Feisty Festive Fare

Pontypool’s last game of 2018 required the short hop over to Newbridge. Local derbies between the two teams over the years have always been keenly contested affairs which have left a scar or two on players from both teams. Although Newbridge occupy a fairly lowly position in the Championship while Pooler sit proudly at the top, we were not expecting anything other than a tough examination of the away side’s credentials.

It was a mild, still afternoon and, although the pitch was quite muddy, conditions were well suited to open attacking rugby. Newbridge kicked off and it was clear right from the outset that both sides meant business as the packs locked horns. Pontypool suffered an early setback when a few choice words to the referee from Jeune following a penalty awarded to the home team at a scrum led to a yellow card. Newbridge sensed an opportunity and attacked with purpose. An excellent run by centre McGovern almost led to a try and Pooler seemed to be momentarily on the ropes. They are made of stern stuff these days however and an impressive defensive stint enabled them to work their way into the Newbridge half. A powerful run by Sparks got Pooler well over the gain line and some good handling by the backs ably assisted by flanker Matthews put Prothero over for a try in the right corner. Meek converted and Pooler were up and running at 0-7 as the first quarter came to an end.

This was a tough match for the referee to manage with a lot happening off the ball and frequent bouts of fisticuffs as both packs vied for ascendancy. The scrums were a real mess with frequent resets as they collapsed time after time. The crowd became restless as they were often baffled by the refereeing decisions and, for a time, there really did not seem to be much danger of any rugby breaking out. Pontypool had the answer for that - a strong driving lineout saw scrum half Luckwell score and this was closely followed by another strong surge by the Pooler pack that saw Drake touch down. The second try was converted by Meek and Pooler had stamped their authority on the match with a 0-19 lead.

Newbridge were stung into action and attacked strongly as the first half came to a close. They had a series of lineouts close to the Pontypool line but the away side managed to disrupt them. The referee ruled that the disruption was illegal and the repeated offending led to Sparks receiving a yellow card. Even with fourteen men Pontypool managed to hold out and hang on to their nineteen point lead as tempestuous half came to a close.

Newbridge, with their numerical advantage, started the second half in a similar vein to the way that they finished the first and made a major effort to close the gap. Pooler rode the storm reasonably comfortably and began to play more expansively. The Pontypool backs started to run at Newbridge and soon began to find gaps. Full back Walsh came into the line and put left wing Thomas in the clear to score the fourth try thus securing the bonus point (0-24).

Thereafter tries came at fairly regular intervals for Pontypool as Newbridge tired and Pontypool started to introduce players from their strong list of replacements. Thomas was soon on the score sheet again as Mahoney and Prothero combined well to create a gap for him. The try was converted and Pontypool now led 0-31.

More agony for Newbridge was to follow as a strong run by East and a pass to the supporting Herbert led to the away side’s sixth try under the posts (0-38). A few minutes later, things got even worse for the home side when that man Thomas popped again to take the scoring pass after a quick tap penalty and bring up his hat trick of tries. The try was again converted by Meek and Pooler were running away with it at 0-45.

Pooler were not done and a break by replacement outside half was well supported by Herbert who gave the scoring pass to Luckwell who touched down for their eighth try. With the conversion Pontypool had passed the half century and led 0-52.

The match ended with some spirited attacking by Newbridge but try as they might they could not reap any reward for the tremendous effort that they had expended during the match. The final score was Newbridge 0 Pontypool 52.

Newbridge posed a significant physical challenge for Pontypool for long periods of this match before Pontypool managed to gain the upper hand. It was nasty and niggly at times as local derbies often are but once Pontypool had found their way through this they were able to show what a potent try scoring outfit they are.

With Ystrad Rhondda’s thumping home defeat by Cardiff Met, Pontypool’s lead at the top of the Championship has now increased to sixteen points with two games in hand over Cardiff Met who are now second. Play-off watch in the Premiership shows that it is now Llanelli who are in the play-off position. Pontypool’s next match is the long awaited home cup tie against Neath. Let us hope that Neath somehow manage to get through their current difficulties and are able to fulfil the fixture.

The only other rugby I have watched was the Cardiff Blues v. the Dragons on the TV. It was a pretty low quality match in difficult conditions but a close encounter for all that. The Blues snatched victory with a last gasp penalty which was a real sickener for the Dragons who had played most of the match with fourteen players and given as good as they got. I thought Wainwright and Hill were outstanding for the Dragons in a depleted back row.

Well 2018 is drawing to a close and Pontypool have not lost a league fixture in a brilliant year. 2019 brings perhaps their biggest challenge – can Pooler claim a place in the Premiership? I certainly hope so. Come on Pooler!

Merry Xmas and a successful New Year to all Pooler fans.

Pontypool Defy the Elements

I was desperately in need of a fix of Pontypool rugby but as I looked out of the window on Saturday morning I wondered whether the lashing rain would put the kibosh on the afternoon’s match at the Park. To my surprise I learned that the match against Beddau was definitely on so I made my way up the valley through the increasingly large puddles. This was certainly not a day for the Bank so we took our places at the back of the stand and surveyed the dismal conditions with pools of water already gathering on the pitch. The pitch had been deemed playable and the players trooped warily out from the warmth of the changing rooms.

Pontypool kicked off and were playing upstream in the first half. There followed a plague of penalties against the home side that ultimately led to Beddau taking a 0-3 lead with a successful kick at goal by Chatham. Pooler started to get to grips with the treacherous conditions underfoot and a lovely pop pass from Meek put fellow centre Mahoney into space. The defence floundered and almost foundered as he sped over the goal line for the opening try. The conversion was good and Pooler had taken the lead at 7-3.

Pontypool continued to win the territorial battle as both sides kicked the ball in the hope of inducing a mistake from their opponents. Such a mistake by Beddau early in the second quarter, led to a scrum close to their try line. Pooler gained possession and Meek was put through on the burst to score under the posts. The conversion increased Pooler’s lead to 14-3.

Beddau enjoyed a period of possession and territory and hammered away at the Pontypool line but the home defence was in Ebenezer Scrooge mode and were not about to let the visitors score a try. In the end, Beddau had to settle for a penalty from Chatham which brought the scoring in the first half to a close. At half time, Pooler held a 14-6 lead but did look to be the dominant force especially as they would have benefit of playing downstream in the second half.

The rain kept teeming down and the pitch was looking more like a paddy field than a rugby field as the second half got under way. Beddau suffered an early blow when they were left shorthanded by a yellow card for one of their locks. Pontypool really started to get a stranglehold on the match and Beddau found it increasingly difficult to get out of their own half. Strong pressure from the home pack led to a try for Coundley under the posts and with the conversion Beddau had been cast adrift at 21-6.

The Pontypool handling under dreadful conditions was inspired at times, Sparks and Hughes combined to put Herbert in the clear. The flanker did not quite make it to the line but was able to offload to the supporting Luckwell who touched down for the bonus point try increasing Pooler’s lead to 26-6.

A few minutes later, Hughes who had a strong game was again prominent in a break that culminated in Thomas scooting over the line for Pooler’s fifth try. The conversion was successful and Beddau were looking pretty dejected with the score now 33-6 in Pooler’s favour.

Seconds later, Thomas had the ball on the left wing and with a pass that would not have looked out of place for a Fijian sevens player put Mahoney away. Mahoney galloped in from half way leaving what looked like a wake behind him. The conversion was gain successful and Pooler were now 40-6 ahead.

Not long afterwards, the awful conditions led to a series of defensive errors by the away side led to the ball going loose. Substitute Watson-Boycott was the beneficiary as he touched down for Pontypool’s seventh try of the afternoon which went unconverted (45-6).

It came as a great relief to the Beddau players when the referee blew the final whistle a little early. They had been swimming against the tide for virtually all of the second half. Final score: Pontypool 45 Beddau 6.

Well I got my fix of Pooler rugby but the match was played in really dreadful conditions. I am sure if the kick off had been scheduled an hour later it would not have taken place. Pontypool showed a tremendous ability to adapt to the elements and were worthy winners. Some of their handling was outstanding when you consider that the rain had been teeming down for hour after hour. Well played everyone.

