhoddwyd cerdyn melyn yr un i chwaraewr o bob ochr yn yr ail hanner am droseddau technegol. Gwelwyd llawer gwell chware gan Nant Conwy yn yr ail hanner gyda chwaraewyr y tîm cartref yn mynd yn fwyfwy rhwystredig fel yr ai’r gêm yn ei blaen. Serch cicio sawl cic gosb am leoliad, ni lwyddodd Nant i sgorio cais arall. Wedi 30 munud, penderfynwyd ymdrechu am y pyst gyda chic gosb a llwyddodd Delwyn unwaith eto i roi sgôr o 5 – 13 a drodd allan i fod yn sgôr derfynol.
Anfonir cofion cynhesaf Nant Conwy at Ifan Jones [9] a dorrodd asgwrn yn ei ysgwydd yn eiliadau olaf y gêm. Nant, felly, yn symud ymlaen i rownd gyn-derfynol y tlws gyda gêm gartref yn erbyn naill ai Dolgellau neu Bethesda ar ddyddiad i’w benderfynu.
On a lovely evening on a fairly heavy pitch, an exciting match was evident between the winners of this trophy over the last two seasons.
The home side began strongly with quick passing movements but this led to an early infringement. Unfortunately, the attempt for the three points sailed passed the posts. But, after 10 minutes play, Delwyn Jones was successful with another penalty attempt to give the visitors the lead.
From the re-start, Ruthin managed to collect a loose ball and there followed the best move of the night from the home side’s perspective. A flowing move along the back line between the backs ended with Sion Roberts [11] looping to touch down in the right hand corner. The conversion attempt failed. After 20 minutes, another attempt at place kicking on the soggy surface hit the post and was cleared by the home defence.
Slowly but surely, Nant overcame their early indecisiveness and gathered some momentum. After 36 minutes play, the try of the evening was seen when tight head prop, Robin Glyn gathered the ball just outside the home ‘22’, side stepped two attempted tackles and sprinted successfully to the line to score underneath the posts despite the visiting supporters urging him to pass the ball! Delwyn was successful in adding the two points to give a 5 – 10 score line at the break.
A yellow card was issued to a plyer from both sides early in the second half for technical offences. But, Nant played much better during this second period with the home players becoming more and more frustrated as the match wore on.
Several penalty attempts at gaining distance did not lead to any further tries and the next, and last score of the evening, arrived after 30 minutes when Delwyn again was successful in splitting the posts with a penalty place kick. The score of 5 – 13 turned out to be the final score of the match.
All involved with Nant Conwy were sickened to realise that Scrum Half, Ifan Jones, appeared to fracture his collar bone just a few seconds before the end of the match and the very best wishes are extended to him on a quick and full recovery.
Thus, Nant will now move forward to the semi final stage of the competition where a home match against either Dolgellau or Bethesda awaits them on a date that is to be agreed.
Ifor Glyn
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