Some great match reports for games played by the clubs of North and Mid Wales.
If you would like your report to be added to this round-up, please email the details to gwcymru1@aol.com - many thanks
RGC 57 v Tata Steel 0
Following report kindly supplied by RGC News.
RGC put in one a complete performance in beating Tata Steel 57-Nil at Eirias. Eight tries from eight players, 4 tries and the bonus point after 26 minutes made it six wins in a row for the Gogs.
The pressure was piled on the visitors straight from the kick off, and the forwards were working hard to drive the home side forward. James Lang got the opening points with a penalty, but it didn’t come as a shock when the first try arrived from a driving maul with Mei Parry coming up with the ball. Lang hit the conversion.
The forwards had their tales up, and they had a platform to build from the line-outs, and from a through the ball was spun to Danny Cross to go over.
RGC were beginning to get into an attacking groove, and the backline were certainly on a mission to break with pace and power. Cam Davies jinked past a tackle before getting try number three.
Tata Steel had a penalty attempt from the halfway line but it dropped short, and to be honest that was the only attacking note of worth in the first half.
As the clock reached 26 minutes RGC claimed the bonus point with a classy try. Full back Rhun Williams picked up the ball and powered up the pitch before passing to Lang to do more damage and the fly-half gave the ball to Josh Leach who ran in for the points. Lang converted.
Coach Leach found himself playing at centre today, and it was clear his experience and voice helped the younger players around him.
RGC have started games well on recent weeks at home, but the second half performances have not reached the same heights, so the crowd were looking for more tries.
The Eirias support was not disappointed with 4 tries. Evan Yardley spotted a gap and burst through to score with the extras from Lang.
Next up was Joe Simpson after a dynamic break from Rhun Williams, the RGC prop Simpson ran dashed away from the tackles to dive in behind the posts.
With all the plaudits going to the attacking play of RGC, it should be noted that defensively they impressed. Tata Steel’s options in attack were limited due to the pressure put on them when they had the ball. The visitor’s only option was to kick for territory but Williams, Cross and Lang all attacked with power and pace when they collected the ball from the air.
The tries kept on coming as the home side exposed gaps in the Tata Steel defence from all parts of the field. Lang and Williams both got on the board with conversions from Danny Cross and Cam Davies.
Pwllheli 56 v Dolgellau 8
Following report kindly supplied by Dolgellau RFC.
Champions Pwllheli piled on the agony on a spirited Dolgellau during a dominant second period,where they ran in five tries in the last five minutes to put a lop sided look to the final score.
But Pwllheli were good value for their victory today.
In an evenly contested first period Pwllheli went ahead after eight minutes play with a penalty to wing Osian P Jones. Jones was then caught in an offside position to allow Dolgellau skipper, Gerwyn Thomas to level the scores with a penalty. However straight from the re-start, home scrum half, Robin Hughes Jones was alert to spot a gap down the Dolgellau right touchline to sprint home. Jones added the conversion to make the score 10-3.
On the half hour mark the Dolgellau defence were caught off-guard for stand-off Nick Butterworth to release Centre Deio Brunelli in for their second try to make it 15-3. Dolgellau were enjoying plenty of possession and territory, their reward eventually coming with five minutes of the half remaining after probing runs from no.8 Dylan Llewelyn and centre Jac Roberts, prop Greg Smithies was hauled down on the line, but the momentum allowed centre Dan Brazier in for the try. The match still very much alive and in the balance at 15-8.
However, once again Dolgellau made a mess of fielding the re-start allowing Pwllheli wing Arwel Thomas the room to sprint home. Osian Jones added the extra points giving his side a 22-8 advantage at the break.
Dolgellau needed to score first in the opening exchanges of the second half, but the Lleyn side's forwards were unstoppable in a driving maul seven minutes in, the referee finally awarding them a penalty try, which Jones converted. 29-8.