The Welsh regions’ hopes of progress in the European Champions Cup have now been extinguished with further losses for both Scarlets and Cardiff Blues. The Dragons are surely out of the Challenge Cup after conceding another hatful of points. The Ospreys are still in contention but also lost, albeit narrowly, in France. The depth of the squads that the Welsh regions have do not look competitive when measured against the redoubtable Irish who seem to be setting the standard.

On Friday night, I did watch quite a bit of Merthyr v. Cardiff in the Premiership and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The standard was high and the Cardiff backs were particularly impressive. There did seem to be quite a few Blues’ academy players in the Cardiff team and it set me wondering about what happened to the age group regional teams that we heard so much about. The results must have passed me by somewhere along the line. Have they finished playing? Who won?

“Play off watch” shows Cross Keys now occupying fifth from bottom place in the Premiership. Hapless Neath looked doomed from the Premiership whether it is on or off the field. The other relegation places continue to be a dogfight between the Gwent three: Bedwas, Cross Keys and Bargoed and the former “giants”:  Llanelli, Bridgend and Swansea. We continue to monitor the situation with great interest.

Next week Pontypool visit their longstanding foes at Newbridge. No matter what the league positions are this is always a tough and uncompromising fixture. I don’t expect this one to be any different.

Come on Pooler!

Square Eyes and Mince Pies

Pontypool were not in league action this weekend so sadly I watched a lot of rugby on the TV rather than being out in the wind and rain. Pontypool did have a rather low profile friendly encounter with Cwmbran on Friday night to keep the cobwebs at bay but I did not venture out.

Friday evening started with Merthyr v. Carmarthen Quins in the Premiership. It was pretty uninspiring stuff and you could cut the atmosphere with a banana. It was pretty clear from the outset that despite Carmarthen’s best intentions to run the ball Merthyr’s power would win the day. So I was soon watching the Scarlets v. Ulster in the Champions Cup. What the Scarlets could have done with was a big partisan crowd behind them but that was not the case as there were large swathes of empty seats in Parc Y Scarlet. From the outset, Ulster looked the livelier and stronger team and for the most part kept the much vaunted home backs under a close rein. The Scarlets played in fits and starts with only a few flashes of inspiration which usually involved Jon Davies. Gradually Ulster built a lead that was to prove unassailable despite a big last ditch effort from the Scarlets. The final score line of 24-25 is a bit flattering for the Scarlets as Ulster scored four tries to two and with better goal kicking would have been well clear. After last year’s good run, this must be a huge disappointment to the Scarlets as they now have no chance of progressing. And yes Merthyr did beat Carmarthen Quins.

Saturday brought more Champions Cup rugby. It started with a West Country derby where Exeter Chiefs took on Gloucester. With home advantage, Exeter were clear favourites but that didn’t seem to bother Gloucester. In a match of countless box kicks from the respective scrum halves Gloucester made the fewer mistakes. The Gloucester forwards were inspired and proved more effective that their opponents in tricky conditions. Exeter seem to find it difficult to be as dominant in cup rugby as they are in league rugby and it does remind me of those dim and distant days when Pontypool had similar problems in the Welsh Cup. For the record Gloucester won 19-27 which effectively means that Exeter will not progress. Cue a cup of tea and a mince pie.

It was then on to Bath v Leinster. This was another hard fought match with plenty of tactical kicking. There was not much to choose between the sides on the day but Leinster showed why they are the reigning champions by getting the job done. The match turned on a wild pass from the Bath fly half Wilson that was intercepted and run in for a try by Larmour. Leinster squeezed home 10-17 in what was an attritional affair with lots of injuries. Such is the way the fixtures fall, they get to do it all again in Dublin next Saturday – rather them than me!

I did start watching Wasps v. Toulouse and did enjoy seeing a small man amongst the giants, Kolbe, score a great try for Toulouse. But enough was enough and I felt that I had done more than my share of couch guard duty and repaired to the pub for some light refreshment. It is a hard life!

I did have a look at the scores from the other tournament that nobody seems to talk about. I think it is called the Challenge Cup. If I were a sponsor I would be pretty fed up of the lack of coverage in the media. Anyway the Dragons played at Northampton and shipped forty plus points to bring up the century of points conceded in an awful week. The Ospreys did thump Stade Francais but I don’t think the French teams take the mystery tournament too seriously. Unless the Cardiff Blues can do something remarkable against the Saracens away and home in the Champions Cup, then it would seem that the Ospreys are the only Welsh region that could progress to the knock-out stages. Perversely this generally seems to enhance the chances of the national team with the Welsh players not involved in the slug fest that is European rugby.

Next weekend Pooler are back in action, thank goodness, with Beddau the visitors to Pontypool Park. It will give me a chance to get the couch re-sprung before Xmas.

Come on Pooler!

Pontypool’s Pack Pave the Way

It had rained and rained overnight and then rained some more on the Saturday morning. Surely the Pontypool match would be postponed. I was very much on tenterhooks as I waited for the result of the 11.00am pitch inspection to flash through over the ether. I was suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms - no live Pooler game for a month or more. The news was good the match was on – the couch heaved a sigh of relief.

Pontypool had another opportunity to stamp their authority on the Championship with the visit of second placed Ystrad Rhondda who had been proving a worthy addition to the league with their impressive nine wins out of eleven starts. They had really given Pooler a scare in the corresponding away fixture earlier in the season so a tough encounter was anticipated.

The pitch was in remarkably good condition considering the amount of rainfall but it was a grey blustery afternoon with more rain not far away. Pontypool were playing up the slope and against the wind in the first half as the game kicked off.

After a cagy first few minutes, the first scrum gave us a taste of what was to come. The power of Pooler’s pack earned a penalty and the ball was kicked for touch. A powerful surge from the forwards saw new hooker Hughes touch down for a try. Lewis converted and Pooler had drawn first blood (7-0).

The next half an hour was nip and tuck with both sides having their share of decent possession and field position. Pontypool seemed to be content to kick for position and negate the Ystrad attacks with their blanket defence. As you might expect, the tricky conditions were not making handling easy so errors were abundant in a scrappy period of play.

As the half was drawing to a close, Pooler established a position in the Ystrad twenty two. A series of forward surges were repelled by the visitors before the ball was spread wide where Lloyd Lewis on the right wing managed to skip around his opposite number to squeeze in at the corner for a try. The try was unconverted but this was a great boost for Pooler on the stroke of half time and they had a spring in their step as they made their way to the changing rooms with a 12-0 lead.

Pontypool with the advantage of the slope and the elements started the second half strongly and were soon deep in the Ystrad twenty two. The forwards carried strongly as they edged closer and closer to the goal line. It was Danny Hodge who finally broke the defence to dot down for the third Pontypool try. The try was again unconverted but Pooler looked in control at 17-0 and were in the hunt for the bonus point try.

They did not have to wait long. Pooler again worked their way into the Ystrad twenty two and this time the ball was spread wide with Lloyd Lewis put in the clear and he needed no second invitation to gallop down the touchline and score in the right corner. The conversion failed but Pooler had secured the bonus point and held a 22-0 lead.

Pontypool had momentum with them but this was lost when Meek received a yellow card and outside half Lewis left the field due to injury. This led to the away side putting a series of attacks together with Pooler very much on the defensive. The Pooler defence held firm as Ystrad desperately tried to break their duck.

Meek returned to the field amid the usual round of substitutions for both sides and Pontypool once again were on the attack. Again it was the driving play of the forwards that proved too much for Ystrad who were forced into conceding a penalty try as they tried to halt Pooler’s progress. The Pontypool lead had now grown to 29-0 and there was no way back for the visitors.

As the game moved deep into the final quarter, Pontypool conjured up the best try of the match. They were awarded a penalty in their own twenty two and elected to run it. The ball was moved right where Lloyd Lewis made good ground before being tackled. The support was on hand and a couple off offloads saw replacement scrum half Quick cap a brilliant move to score in the right corner. The conversion once again sailed wide leaving Pontypool well clear at 34-0.

Ystrad Rhondda never gave up trying and as the game and had made a major contribution to a competitive match. They got their just reward as the final whistle approached with an unconverted try by Williams. Final score Pontypool 34 Ystrad Rhondda 5.

