Great entertainment in mid-week fixture at Parc Eirias as RGC prove too strong for invitation side
The decent-sized crowd which made their way to Eirias Parc were rewarded by witnessing an excellent game between two sides determined to treat this game as a serious fixture and not just a mid-week runout.
After the early exchanges, it was the President's XV who took the lead through a Matt Parry penalty after six minutes, well deserved after some early pressure.
Although having little possession in the first quarter, it was the RGC team who looked to have the cutting edge as slick passing enabled them to find some gaps and on the 8th minute of play Richard Hopkins scored the first of his three tries for RGC after some weak tackling allowed him to touch down.
Ten minutes later, RGC centre Harry Evans crossed for a try after some good work in midfield. The President's XV, although playing with the wind and enjoying a lot of possession in the RGC half, just couldn't get the breakthrough and after 27 minutes of play, a breakout from RGC and a speculative kick ahead, bounced right in to the hands of number seven Tom Parry who crossed close to the posts, enabling Afon Bagshaw to convert and give a commanding lead of 3-17.
It took a moment of sheer brilliance for the President's XV to get back in to the game when the centre partnership of brothers Dafydd and Barry Roberts combined with some sublime passing to allow Dafydd to score under the posts, converted to give a 10-17 scoreline.
With half-time approaching RGC cut loose with a great try from Ben Stelmaszek after 36 minutes and just on the stroke of half-time centre Mike Jones crossed for a try. Both were unconverted and gave a half-time scoreline of 27-10 to RGC.
Any thoughts that the RGC team had that the second half was a formality were soon dispelled as the invitation side fought like demons to prevent RGC going further ahead. The RGC pack were starting to gain superiority in the scrums but in the loose the President's XV were spoiling everything. Such was the tension, it took some strong refereeing from Ieuan Williams to keep the lid on the boiling pot as tempers frayed.
With no score at the mid-way point of the second half it was time to bring on the substitutes and the RGC team took full advantage as winger Richard Hopkins sneaked in for his second try as the new faces in the President's XV looked to settle and take the score to 32-10.
In all fairness to the 'visitors', they certainly weren't ready to throw in the towel and after a lot of phases near the RGC line, centre Barry Roberts evaded a couple of tackles to touch down under the posts, Luke Parry converting to make it 32-17.
RGC weathered the storm and prevented a fightback with some great tackling and on 30 minutes of the half they put the result beyond doubt as Richard Hopkins, from a quick tap penalty with the ball passing along the line, was given the task of touching down for his hat-trick of tries. Afon Bagshaw converted to bring the score to 39-17.
The last ten minutes was played out with most of the action near the centre of the pitch and when excellent referee Ieuan Williams blew the final whistle you felt the result was about right.
Full credit must be given to the President's XV who only had a quick session together before kick-off but played some excellent rugby which brought out the best in the RGC to prevent the scoreline being closer. Alwyn Bevan will have been proud of the performance of his team as they helped to turn this encounter in to an enjoyable evening for those present.
For RGC, it was a good workout and Chris Horsman and his team will have learnt some more about his squad before they enter life in the WRU league structure next season.
With fifty or so of the best players in North Wales on view, it was encouraging to see the strength in depth that the region has and, provided the clubs give their full support to Chris and his team, as they say, 'the future is bright'.
There are no events to show yet.