To be fair Dolgellau dominated the next quarter, and wing Rob Pugh and centre Brazier almost crossed. However they could not break through a cast iron home defence, and when Pwllheli full -back, Danial Glyn Williams found space down their right side with ten minutes remaining to score their fifth try, Dolgellau's ressistance finally broke.
The home side crossed for four further tries to, wing Osian P Jones, Danial Glyn Williams with his second, Jones again with his second, and finally to Scrum half, Robin Hughes Jones with his second of the match, all scored in the right corner. Jones was only succesfull with one further conversion to end the scoring for the afternoon.
Ruthin 12 v Caernarfon 13
Following report kindly supplied by Ruthin RFC.
When Coffi’s wing Iolo Hughes jigged past three sleeping Ruthin players to score a converted try just 2 minutes into the game little did the Blues know how important that score was going to be.
After that try Ruthin woke up and within 10 minutes had reduced the gap with an unconverted try from No 8 Chris Davies.
Although an open game with good flowing rugby from both sides defences were dominating.
After a period of Ruthin pressure with no reward the visitors broke out of defence and back in the home side’s 22 won a penalty which Aled Jones slotted over widening the gap to 10-5 to Caernarfon.
The Blues were soon back in the visitors half and after some good pressure drove over for a second try from Davies converted by scrum half Deian Lloyd Williams.
In the closing minutes of the first half Caernarfon missed a penalty goal attempt and the Blues got over the Coffi’s try line but the ball was judged not to have been grounded and the sides went in with Ruthin 12-10 ahead.
For the first 25 minutes of the second half the play was all in the Blues half as Caernarfon tried to regain the lead and Ruthin did well to withstand a thrusting Caernarfon attack.
Eventually they conceded a penalty on their 10 yard line which moved up to a very kickable penalty on the Blues 22 after some dissent. Jones kicked the penalty goal and the Coffis were back in the lead by 1 point.
It was now the Blues who turned on the pressure but despite some great play in the last 15 minutes they couldn’t get past a worthy Caernarfon defence and the game ended with the visitors winning 13-12.
Abergele 13 v Nant Conwy 21
Following report kindly supplied by Abergele RFC.
In an afternoon of contrasts, Gele gave a warm welcome to their valley neighbours, Nant in what was the most wintery afternoon of the season so far. After a compelling contest where Gele had the best of the territory and possession, Nant's guile and experience in closing a game off were ultimately the decider.
Division 1 stalwarts Nant brought a strong squad as well as a crowd of friendly and familiar faces to a game Pentre Mawr has been looking forward to for a long time.
With a number of players missing, Gele's starting line up contained some names looking to prove a point to the coaches and to a man they didn't disappoint.
Gele's set piece was strong; the pack out scrummaged the visitors all afternoon and on a day where the conditions were a neutraliser, Gareth Beach and Jordan Grimshaw made sure that the line outs made a mockery of the biting wind.
Gele opened the scoring with and excellent strike from Owain Davies from half way following a break down sleight from the Nant back row. The break down was a compelling contest all afternoon and most decisions around the tackle area were borderline but in the main, excellently refereed.
The hosts extended their lead with another fine Davies strike before Nant reduced the arrears with a penalty of their own.
The Visitors then added a five point score after a series of rumbles finally pierced the Gele stubborn defence.
The score galvanised the Swordsmen who ended the half camped deep in the Nant twenty two. The visitors seemed almost obsessed with testing the patience of the referee by continually infringing at the breakdown and eventually paid the ultimate penalty by seeing one of the front row earning a ten minute sabbatical. Having not learned their lesson, the referee had no option but to award a penalty try following a series of scrum offences. Davies improved the score, suddenly Gele had the advantage and you could see the belief increasing.
In a game of narrow margins, genius and despair are often closer than you think. The game turned on the interpretation of an often controversially ruled law. Nant worked a line out and as the jumper returned to earth, the Gele defenders backed off to create the offside line. Although it appeared that the ball had been transferred back, the ultimate decision maker disagreed. It was a brave call by Gele but it ultimately backfired. It was a game changer.