Pontypool thoroughly deserved this victory against spirited and well organised opposition. The foundations of the victory were laid by the forwards with a strong scrummage and powerful driving play. In the backs Pooler have a potent weapon in Lloyd Lewis who is ever ready to finish off the approach play of the rest of the backs. The strength in depth of the squad would be the envy of most Premiership teams.

Pontypool have now recorded eleven wins from eleven starts and at the half way point hold a thirteen point lead at the top of the Championship with a game in hand. A strong position indeed but there is no room for complacency that is for sure.

On Friday night I watched Cardiff v. Swansea in a Premiership match on the TV. To say the size of the crowd was disappointing is an understatement. I know the match was live on TV and Cardiff City were playing but where were all the fans? For the record, Cardiff won reasonably comfortably if anyone is interested. At the end of this round of Premiership matches, playoff watch can reveal that Bedwas are now in the playoff position but it is till mighty tight. Neath looked to be doomed but the struggle to avoid relegation is going to be tense.

I did also catch a bit of the Glasgow v. Scarlets match. Despite being down to fourteen men for most of the match Glasgow seemed to win most of the physical battles and were worthy 29-20 winners. The Dragons must surely be devastated to be absolutely stuffed at home by Leinster. Can anyone stop the current Irish dominance of regional and international rugby?

The Pontypool game against Tata Steel due to be played next Saturday has been postponed so the next match is at home against Beddau. There is serious danger of me having to do Xmas shopping – bah humbug!

Come on Pooler!

Oh Happy Days!

By all accounts, I unfortunately missed Pontypool’s best performance of the season where they secured a hard fought bonus point victory over Cardiff Met University at Pontypool Park. It sounds as if it was a real ding dong affair with the lead changing hands three times before Pooler power put the game to bed 26-14. The Pooler tries were scored by Attwell, Usher and Coundley plus a penalty try from a scrum. The students proved the kind of opposition that befitted their second place position in the Championship and scored two converted tries themselves. Well done Pooler and good luck to Cardiff Met in the BUCS.

Where was I you might ask? Well I was in Cardiff for the Wales v South Africa match. Rather like Pooler, Wales gave their best all round performance of the season in another bruising encounter. The Welsh attack fired in the first half and the Welsh defence was inspired in the second half. Wales shrugged off the late withdrawal of Lydiate and the early loss of Moriarty through a head injury with the back row, led by Ellis Jenkins, playing wonderfully well. The Welsh got off to a great start and were soon fourteen points to the good with Francis and Williams scoring well-worked tries. 

From then on, it was all about the Welsh defence as the Springboks attacked. True the South Africans did score a try and did manage to close the gap to 14-11 but the Welsh defence was in no mood to allow them to score again. Dan Biggar came on in the fourth quarter and added a measure of control and struck two well-judged penalties to give Wales the breathing space they craved. The final score was 20-11 with a thoroughly deserved victory bringing the Autumn Series to a close. The one dark cloud on a great day for the Welsh was the nasty looking knee injury to man of the match Ellis Jenkins just before the final whistle. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Wales have won all four of the autumn internationals for the first time and cemented their place as number three in the world. This makes great reading doesn’t it. The Southern Hemisphere giants have had a tough autumn with Ireland, Wales and England giving them plenty to think about before the Rugby World Cup next autumn. It has also set up what looks to be a highly competitive Six Nations with Ireland surely clear favourites. The home games for Wales against England and Ireland will more than likely determine the outcome of the championship but Scotland and France cannot be excluded from the equation. This is really something to look forward to o those cold days in February and March.

Something else to look forward to is getting back to watch Pontypool and their battle to return to the Premiership. They are certainly in a very strong position in the Championship having won ten out of ten so far. They have amassed 49 points from the 10 games with Ystrad Rhondda in second place with 41 points from 11 games and Cardiff Met are third with 38 also from 11 games. Play-off watch shows that the fifth from bottom position in the Premiership is currently occupied by Cross Keys but there looks to be a real dogfight developing between the bottom seven clubs with the outcome probably not decided until the final match

.

Next week Pontypool take on Ystrad Rhondda at Pontypool Park. Since being promoted to the Championship this season, Ystrad Rhondda have performed brilliantly and have only lost twice and now proudly occupy second place. Pooler’s visit to Ystrad Rhondda for the first match of the season was quite a battle with Pooler mighty glad to escape with a victory. Pontypool will need to be at their best again next Saturday that is for sure if they are to keep their unbeaten run going.

Come on Pooler!

Wales Blow Away Tonga while Ireland Subdue the All Blacks

Saturday was a couch day with plenty of rugby on the TV. The first match on the menu was Wales v. Tonga. Warren Gatland had rung the changes and to be honest I felt a little concerned as I watched the teams take the field. The Tongans did look pretty large gentlemen.

My fears were allayed almost instantly as Wales made an uncharacteristically fast start and had built a seemingly unassailable lead of 24-3 in what seemed like ten minutes. If I had been watching Pontypool, I would have been concerned as a fast start is usually followed by a bit of a slump. Surely this couldn’t be the case for a professional outfit like Wales – but it was.  The Tongans forwards with Vailanu to the fore started charging at Wales, the Welsh scrum began to creak, and there followed about twenty minutes of Tongan dominance. Such was their dominance that a few minutes into the second half the score stood at 24-24.

Wales called for reinforcements from the bench and at the same time the massive effort that the Tongans had put in to get back into the game began to take its toll. Wales suddenly cut loose with some brilliant running rugby that left the South Sea Islanders grasping at shadows. It began to rain tries and Wales scored fifty unanswered points in breath-taking fashion. When the final whistle was blown the final score was a record at 74-24. Why was I ever concerned?

Dan Biggar was named as man of the match with Liam Williams also very prominent. I think my man of the match would have been Jake Ball who gave a great all round display which clearly announced his return to fitness. Warren Gatland and his management team will need to think long and hard about the team that they pick against South Africa in a few key positions. The bulk of Ball might be an asset against the mighty Springboks forwards in the second row. Who do we have at outside half?  Has Liam Williams done enough to oust Halfpenny, North or Adams? We have to have a top class goal kicker in the team in what could be a close match is it Halfpenny or Biggar? Should we load the bench with impact players? It is certainly a change for the better for Wales to have many selection dilemmas.

I always enjoy watching Japan play rugby and they gave England a good run for their money at Twickenham. The Japanese back play is audacious and a joy to watch. In the end the English power was too much and despite leading 10-15 the Japanese eventually lost by 35-15 which rather flattered England.

Scotland v South Africa was a tough and bruising encounter with the Scots giving as good as they got. The South Africans are building the foundations of a very competitive team as they meld their traditionally tough forwards with some exciting backs. In the end the Springboks edged the game 20-26 but were pushed to the limit by the doughty Scots. There were flashes of brilliance from both sides particularly in the first half.

Then there was Ireland v. New Zealand. Sadly I was dragged kicking and screaming from the couch and escorted to an evening of songs from the musicals in the Riverfront Theatre –aargh! I have managed to watch the match since but I couldn’t resist looking at the score beforehand which did take the edge off it a little. Ireland gave an inspired display and showed the world that the All Blacks are certainly not the super-humans that we had started believing they were. Of course New Zealand will be back probably even stronger when the Rugby World Cup comes around but some of the mystique surrounding them has been lost with England also running them so close. What price Ireland for the RWC?

The perceived gap between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres seems to have closed markedly almost to the point of being non-existent on the evidence of the matches this autumn. Yes the northern teams are at the start of their season and the southern teams at the end of theirs and the northern teams are playing at home but it does bode well for a truly competitive world cup.

Next Saturday Wales take on South Africa and most of the Welsh team will have had the advantage of resting while the Springboks were going toe to toe with the Scots. It is sure to be a tough, close match and Wales will have to be at their very best to prevail.

Next Saturday also Pontypool will take on Cardiff Met at Pontypool Park. Despite the early kick-off, I will miss this top of the table clash as I am again on international duty. It would be a close run thing but the traffic and the requirement to get into the Principality Stadium earlier for security reasons makes the logistics of going to both too difficult to manage. Bah! I will be closely monitoring the progress of the match that is for sure and bad company until I know the final outcome.

