WRU Division 3 East

GWERNYFED 50 RTB EBBW VALE 7   

Gwernyfed delivered their fifth successive league victory to complete a nap hand and extend their lead at the top of the table. The Talgarth men were honoured by a visit from WRU President, Wales and Lions great, Terry Cobner. The green, white and blacks will be hoping for a return visit, as the rugby luminary watched Joe Winfield’s men deliver an eight try win over old friends and rivals RTB Ebbw Vale.

The game, a Youth XV fixture against Ebbw Vale RFC, resulting a narrow win for the visitors in a great game, and the sun conspired to produce packed touch lines and those attending weren’t disappointed. The two games served up some entertaining rugby, both excellently refereed, all contributing to a great day out.

On the senior pitch the green, white and blacks took the initiative from the kick off and with the forwards driving in and delivering quick ball, half backs Luke Eckley and Winfield had their threequarters sweeping right and left, a score denied only by some valiant defence. While a score from the backs was the bookies’ favourite, it was the pack that opened the floodgates. Winfield prodded a penalty into the corner, Cellan Skyrme’s long throw was plucked out of the air by Will Pugh and the eight propelled man of the match Geraint Powell over, Winfield adding the afters.

If the first try owed much to grunt, the second was an exemplar for guile and speed of foot and thought. From the restart Kyle Davies, Powell and Pugh made major headway down the middle. Flanker Pugh was stopped illegally arising from which Luke Eckley released the backs on the right, several forays near to the line, Powell prominent again, as was the case for Gethin Davies and Tom Lloyd, fell just short. Eckley switched play to the left and the speed of hands by Kyle Davies, Joe Winfield and then Rhodri Williams allied to Tyler Morris coming into the line at a great angle saw the full back over for a sumptuous try.

In rugby rarely does a side dominate throughout. That adage was rubber stamped when RTB scored courtesy of a mis-fielded up and under and then an uncharacteristic missed tackle. The seven points looked to bring the visitors back into the betting, but the green, white and blacks saw things differently.

After some toing and froing in midfield the play settled down into a concentrated offensive in the visitors’ 22. When the siege was lifted with a long clearance, the line out on the halfway line saw Powell and Rhodri Williams combine, the centre winding his way through the defence before finding Luke Eckley on his elbow. The scrum half had plenty to do, but evaded some sizeable defenders before plunging into the corner for a try that delighted the home support on hand.

With half time beckoning a line out on the visitors’ 22 offered the forwards a chance to add to the tally. Geraint Powell and the hugely impressive Prys Eckley went close, the defence transgressing by holding the ball in under the posts. With the ref’s arm outstretched, Luke Eckley passed back to Winfield who arrowed a pass a full thirty metres to Calum Ferguson, the right-winger going over unopposed to bring the first period’s entertainment to a close with Gwernyfed 22-7 ahead with a bonus point in the bag.

It was all Gwernyfed as the second period evolved, though for fifteen minutes the defence just about averted a landslide. With visiting legs tiring, the sight of Gwernyfed’s bench in the form of Lloyd and Tom Powell, Tom Millington, Tom Griffiths and Zack Snape did little to bolster optimism amongst the visiting support, indeed the new energy delivered an immediate dividend when Cellan Skyrme was marshalled over the line by a now dominant pack after yet another five metre line out. Tyler Morris added the first of four conversions in an excellent afternoon at full back and later fly half.

A rampant home side attacked from left and right, the defence only relieved by a penalty given for offside. The resultant line out on halfway was overthrown, scrum half Griffiths giving Lloyd Powell a run – what a sight for a tiring defence, the Hay man scattering defenders like ninepins in a thirty-metre run before passing to Tom Powell, returning to the Gwernyfed shirt after several seasons away, Powell unstoppable from twenty metres.

The seventh score was another beauty. After a strong run by Tom Millington was stopped just short and the follow up held over the line, the drop out was run straight back at the defence. From a ruck 22 metres out Kelly Davies and Geraint Powell combined to deliver to Tyler Morris whose silky pass to Gethin Davies screamed try. The big centre drew the defence en mass and proceeded to pass inside to fellow centre Rhodri Williams who could stroll over unattended with aplomb.

The final try was a triumph of raw power and speed. RTB won a line out on halfway which turned into a ruck. Will Pugh positioned himself perfectly to turn the ball over whereupon Tom Griffiths popped the ball up to Lloyd Powell. It was hardly a fair contest with the one man wrecking machine wreaking havoc with a tired defence, Powell touching down under the posts to allow Morris a simple opportunity to bring up the half century.

A great afternoon’s entertainment saw massed celebrations in the clubhouse and there is no doubt that this was an impressive win. However, regular watchers know that the green, white and blacks still have more in the tank. The next three weekends with away games in league and cup against tough opposition, the first New Panteg next Saturday, will show just how far Joe Winfield’s side can go.

Never one to be outdone, Ryan Davies delivered the next try in even more spectacular fashion, taking the ball from Gethin Davies on his own twenty-two metre line and proceeding to outpace the entire defence, touching down in the corner to the delight of the home supporters.

The Davies combination struck again after sixty-five minutes when Rhodri Williams fielded a long drop out deep into his own half and passed to Gethin Davies. The inevitable breach of the defensive line saw Davies making thirty metres and, when challenged, popping the ball up to Ryan Davies who taunted the defence with a swerving thirty metre run of his own before touching down.

The Davies combination struck again after sixty-five minutes when Rhodri Williams fielded a long drop out deep into his own half and passed to Gethin Davies. The inevitable breach of the defensive line saw Davies making thirty metres and, when challenged, popping the ball up to Ryan Davies who taunted the defence with a swerving thirty metre run of his own before touching down.

Llantrisant did reply with a penalty but that score was more than neutralised when a sloppy drop out by the tiring visitors was fielded on the left and moved across to right wing Will Lloyd who looked favourite to score until stopped close in, the Clyro man having the presence of mind to offload to Rhodri Williams who needed no second invitation to score Gwernyfed’s fourth.

To their credit Llantrisant moved quickly in the hope of retrieving their position and scored a spectacular try from the half way line. However, that work was undone when, from the restart, Gethin Davies tackled the ball receiver, dislodged the ball and followed though to hack on before touching down to allow skipper Winfield the easiest of kicks to bring the entertainment to an end.

Next weekend sees both Winfield’s side and Jamie Coles’s Athletic team travel to Machen to meet their respective league rivals. If this performance is anything to go by, the Caerphilly men will anticipate a tough game, though coaches Thomas, Phillips, Tomi and Matthew Lewis will be making certain that the Gwernyfed men take absolutely nothing for granted.