Two further penalties from Nant pushed the score away from a brave Gele who couldn't even save the losing bonus point.
The contest was compelling and although no consolation, Gele continue to prove that they are worthy company of arguably North Wales' best club.
Flint 14 v Colwyn Bay 38
Following report kindly supplied by Colwyn Bay RFC.
Colwyn Bay recorded their seventh win out of seven in their Division 2 campaign on Saturday.
Undefeated Bay started with confidence in a game of two half's, scoring all their points before the break. In the ninth minute center Dan Parry scored first. With quality ball won thirty meters out Mike Harrison, playing at number 10, picked out Parry perfectly.
Without breaking stride Parry took the ball at pace & with some excellent foot work caught one and then another defender flat footed before crossing the line. Captain Ben Evans taking over the kicking duties for the day failing with his first attempt.
The stiff offshore wind restricted play for both sides but the effect was more pronounced for the home side who struggled to gain much territorial advantage with clearance kicks held short or blown into touch with little gain. Thus Bay were able to capitalise & keep Flint pinned in their own half for long periods.
Bay's handling was excellent at times considering the conditions and it was a cheeky offload from Captain Evans and a good support line from Dewi Hughes which allowed the hooker to beat the defence and run into open space to score the second on 17 minutes. Evans converted.
The third came from Harrison who attacked a gap created by a dog-leg from thirty meters out to go all the way. 2 from 3 for Evans.
Not everything went the visitors way in the first half and Flint had a numbers of sorties into opposition territory but on once such foray turnover ball was quickly transferred to the Bay's left winger Adam
Lowndes who hit top gear to get beyond any defenders. The chase was on but Lowndes was to quick.
Evans again succeeding with the conversion, 0-26, just after the half hour.
Two further tries followed before the half time whistle. Liam Harvey in his first start played well at full back and unfortunately suffered a suspected concussion to be replaced but not before finishing off a good team try by squeezing over and diving expertly in the corner.
The final points for Colwyn Bay came on the cusp of half time, from open-side Lloyd Jones, the successful conversion by Evans giving him 4 from 6 and the visitors a 0 points to 38 lead.
The second half was a different story although during much of the second half the visitors continued to have much of the possession and territorial advantage there was no opportunity to increase the score as time and again possession was given up before the real pressure could be applied.
Keeping the visitors at Bay, with some resolute defending, allowed Flint to build confidence and an ascendancy in the scrum. This they converted into pressure and ultimately points. Flint finished the game the stronger scoring two converted tries on 71 and 74 minutes.
Whilst Flint will take heart from the way they finished the game Colwyn Bay will be disappointed not to have extended their first half lead and that fact will highlight the need not to be complacent but the winning bonus point and extended unbeaten league run will nevertheless be pleasing.
Llanidloes 12 v Denbigh 13
Following report kindly supplied by Denbigh RFC.
In a game which could have gone either way Dinbych deserved their victory by the narrowest of margins to extend their successes on the road to six successive wins in league and cup encounters.
Dinbych dominated both territory and possession for the first half hour but only had a single Dan O’Sullivan penalty to show for their efforts. Llanidloes came back strongly at the end of the half to snatch the lead with an injury time try but Dinbych regained the lead immediately following the break and then shut out the hosts for most of the remainder of the match with an impressive defensive display.
After dominating for the first quarter of an hour Dinbych took the lead in the seventeenth minute with a penalty from 21 metres by outside half Dan O’Sullivan.
Dinbych controlled the game through the sterling work of the forwards with good possession from a solid scrum and especially from lock Adam Butler at the lineout . They also had the better of the battle at the breakdown where the hosts also yielded a string of penalties which killed their momentum and gave Dan O’Sullivan the opportunity to punish them with raking touch finders. Dinbych continued to dominate until the half hour mark when Llanidloes ventured into the visitors 22 to exert pressure for the first time.