In the meantime, the Welsh Premiership had been progressing and Pooler fans have more than a passing interest in the league table. If Pontypool can top the Championship (still a big if of course) then they will need to beat the fifth from bottom team in the Premiership to gain promotion. The Premiership seems to be splitting into two with the top nine teams opening up a fourteen point gap to the bottom seven. The bottom seven consists of the three Gwent clubs: Cross Keys, Bedwas and Bargoed who sit above the four former “giants” Swansea, Bridgend, Llanelli and propping up the table Neath. As it stands Bargoed are fifth from bottom. There is still a lot of water to flow under the bridge though!

Next Saturday I will be hoping fervently for a double – Wales and Pooler to win.

Come on Pooler! Come on Wales!

PS The show at the Riverfront was really very good – but don’t tell anyone I told you.

Winning Ways

Faced with the club v. country debate, I plumped for my country. I decided to go to Cardiff to watch Wales play Australia rather than to Trebanos to watch Pontypool. Even though there was a gap of about two and a half hours or so between the expected final whistle in Trebanos and the kick off in Cardiff, the logistics of going to both was just not going to work.

So it was off to Cardiff and to the annoyance of my companions I was fiddling with my phone as I tried to keep abreast with what was happening in Trebanos. Isn’t modern technology wonderful? The game at Trebanos was evidently a forward dominated encounter in testing conditions with yellow cards and penalty tries abounding. Despite conceding two penalty tries, I was delighted to learn that the Pooler had won though 24-29. The lead changed hands a few times with Pooler scoring five tries (Matthews, Lewis, Attwell, Thomas plus a penalty try) to the homes side’s three. A had fought bonus point win for Pooler was just what the doctor ordered and I was ready to enjoy Wales v. Australia. Could Wales sneak a win after ten years of heartbreak?

We got into the Principality Stadium in time to see the last quarter of the England v. New Zealand match on the TV. England were giving as good as they got and the people crowding around the screen seemed fairly evenly split between those who were fed up of seeing the All Blacks win all the time and those who didn’t want England to win under any circumstances. I will not reveal which camp I was in but suffice it to say that it was poetic justice for England’s probable match-winning try to be disallowed after the controversial decision that went England’s way at the end of the Springboks game last week.

Before the Wales match kicked off, there was a really poignant tribute to the fallen in the various conflicts. The bugler who played the Last Post was absolutely fantastic and the two minutes silence was impeccably observed. I am really horrified by the scenes from the First World War that have been on the TV as we mark the passing of a century since the armistice. Fantastic courage and patriotism but what a waste.

Wales v. Australia turned out to be a bruising encounter with defences decidedly on top. For Wales the biggest priority was to any sort of win after ten years of coming second best. For Australia it was to try to regroup after a lack lustre few months. Neither side wanted to give an inch.

The first half was cagey and a defensive masterclass with the only scores a penalty apiece. Perhaps the most noteworthy occurrence was that the normally reliable Halfpenny missed a couple of easy penalty attempts – if anything can be easy in a tense test match with all those people watching . The crowd gasped in amazement when he missed a real sitter which would have given Wales a narrow lead just before half time.

The second half was more of the same with, in truth, neither side creating any clear chances of scoring a try. It was 6-6 with three minutes remaining when Biggar who was on as a replacement slotted a penalty for Wales to edge into the lead 9-6. How many times had we been in that position over the last ten years only for our hopes to be dashed by some inspired Aussie play? Surely it couldn’t happen again? The nerves jangled but the Welsh defence held firm – we had won at last.

This was a gutsy display by Wales but they urgently need to find a few more ways to threaten in attack. The Australian defence was a step up from the Scottish defence and really did not give Wales any opportunities. Line breaks were few and far between – the only one that stays in the mind was a powerful thrust by Jon Davies featuring a couple of trademark hand-offs. Everybody tackled their hearts out and in the end I think Wales just about deserved to win but we need to score tries. Of the changes from the previous match, Adams showed up well in defence and attack, Beard worked hard and will surely have benefited from this outing and Francis held the scrum up well enough. It was noticeable that the scrum started to creak when Francis was replaced.

Next week Wales play Tonga and there will be a totally new starting line-up I suppose. A good chance to assess the much vaunted strength in depth that Wales have been building.  I will watch with interest from the couch as Pontypool do not have a match.

Back to Pontypool and, after reeling off nine straight victories, they have now opened up a useful six point gap at the top of the Championship. Their two nearest rivals Cardiff Met and Narberth both lost yesterday and newly promoted Ystrad Rhondda have now jumped above Narberth into third place. All yesterday’s matches in the Championship were close which reflects the competiveness of the league and underlines the fact that Pooler cannot afford to let up if they are to stay on top. The next match for Pooler will be a home fixture against second placed Cardiff Met in two weeks’ time.

Come on Wales! Come on Pooler!

Doddie, we salute you

Still wiping the sleep out of my eyes, I headed for Cardiff and the Wales v. Scotland rugby international. The teams were playing for the Doddie Weir Cup and that brave warrior was there to oversee proceedings. He really is an inspirational figure as he battles against the debilitating effects of motor neurone disease. I was glad to see that the Welsh and Scottish Rugby Unions, albeit after a bit of public prodding, decided that they should make a donation to Doddie’s very worthy cause.

The match itself was a fine spectacle with both sides trying to play open rugby in perfect conditions before a large crowd. Wales dominated territorially in the first half while Scotland had the upper hand in the second half. As luck would have it, I was sitting at the opposite end of the ground to where most of the action took place although two of the three tries were scored in front of me.

For the most part, defences were on top with the teams seeming to cancel each other out.  It seemed that one side would attack for a while and having failed to create an opening kicked the ball to the other side for them to have go. Wales were slightly better at it in the first half as they built up a lead through three penalties from Halfpenny with one by Hastings in reply. The rejuvenated North nearly scored in the right corner before a few minutes later appearing on the left to power through some weak Scottish tackling to score the opening try. Wales were leading 14-3 and looking comfortable.

This all changed towards the end of the first half when a driving lineout by Scotland close to the Welsh line resulted in a try for McInally that was converted and the score at half time was tight at 14-10.

Scotland dominated possession and territory in the second half but it was Wales who scored the only points. In a rare foray into the Scottish half, a perfectly executed backs move by Wales saw Jon Davies power over for a try. Halfpenny converted which gave Wales a significant lead at 21-10. Scotland pounded away at the Welsh line and, with Wales down to fourteen men following a yellow card for Dee, did everything but score. A driving lineout went perilously close and Horne should have touched down when he was first to the ball following a kick through. Wales held out though and kept up their formidable record of wins against Scotland in Cardiff. The result is not that important as this was really all about Doddie and raising public awareness of motor neurone disease.

A solid win for Wales- they are pretty rare in the autumn that is for sure. The Welsh defence for the most part looked pretty watertight with Tipuric and Lydiate getting through a load of work. In attack it was difficult for Wales to find a way through an aggressive Scottish defence. Two rare defensive lapses by the Scots led to the two tries. The creative spark for Wales still seems to be missing – perhaps it is like the Holy Grail and will take some finding.

 Next week Wales take on Australia - our nemesis. Even though Australia are not in the best of form, if Wales are to win they will need to go up a gear. I guess we can expect a few changes – Liam Williams into the back three, maybe a change or two at prop and possibly Dan Biggar. There are four tough games in four weeks and a bit of judicious rotation of players is surely necessary.

My measure of inflation is the cost of a pint at the Principality Stadium and I can report that the price of a pint has now reached a dizzy £5. I make that an inflation rate of 6.38% as I think it was a mere £4.70 last season. The price of tickets is also becoming monumental with the £100 barrier being breached for the England and Ireland games in the Six Nations Championship. I may be imagining it but there seemed to be far fewer trays of pints of beer passing me by yesterday. If that is the case then some good has come from the rising prices. I suppose a splash of beer is now a pound wasted.

While we are on financial matters, the current trials and tribulations faced by Neath RFC seem all too common at the moment. It really brings it home how lucky we are at Pontypool to have the solid backing of Peter and Ben Jeffreys. Without it we would surely have been in dire straits. 

Next week Pontypool are back in action with a visit to Trebanos. I am back in action with another visit to Cardiff for the Australia game.

Come on Wales and come on Pooler!

