Saturday the 11th of August saw both RGC 1404 age grade teams in their first pre-season games.
The U18s played COBRA Youth in Meifod on an excellent day for rugby. It was a useful exercise for both teams looking for an early season run out to assess how their respective pre-seasons were progressing. The match was a good contest with both teams working hard. RGC used a big squad on the day with 32 players getting the opportunity to show the coaches the improvements they've made in the pre-season.
The match took a while to get going before opening up with a score from RGC's Rhodri Mayor, set up with some good passing from Toby Twigg, a second score was added from Cameron Hughes, taking a half gap form 10m out and striding over the line.
COBRA then stepped up a gear pressurizing the RGC side through the remainder of the period and continuing their good work from the kick off before RGC took an opportunity from half way to break, and showed some nice interplay which ended in Huw Owens touching down in the corner. The next score came from a break finished by Harri Edwards before RGC added to their tally with some neat back line play from a scrum 10m out, finished by Tom Astbury. The next score from RGC came from a neat break from Edwards, before some good support play from Astbury which finished in him crossing under the posts.
COBRA then found the RGC defence wanting, and following some well sustained pressure of their own crashed over under the posts for a score. RGC rounded out the match with Twigg finishing under the posts after a powerful run down the sideline. Final score 7 - 47.
Management and Coaches were keen to thank COBRA for the welcome and the competitive game.
The U16s took on a huge challenge travelling to Wakefield to pay Leeds Carnegie U16s. Both teams had a clear ambition to play with the ball in hand and keep the ball in play as high as possible. From the kick-off RGC U16s showed their intent to play from every part of the pitch, running from their own 22 going through multiple phases and getting down into the opposition 22. However a mistake in the final part of the pitch led to a turnover and Leeds showed how strong they were with a great break, which led to the first try, scored by Leeds. However the next try was scored by the RGC U16s fullback Ryan Pyke showing great pace to score a 50m try.
Again from the kick off it was the young gogs who showed the intent to run the ball and play with ball in hand at every opportunity with Rhys Tudor scoring a fine try after a number of quality passes. This set the scene for the 1st half with both teams playing running rugby and scoring tit for tat trys. This left the half time score at 21-19 to Leeds.
The U16s had taken their whole squad to Leeds so made numerous changes in the second half so that everyone could get their opportunity to show what they could do. However Leeds came out in the second half with a renewed vigor in the contact area and made some key changes in the backline. Leeds dominated the second half with the final score being 73-19 to Leeds. However, to be fair the young men from North Wales, they never stopped playing with the ambition to keep the ball in hand.
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