The Dinbych defence held firm until the last minute of injury time when Llanidloes took the lead when prop Rhys Owen went over for a try following a short range maul with outside half Adam Price converting with a well judged kick.
Trailing by seven points to three at the interval Dinbych replied to regain the lead in the first minute of the second half when man of the match flanker Dafydd Evans made a searing forty metre break from the Dinbych 22 and giving an outrageous dummy on the way to fox defenders before releasing rapidly supporting centre Kieran Bonner on a run to score under the posts leaving an easy conversion for Dan O’Sullivan.
Llanidloes were coming more into the match pressing Dinbych deep into their 22 where their desperate defence culminated with lock Max Sharples being sin binned for slowing down possession just short of the line.
Although Llanidloes failed to benefit from this immediately as they spurned a kick for goal in an attempt to use their forwards in going for a try they did eventually take the lead after a long period of pressure close to the line. After failing to breach the watertight Dinbych defence a neat chip into the corner was fielded by full back Carwyn Jones who despite being under severe pressure from Dinbych defenders managed to touch down for an unconverted try to regain the lead for Llanidloes.
With Dinbych back again to full strength Llanidloes then undid their previous good work five minutes later by giving away yet another penalty which Dan O’Sullivan slotted over from twenty five metres out in front of the posts to regain the lead with ten minutes remaining.
Good work by the forwards and their continuing excellent overall defence ensured that there was no opportunity for a fight back by the hosts in the closing minutes.
Bro Ffestiniog 42 v Wrexham 3
Following report kindly supplied by Bro Ffestiniog RFC.
On a bitterly cold afternoon at Cae Dolawel Bro Ffestiniog were in fine form against a spirited Wrexham side and even gained a confident bonus point by half time. The hosts scoring six unanswered tries including another hat trick for flanker Marc Morris and a 100% conversion rate from the boots of fly half Daniel McCormick while the visitors only managed a solitary penalty.
Bro roared out of the blocks and the game's opening try came after only three minutes, Wrexham were penalised for not binding in a scrum and Bro kicked for touch. From the 5 meter lineout the forwards drove Morris over the try line McCormick adding the conversion.
The hosts should have scored almost immediately from the re-start, a deft chip over the oncoming defence by McCormick to left wing Iwan Cynfal but the awkward bounce took the ball out of his grasp.
Bro dominated in the scrums and soon won against the head, the ball was spread out to right wing Rhodri Williams a strong run through would be tacklers took him deep into the visitor's 22 before offloading to Cynfal who side stepped a defender and crashed over to claim his first try for the senior side. McCormick converted.
Cynfal then burst onto a poor clearance kick by Wrexham and good support play by forwards Dylan Daniels and Gethin Jones culminated with Morris claiming his second try as he strolled over unopposed McCormick adding the extras.
Wrexham started to gain some momentum and put a few moves together and were awarded a penalty which they kicked for touch, a clean ball off the top was quickly spread out through the backs one way then the other but the chance was quelled by Bro's excellent defence.
On 34 minutes Bro secured the bonus point through Osian Jones, the young lock started the move from the visitors 10 meter line and three phases later finished it off in style by crashing over with two defenders in tow, McCormick once more splitting the posts.
Wrexham's only points of the match came just before half time through a penalty from scrum half Gavin Jones.
The referee blew for half time with Bro having a comfortable 25 point lead in a half they had dominated and had been clinical in attack and solid in defence.
The second half was not so entertaining both sides being penalised to many times, Bro's penalty count much higher than Wrexham's and with respect a better team would have punished Bro. There were too many stoppages so the half was not allowed to flow naturally.
Bro were penalised for offside and the visitors once more kicked for touch, the lineout created a platform for the forwards to drive towards the try line. Wrexham went through the phases and went very close but Bro once again soaked up the pressure before winning turnover ball and clearing.
The visitors were awarded another penalty on Bro's 10 metre line which was taken quickly by Jack Ratcliffe, the big right wing spotted an opening and was only stopped by a try saving tackle by Rhodri Williams who bundled him into touch 2 meters from the try line.