Pontypool Grind Out Victory

I had been looking forward to my visit to Pontypool Park as, at this time of the year, the trees look stunning in their autumn colours. The trees did their best but sadly the sunshine of the previous week had been replaced by a cold, grey day with a biting wind bringing the occasion flurry of rain. It really felt as if winter was on its way.

Pontypool were entertaining the Championship new boys Maesteg Harlequins who had made a decent start to the campaign and would certainly be out to test the reigning champions to the full. Before the contest kicked off, there was a minute’s silence in memory of three Pontypool stalwarts in Ray Cheney, Robin Williams and Terry “Tiger” Simons.

Pontypool, playing up the slope, started brightly and despite losing prop Drake were 3-0 up in the first ten minutes through a penalty from Lewis. This was followed a few minutes later by a try by Nash following a driving lineout (8-0). The Quins began to find their feet and hit back with a penalty from Howe when Pooler strayed offside (8-3).

The game was pretty scrappy as the away side set about disrupting Pooler’s best laid plans. The scrums were a mess and the Quins’ line speed in defence was stifling - at times seeming to reach mach 1. To add to the stop start nature of the game, there was an unfortunate injury to the Quins’ lock Smith which led to a ten minute break in play while he was attended to by the medical team.

When the match restarted, Pooler took advantage of some disarray in the vistors’ defence and made good ground when they spread the ball wide from a scrum. From an ensuing ruck, Matthews scored a try in the corner. The try was unconverted but Pontypool now held a 13-3 lead.

Pontypool continued to press and Matthews was again on the scoresheet as he touched down following a powerful rolling maul. This time Lewis was successful with the conversion (20-3). Pontypool looked to be set fair for victory but the Quins hit back with a second penalty from Howe after some decent attacking rugby (20-6).

Pontypool marched back up the field and took up residence deep in the Quins’ twenty two and looked odds on to score their fourth try especially when the Quins’ hooker Ronan was yellow carded. Somehow the Quins defence held out and there was a mighty cheer from their travelling support when they kicked the ball off the field and the half time whistle blew. HT Pontypool 20 Maesteg Quins 6.

Playing down the slope in the second half and with the wind if anything behind them, the Pontypool faithful fully expected the home side to pull away from the visitors. It started well enough with a vintage rolling maul that travelled fully twenty five metres for Matthews to touch down for his third try and secure the bonus point. The conversion from near the touchline missed narrowly but Pooler surely had a winning lead at 25-6.

The game became scrappier and scrappier with far too many interruptions from collapsed scrums and injuries for either side to get any measure of continuity. As a spectacle it left a lot to be desired on a cold day. All very frustrating.

Halfway through the half Pontypool at last put a significant series of attacks together which culminated in East ploughing over the line for a try. The conversion by Lewis was successful and Pooler led 32-6.

 With fifteen minutes remaining, an injury to home prop Coundley meant uncontested scrums and Pontypool being reduced to fourteen men as they had already used their replacement prop Price. The Quins took advantage of this and pressed strongly. Eventually they got their reward when Owen scored a try that was converted by Davies (32-13).

Pontypool had saved their best till last and a great break by outside half Lewis from the halfway line was supported by Thomas on the wing who almost made it to the try line. Luckwell was on hand to grab the ball and touch down for an excellent try. The conversion by Lewis sailed over and Pooler led 39-13.

In the dying minutes the Quins strove hard to score a second try but it wasn’t to be. It was with some relief for the spectators that the referee blew the final whistle and ended a pretty turgid afternoon’s entertainment. Final score Pontypool 39 Maesteg Quins 13.

Pontypool had to work hard for this victory against the Quins and despite the stop start nature of the game managed to score six tries and to be honest never looking like losing. Their bonus point victory and Cardiff Met’s narrow loss at Narberth means that Pontypool return to the top of the Championship having won their first eight matches. Let us hope that they can stay there until the end of the season.

Next week there is no match for Pontypool and Wales take on Scotland in Cardiff. Normally at this stage of the season thoughts turn to who will play for Wales with everyone having an opinion. Since the departure of Pro 14 from my TV screen I must confess I really don’t know who is playing well. Yes I watched the European matches last weekend and there were a couple of people playing in blue who I thought looked good. The trouble is I was not sure whether they were paying for Cardiff Blues or Glasgow Warriors. Seriously, the Scottish teams seem to be playing well and it is going to be a tough encounter for Wales next Saturday. I will certainly need to be fortified with a decent brunch beforehand.

Pontypool’s next match will be in a couple of weeks when the travel to Trebanos who are difficult proposition particularly on their own ground.

Come on Pooler!

Seven Up for Pooler

It’s confession time. I didn’t make the trip to Newcastle Emlyn. There I have said it. Whatever I say will sound lame but this is how it happened. At 11.30am I duly got into the car by myself as none of my usual companions were available for the trip. I felt a bit weary and had to stifle a huge yawn – the early morning swim catching up. Can I be trusted to drive two hours each way as well as suffering the tension of the match? I thought. ‘Of course I can’, I muttered and turned the key in the ignition. ‘Ping’ - the low fuel warning came on. That was the deciding factor – I retreated back to the couch. This sounds weak and pathetic and I am duly ashamed.

Anyway, as it turned out, Pontypool did perfectly well without me and powered to a convincing 19-52 victory at Newcastle Emlyn. From the Twitter feed, it is apparent that the match started as quite a ding-dong affair with the lead changing hands a few times before Pooler asserted their authority. High scores seem to be the norm in this fixture and I regretted not being there as I fidgeted on the couch. Ben Sparks helped himself to a hat trick out of the eight tries that Pooler scored. That is seven out of seven for Pooler who are in second place in the Championship with 34 points behind Cardiff Met who have won all eight of their games and have 36 points. The first encounter between these two teams is something to look forward to. Sadly it is scheduled for the 24^th November which is the day Wales play South Africa. Even though the Wales game does not kick off until 17.20 it is not really possible to go to both – even with a helicopter. With a curtailed season, it is such a shame that this sort of fixture clash occurs.

So what did I see whilst I was playing truant? It started on Friday evening with a taster of Llandovery v. Neath. I only watched the first half an hour and my abiding memory is just how miserable everyone looked both on and off the field. Not really sure why that was. When I flicked over to Leicester Tigers v. the Scarlets, the contrast was remarkable with bright lights and a vibrant crowd. Hard as the Scarlets tried, they could not overcome their lack of power in the scrum and gave away far too many penalties. Leicester played their usual brand of power rugby which on the night proved just sufficient to beat the Scarlets. Frustratingly every time the Welsh side got any decent ball they looked more than capable of splitting the home defence and even took the lead in the second half. One rash pass by Jon Davies in his own twenty two seemed to change the momentum of the game and in the end the Tigers pulled away to win convincingly 45-27.

On Saturday I nearly exhausted the battery in the remote by flicking between matches so often. Both the early games Munster v Gloucester and Castres v. Exeter were affected by early red cards for high tackles. Gloucester lost Cipriani and never looked like being able to cope with Munster who ran out reasonably comfortable winners despite not really playing that well. Castres coped rather better with the loss of number eight Vaipulu and came from behind to narrowly beat the Chiefs. I think everyone agrees that the high tackle needs to be eliminated from the game but there is no doubt that there will be plenty of cards shown as the players find a way of avoiding contact with the head in what is a brutally physical game at the professional level. Players who run close to the ground will surely prove effective ball carriers like running backs in the NFL. Chris Huish would have been ideal.

Almost before I had time to make a cup of tea, the second pair of matches started. Edinburgh were absolutely brilliant in thumping a rather lifeless Toulon side who are a shadow of their former selves (40-14). The Wasps v. Bath game was full of handling errors but pulsating for all that. The final result a 35-35 draw didn’t really suit either side who will now struggle to qualify in a group containing the mighty Leinster. From a Welsh perspective, it was good to see Thomas Young winning the man of the match award. He can certainly do no more to try and gain a place in the Welsh squad.

I adjourned to the pub and, despite seemingly everyone else in the bar engrossed in Huddersfield v. Liverpool, was able to glance now and then at a screen in a dark corner showing Racing 92 v. Ulster. After a combative start Ulster were quite convincingly beaten by the French side who had too much star quality.