This boost gave Wrexham some confident as they won the ensuing lineout the ball was spread out quickly to the backs but for a forward pass and the chance wasted.
Fifteen minutes into the second period Bro were awarded a penalty for a late tackle on McCormick, once more he kicked for touch. The pack's catch and drive took them close but this time Wrexham defended well won turnover ball and cleared.
Pressure by Bro full back Mathew Hayden on his opposing full back gained Bro an attacking scrum 5. The hosts went through the phases but the clinical finishing of the first half had somehow disappeared and Wrexham cleared once more.
After a couple of injuries and tactical substitutions Bro's flanker Morris was by now playing in the backs - with the good looking boys - at outside centre, a move started by a strong run from Cynfal to inside centre Steve Price who created an overlap for Morris to score his third and claim another hat trick this season McCormick again converting.
Wrexham hit back soon after in a well constructed move - but a poor kick ahead went over the dead ball line and yet another chance squandered.
The final try of the match came from a lineout on Wrexham's 22, quick ball off the top out to the backs was recycled and spread back towards the forwards. number 8 Dewi James exploited a scattered defence to cross over for a try converted by McCormick which went over with a little help from the post.
A fine display by Bro who were seldom troubled by the visitors - head coach Edwyn Roberts while very pleased with the result and excellent defensive work was slightly frustrated by the lack of progress during the second half which led to too many errors and penalties.
Next Saturday Bro are away at Machynlleth while Wrexham entertain Fflint - kick off 2.30pm.
Denbigh 2nds 15 v Bala 2nds 25
Following report kindly supplied by Bala RFC.
Bala 2nds beat a spirited Denbigh 2nds 15-25 in a hard fought game away from home.
This was Bala’s first game in four weeks and they looked very rusty to begin with. After twenty minutes of scrappy play in the middle of the pitch, fullback Liam Anderson caught a loose Denbigh clearance on the half way line and evaded four tackers to dance his way under the posts for the first score of the game. This proved to be the catalyst that sparked the Bala team into life and they went on to score two more tries before half time.
Bala’s second try was set up following a fine break in the Denbigh 22 by opened flanker Iwan Morris and finished by clinical outside centre Sam Carey. Bala’s new prop, James Saddler, carried well and made a bullocking thirty yard break deep into the Denbigh half. Iwan Morris was everywhere today and he popped up to score the third try when slippery scrum half Dei Bach caught Denbigh napping with a quick tap from five yards out.
Strict refereeing prevented either team establishing any momentum and the game was very stop and start.
Denbigh seemed to be dead and buried when they went into the interval 3-19 behind.
Playing down the steep slope, Denbigh fought back bravely in the second half to close the gap to seven points with just ten minutes to go. The Bala players put their bodies on the line to keep Denbigh out. Dafydd Jones ran the length of the pitch to put in a try saving tackle on the Denbigh winger and Dei Bach knocked himself out stopping a prop twice his size crossing the try line.
Substitute back row Alun Morris was psyched up to the eye balls in his first game for the club in five years and he smashed a Denbigh player so hard in his first tackle that the referee sent him off for ten minutes to cool down. He went on to make in the region of fifty tackles in the two minutes he had on the pitch before the final whistle sounded!
A special mention must go to veteran prop Iwan Rowlands, who answered a last minute call of duty to come out of his twenty year retirement and provide front row cover. He arrived in Denbigh as prop James Saddler sustained a dead leg and he went straight on the pitch with no warm up to win a penalty at a five yard scrum, allowing Bala to escape from their own half. Fly half Huw John had been kicking superbly all day and slotted a long range penalty in the last minute to put the game beyond doubt for Bala.
Bala are tied at second place with Mold and need a strong finish to the year to guarantee the top three spot required to gain promotion into the second team ‘Premiership’. Next Saturday they play Ruthin at home, 2.30pm KO.
There are no events to show yet.