The European Rugby Challenge Cup progresses under the radar but both Welsh sides lost – the Dragons at home to Northampton and the Ospreys away at Worcester. So as I write this, it is three losses out of three for the Welsh regions. Maybe Cardiff Blues will be able to prevent the whitewash with their home game against Glasgow. They will really need to play well to do it though.

Next Saturday it should be back to normality with newly promoted Maesteg Quins making the journey to Pontypool Park. In the mean time I will do my penance of singing “the Pontypool Front Row” three times a day for missing the Newcastle Emlyn match. “Up and under here we go……”

Come on Pooler!

Couch Potato +++

Storm Callum put the kibosh on Pontypool’s scheduled visit to Bedlinog so it was an afternoon on the couch for me. In a major athletic effort, I managed three consecutive European Rugby Champions Cup matches in a row. When I think back they all now seem to merge into one. Life is far simpler when you only have to concentrate on one match and far better when you are watching a team you really care about.

Talking about people really caring about a team, it was with tremendous sadness that I heard about the passing of Terry Simons. Now there was a man who really cared about a team. Welsh rugby is all the poorer for losing a real rugby stalwart in the old tradition. May Tiger rest in peace.

Back on the couch, the first match was Bath v. Toulouse. You never really know how a French team is going to play away from home especially if the weather conditions are iffy. Toulouse clearly were up for this match and it was a close and very physical match with few moments to remember. There were some exciting runs from Kolbe for Toulouse but of course the thing that will stand out in the memory was Freddie Burns’ nightmare couple minutes as the match was reaching its final crescendo. Toulouse were leading narrowly at 20-22 when Burns missed an easy penalty goal. This was followed by an even worse error. He looked to have atoned for his missed kick when some great play by Bath put him on for a try. Burns allowed himself a smile as he was about to put the ball down for the winning score. In a flash, Medard saw the possibilities and managed to knock the ball clear. That smile disappeared at Mach 2 or more and Bath were condemned to a home defeat. You can feel some sympathy but in a professional sport such a mistake is unforgivable.

The second match saw Exeter take on Munster. This was a wind game with Exeter having the really strong wind behind them in the first half. These are two sides who play a very similar brand of power rugby and I suppose that it is no great surprise that the game ended in a 10-10 draw. I guess this is fair outcome in a game full of handling errors in difficult conditions. You will not see many more physical encounters that is for sure. Munster will probably feel the more satisfied with the result as the away team.

Hoping for a bit more running rugby I finished my triathlon with the Scarlets v Racing 92. Again conditions were terrible and the game was probably the lowest standard of the three. The Scarlets were missing some of their more influential players such as Patchell, Shingler and James Davies and seemed content to kick the ball away. Racing too were quite happy to kick the ball to the Scarlets in the hope of forcing a mistake. The Scarlets were also missing a large partisan crowd due to some extent I am sure to the ravages of storm Callum. The Scarlets looked to have the game won when they scored a couple of tries in the second half. Unfortunately Halfpenny missed both conversions which was to prove costly in the final analysis. As the game was in the final stages, the Scarlets held a six point lead at 13-7. Racing pounded away at the Scarlets line knowing that a converted try would win it. The strong wind meant that a conversion anywhere other than in front of the posts was eminently missable. The Scarlets were defending desperately when referee Carley stepped in and awarded Racing 92 a rather generous penalty try taking the crucial conversion out of the equation. Not only were the Scarlets 13-14 down, but they also lost Gareth Davies to a yellow card. There was no way back in the minutes that remained

.

Three really close games filled with physicality but somehow they were no substitute for watching the Pooler. The European Rugby Challenge Cup seems to have disappeared from our screens but I did see that the Ospreys beat Pau and the Dragons won in Timbuktu or somewhere.

I think I’ll sign off there as I have to rearrange the cushions for another day on the couch. What a life!  

Next week Pontypool are due to make the long trek to Newcastle Emlyn. This normally turns out to be a quite high scoring encounter. Let’s hope the weather gods are smiling.

Come on Pooler!  

   

Pontypool Blend Power and Pace

Pontypool Park was looking splendid in its autumn colours as the rugby congregation gathered for what was widely regarded as one of the pivotal matches of the Championship season. Pontypool were taking on one of the other unbeaten teams in the league in their perennial rivals Narberth. Narberth have started the season strongly with a string of impressive victories and would surely present a stiff challenge. By their standards, Pontypool have not been at their best so far this season but have reeled off five victories too. It was time for Pooler to step up to the plate,

It was Narberth who started the game the stronger. Playing down the slope with the breeze in their favour. They soon established a position in the home twenty two but failed to score despite some promising approach play. After soaking up ten minutes of pressure, Pontypool managed to break the shackles and worked their way up the field eventually winning a lineout near the Narberth line. A series of forward drives saw Pooler skipper Nash get the opening try of the afternoon which was converted by Jones (7-0). Shortly afterwards Pooler increased their lead through a Jones penalty (10-0).

Narberth continued to look threatening and from a lineout near the Pontypool twenty two their backs split the Pontypool defence for the supporting flanker Rees to score a try. The conversion failed but Narberth were back in the game at 10-5.

As the half wore on, the Pontypool pack began to show their power in both attack and defence with the front row particularly prominent. This gave a solid platform for the backs to show their mettle. After twenty five minutes, Pooler scored their second try when fullback Walsh came into the line to give wing Lewis the hint of an overlap. The “gas man” need no second invitation and showed his pace and power to cross in the corner. An excellent conversion saw Pooler establish a 17-5 lead.

As half time approached, Pontypool disputed a decision by the referee which turned a scrum into a kickable penalty. Griffiths obliged by plonking the ball between the posts to leave the score at 17-8 at the interval. We wondered whether this moment of indiscipline would come back to haunt Pontypool as the players trooped off the field.

Pontypool came out in the second half as if they had been given the proverbial kick up the back side. Powerful carries by Drake and Coundley pushed the home side deep into the Narberth twenty two. The backs took over and an incisive inside pass saw left wing Thomas power over near the posts. The conversion by Jones extended the Pooler lead to 24-8.

Pontypool were soon on the attack again and decided to kick for the corner after being awarded a kickable penalty. Their driving lineout proved irresistible and Nash got his second touchdown of the match in the right hand corner. Pontypool had opened up an impressive 29-8 lead and secured a bonus point with less than ten minutes of the second half played.

Narberth looked shell-shocked by the ferocity of the Pontypool assault. The Pooler forwards were carrying strongly and whenever Narberth got the ball the tackling was monstrous. Pontypool dominated both possession and territory and were soon back in the Narberth twenty two. This time it was Lewis who entered the line at pace and the wing galloped over to score his second try. The conversion by Jones put Pontypool almost out of sight at 36-8.

Pooler were not about to relax and really wanted to stamp their authority on the Championship contenders. On the hour mark the scored another good try when fullback Walsh sped through the Narberth defence to score the sixth try which was again converted by Jones (43-8). Moments later Narberth surrendered possession in the Pontypool half and Gullis was put in the clear and he sprinted down the touchline to score in the right corner. The conversion failed but Pooler were in sight of the half century at 48-8.

Both sides used up all their replacements and the game rather lost its shape. Worryingly for Pontypool outside half Matthew Jones was forced to leave the field with a nasty looking hand injury. Narberth tried hard to salvage some pride from the game in the final quarter but the home tackling remained as fierce as ever and they certainly looked a well-beaten side as we went into the final moments. Another fearsome hit by Pooler dislodged the ball from the Narberth grasp in the home twenty two. A couple of quick passes saw the “gas man” in the clear and there was only one outcome.  Lloyd Lewis sprinted almost eighty metres to score his third try. The conversion by Meek brought an end to proceedings with Pontypool running out convincing winners at 55-8.

This was a really compelling performance by Pontypool. They brushed aside the challenge of one of the top contenders for the title with the whole team performing at a high level. The combination of forward power coupled with the pace in the backs was a joy to behold. A big well done to everyone - it was tremendous. I wish Matthew Jones all the best for a speedy recovery from his injury.

I must confess I have not signed up to Premier Sports so I have not seem much Regional rugby. A quick straw poll amongst my acquaintances revealed that none of them were subscribing either. I wonder how successful the venture is. The look on the Dragons’ supporters’ faces and their eagerness to get to the bar in my local was a clear indicator that things had not gone well at Rodney Parade against the Blues. Sadly it seems that you have to shell out a small fortune if you want to watch a wide selection of rugby as Sky, BT and Premier Sports all want your money.

On Friday evening I watched Bath play Exeter. Exeter are absolutely relentless with their brand of power rugby. They have a set game plan that is based on their strengths and their players all look super fit and super strong. The way they play is not everyone’s cup of tea but it is mighty effective. Does that remind you of anyone? Yes, it is reminiscent on Pontypool in the late seventies and eighties!

When I got home on Saturday afternoon I caught the second half of the South Africa v New Zealand test. What a tremendous game! I think only the All Blacks could have come back to win from the position they found themselves in. Despite South Africa’s dominance for most of the match they left the door ajar and the All Blacks certainly need no second invitation and scored fourteen points in five minutes. Both sides have put down strong markers for the Rugby World Cup though – Northern Hemisphere beware!

Pontypool’s next assignment is a trip to Bedlinog. This has the potential to be a tough encounter as local derbies generally are. The squad must be brimming with confidence after the display against Narberth but there are no easy away matches in this league.

Come on Pooler!

Pooler Do Enough

I have been away on my travels for the last few weeks and to my eternal shame missed three of Pontypool’s games. The excellent official match report and the reports from my good friend Steve Parfitt coupled with anxious glances at social media kept me well informed about what was occurring. In summary, it was three more victories in contrasting styles. Scraping home to a rather fortunate 8-3 win against Tata Steel, a stylish and convincing win (18-29) at Beddau and a solid home win (46-18) against Newbridge in poor conditions. The unbeaten run goes on but both Narberth and Cardiff Met have also strung four victories together so winning the Championship is looking to be a formidable challenge. The strength of the challenge posed by Cardiff Met will be dependent on their priorities as they will surely want to go one better than last season in the British Universities’ competition this season.

So to Saturday’s match and the visit to Rhydyfelin on a glorious afternoon and absolutely perfect playing conditions. The home side kicked off and, despite Pontypool not fielding the ball at the first attempt, Pooler went straight on the attack. Forwards and backs combined effectively as they scythed through the home defence for Hodge to score an excellent try. The conversion failed but Pontypool were 0-5 to the good in a minute or so. Moments later, they doubled their lead with another unconverted try this time with Meek getting the touchdown (0-10). It looked odds on a comfortable win for the away side but, as is so often the case, after a really bright start teams ease off unintentionally and let their opponents back into the game. It would have been difficult to keep up that scoring rate that was for sure!

Rhydyfelin started to look lively and were more than happy to run the ball which made for an enjoyable if scrappy spectacle. At the end of the first quarter, the home side were hampered by the sinbinning of their centre Waygood. Pontypool applied the pressure and, when a ball went loose in the home twenty two, Gullis grabbed it and scored Pooler’s third try. The try was converted by Meek and the lead had grown to 0-17.

The Rhydefelin backs looked useful and, as the half drew to a close, they shredded the Pooler defence for Close to score a good try. The conversion sailed wide but the home side were back in the game (5-17). Pooler hit back immediately when Thomas ran the ball back from the Pooler twenty two. A couple of passes later loose head prop Coundley exhibited the skills of a threequarter to show a clean pair of heels to the defence and score near the posts. The conversion was kicked by Jones and Pontypool had a comfortable 24-5 lead with a bonus point in the bag as the half came to an end.

Pontypool started the second half strongly and got their reward when their driving lineout surged over the Rhydyfelin line for Watkins to touch down. Jones added the conversion and Pooler’s lead at 5-31 looked unassailable. Pontypool obviously thought so as, from then on, they seemed to go back into their shell and give the initiative to the home side. This made things rather frustrating for the Pooler faithful.

Rhydyfelin were more than happy to play the role of aggressor and, despite losing Tottle for ten minutes for a high tackle, spent most of the remaining time in the Pontypool half. After an hour they got their just reward when hooker Pritchard scored from a peel around the front of a lineout near the Pontypool line. The try was converted by Gratton and the home side still had a glimmer of hope of at least a bonus point or two (12-31).

Rhydyfelin continued to attack against a Pooler side who looked like they wanted the final whistle to blow. In the closing minutes, Pooler replacement Sparks received a yellow card for holding on to the ball and he was followed into the sin bin shortly afterwards by Hodge for a similar offence. With the last move of the game, the Rhydyfelin threequarters managed, despite a series of poor passes, to make room for Farrer to squeeze in at the corner for an unconverted try. Final score Rhydyfelin 17 : Pontypool 31.

This was very much mission accomplished for Pontypool. A bonus point victory away from home is always a good result. They played some brilliant rugby at times but also seemed guilty of relaxing at times. There will be no time for relaxing next week as they take on Narberth who will also be a strong contender for the Championship title. Both sides are unbeaten and Pooler will really need to be on their mettle if they are to prevail. It should be a cracker!

I watched some of the RGC v Merthyr game on the TV on Friday night and have to say I was impressed by the standard. Merthyr were stronger up front and that won the day. Yes these two teams will finish near the top of the Premiership but this was certainly a much higher standard than the Pontypool match. Pooler face a daunting challenge if they are to get back into the Premiership that is for sure. Everyone likes a challenge though and Pooler’s skill and spirit can win through.

I look forward to next week’s encounter against Narberth with eager anticipation.

Come on Pooler!

Pooler Pilfer the Points

Well we are off! The Welsh Championship for 2018-19 has got under way and there is the massive carrot of promotion to the Premiership back on the menu. Pontypool’s first fixture was a visit to newly promoted Ystrad Rhondda at Gelligaled Park. To continue the fruit and veg theme, this had banana skin written all over it as the home side had finished the previous season strongly and would certainly fancy their chances of upsetting the reigning champions. The weather was warm and humid and the pitch in perfect condition as a decent crowd assembled on the grassy bank.

It certainly did not take long for Pontypool to realise that they were in for a torrid afternoon as Ystrad Rhondda seized the early initiative and pressed hard for the opening score. It was only a bit of over-eagerness from the home side and sound defence from Pooler that kept them out. After a quarter of an hour of defending, Pooler worked their way into the home twenty two and, after a series of energy sapping forward drives, managed to create the narrowest of gaps for Prothero to squeeze in for a try in the right corner. The conversion failed but Pooler had registered the first points of the afternoon to the relief of their followers (0-5).

This relief was short lived as moments later Ystrad splintered the Pooler defence and only a last gasp tackle by Sparks prevented them for scoring under the posts. Sparks was subsequently given a yellow card for not allowing the tackler to release the ball and Shepherd popped over the penalty (3-5).

The rest of the first half was scoreless but it was the home side who looked the more likely to score as they dominated possession. They exerted considerable pressure on the Pontypool set pieces and were a force to be reckoned with at the breakdown. Pooler were probably relieved when the half-time whistle was blown and they could retreat to the changing room to discuss how to overcome their tenacious opponents.

The second half had barely begun when Ystrad were awarded a penalty for an offence at a ruck in front of the Pontypool posts. Shephard converted the penalty comfortably for the home side to take the lead at 6-5. This seemed to spur Pooler into action and they started to look more like their old selves. A penalty from Jones re-established their narrow lead (6-8) but they still had their work cut out if they were going to win the match.

Ten minutes into the half came the moment that changed the course of the match. Pontypool were awarded a penalty on the Ystrad twenty two and scrum half Luckwell was impeded as he tried to take it quickly. Ystrad prop Foulkes was awarded a yellow card for this offence and Pooler sensed an opportunity. They kicked for the corner and the ball was just held up over the line after a strong lineout drive. The shorthanded home pack was driven back at the ensuing scrum and the referee awarded a penalty try (6-15).

Five minutes later Pontypool were on the attack and a kick ahead from Morris was partially charged down. The bounce of the ball was kind to the away side and Gullis scooped up the ball to score Pooler’s third try. The conversion from Meek was successful and Pontypool had stretched their lead to 6-22. The Pontypool faithful heaved a concerted sigh of relief that could be heard in Tonypandy.

Pontypool were probably a little guilty of relaxing while Ystrad were anything but relaxed as they upped their effort yet another notch. The Pontypool defence seemed spellbound as the Ystrad wing Llewellyn carved his way up the field to run forty metres or so to score. Shephard duly converted and Ystrad were fired up and convinced that they could trim the Pontypool lead further (13-22).

Sadly for the home side, an attack for inside their own half went horribly wrong and Usher was able to gather a loose ball to gallop forty metres to score Pooler’s fourth try. Meek converted and Pooler had earned a bonus point and opened up a sixteen point lead with ten minutes of the match remaining (13-29).

Ystrad certainly did not think that the game was over and pressed strongly to try and get at least a bonus point out of the encounter. Pontypool’s defence held firm until the very last play of the match when, after a concerted period of pressure, Ystrad created an overlap for Clarke to score an unconverted try in the left corner. Final score Ystrad Rhodda 18 Pontypool 29.

This was a really tough opening encounter for Pontypool against a lively and highly motivated Ystrad Rhondda side. The home side bossed the game for long periods and put the Pooler pack under a lot of pressure. A word of praise for referee Kevin Shorte who I thought had an excellent match and went about his business in a calm and assured manner even when emotions were high. It is said that it is the sign of a good side if you can eke out a win when you are not playing your best. This is very much the case for Pontypool in this match. Ystrad Rhondda can take a lot of heart from their performance and can feel very hard done by that they came away without at least a bonus point.

I haven’t watched much Welsh rugby on the TV this weekend. I did catch a little bit of Ulster v Scarlets on S4C but I haven’t yet subscribed to Premier Sports and I wonder how many have so far. The only Welsh region to win were the Ospreys with both the Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets losing narrowly to Irish opposition. The Dragons yet again went down to defeat this time at home to Benetton and will have to delve deep into their book of excuses to find something original.

Next week Pontypool will play Tata Steel at Pontypool Park and will surely be looking for an improved performance against a team that they know well having played them three times last season. I am going away for a few weeks and will miss this and a couple of other games but my thoughts will be with the Pooler and my phone never far from my person when 14.30 on a Saturday comes around.

Come on Pooler!

Pooler Pipped at the Post

Conditions at the Gnoll in Neath were perfect and there was certainly a buzz around the ground as Pontypool rolled into town for their final warm up game before the season proper starts next weekend. These two teams were once the powerhouses of Welsh rugby but have become estranged and now it seems to be formally divorced from the top table in Wales. As at Aberavon last week, I looked around the ground and thought back to those bruising encounters of yesteryear and sighed. Still this was sure to be a competitive encounter and another chance for Pooler to measure their strength against a side from the Premiership.

It was an unfamiliar Pontypool team that took to the field when the game started and the first quarter was a bit of a nightmare as a vibrant Neath side threatened to run riot. The home forwards looked powerful and the backs looked quick and, to make matters worse, Pooler gave away a series of penalties. Neath scored three tries in the first quarter and it could easily have been more. The first try was scored after a series of Neath forward drives sucked in the Pontypool defence for Evans in the centre to have a clear run in near the posts (7-0). The second came when, to the embarrassment of the Pontypool defence, Neath second row Barley galloped down the touch line to score in the corner (12-0). The third try came when Neath attacked from their own twenty two for Howley to score an excellent long range try (19-0). Things looked black for Pooler!

In the second quarter Pooler managed to gain a bit of composure and, despite some close shaves, managed to prevent Neath from increasing their lead. Indeed, as the half drew to a close, a good kick chase after a speculative kick down field saw Morris charge down the attempted Neath clearance kick and touch the ball down for a try. The conversion failed but at least Pooler were on the scoreboard at 19-5.

Pontypool made mass substitutions at half time and the side started to look more familiar. They seemed intent of putting right the rather lack lustre performance of the first half. Neath soon realised that they were going to have to look to their laurels as Pooler powered their way into the home twenty two. A series of forward drives saw Pooler hooker Ball wriggle over and with Jones’ conversion it was game on at 19-12. Virtually from the restart, Pontypool were guilty of some weak tackling and Neath took full advantage with a try from Callow that with the conversion re-established their lead (26-12).

Pontypool had upped the pace and were now looking far more dangerous. A quick tapped penalty in the Neath twenty-two saw Gullis race over for an unconverted try (26-17). A few minutes later some great work by the Pooler back row forwards Edwards and Herbert opened up the space for Gullis to score his second try. This time Jones nailed the conversion and the gap was down to just two points (26-24) and the momentum completely with the away side. As a tremendous third quarter came to an end, Pontypool were again threatening the Neath line. A defensive lineout went awry and Lampitt got hold of the ball and powered over for a try. Despite the conversion failing, Pontypool had taken the lead at 26-29.

The final quarter saw Neath make substitutions and they came back strongly as they tried desperately to snatch the win. Pooler defended stoutly but were pinned in their own half for long periods. A yellow card for Pontypool wing Prothero made things even more difficult as Neath put their powerful attacks together. Pontypool managed to get hold of the ball and wound the clock down into time added on with a series of forward drives. It looked all up for Neath but with the last play of the game they found inspiration and moved the ball for Ellis to squeeze over in the corner. After some deliberation, the match officials decided that the try should stand. The conversion failed but this was irrelevant really as Neath had snatched victory at the last gasp. Final score 31-29.

This was certainly “a game of two halves” type of performance for Pontypool which will surely have given the coaching team plenty to think about. There is no doubt that Pontypool have a tremendously strong squad and it will be finding the right blend and combinations that will be the challenge. The first league game is next Saturday at newly promoted Ystrad Rhondda and Pontypool can certainly expect a warm welcome.

It wouldn’t be Welsh rugby if there weren’t reorganisations and recriminations and that certainly seems to be the situation at the moment. As usual, money is high on the agenda and that is never a good thing in sport. I am, I suppose, a bit of a dinosaur having been a rugby player and supporter for most of my sixty odd years. I do, however, have simple needs as a supporter and I do feel that the importance of the paying fan who goes to watch rugby week in and week out seems to fall down the pecking order as time goes on. I was taught that the customer is the most important person in the supply chain and surely the rugby fan is the customer here. Therefore as a customer let me put down what I would like:

• ·         I want to support a team that I feel an emotional attachment to and that I can feel part of. This cannot be created at the flick of a switch or with some high pressure marketing it has to be nurtured. I want to watch that team play in the flesh as often as I can be it home or away. There is only really room for one other team in my heart and that is the Welsh national team who I will also watch whenever I can. The team I choose to support is Pontypool RFC who I have followed through thick and thin since my days in West Mon School. Yes I have an avid interest in rugby in general but I do not really need to actually go and watch any other teams. I watch rugby on the TV but very much on a cherry picked basis. This means I watch rugby from all over the world as well as from Wales on the basis of what looks like being an interesting game.
• ·         I want the team that I support to be part of a competitive league structure that is based on a meritocracy and does not have artificially created barriers. This means promotion and relegation based on league position alone. I do not see the point of play offs at the end of the season. I would like a league structure that is not constantly changing but one that stays in place for at least five years. 
• ·         A rugby season that lasts from September to April i.e. 8 months or 34 weeks. I would like there to be at least 26 league games to watch preferably on a Saturday afternoon during that time. This would allow time for cup matches and postponements. This means a league of 14 or 16 clubs.
• ·         I would rather stand on a terrace than on the field. If it is pouring with rain I would rather be under cover. As I get older I guess I would rather sit than stand. These however are not things that determine whether I go and watch a match.
• ·         I have no strong feelings about whether players should be paid. In the end it is the market and the benefactors that will determine that. We should be eternally grateful that there are benefactors and sponsors who are prepared to put money into the game.
• ·         Of course I want my team to do well but that is not the be all and end all. Win or lose it is nice to be able to mix with supporters from other clubs.
• ·         Most of all I want to have a bit of fun at a rugby match on a Saturday afternoon with people of a like mind.

The last few years have been frustrating as a Pontypool supporter with a ring-fenced Premiership and not really enough league rugby in a 12 team league. It seems the former will eventually be resolved but I still feel that we could do with a league of 14 teams. But what about Regional rugby I hear you ask. Somehow it seems to have passed me by – it must be the dinosaur in me.

I am still enjoying my rugby thanks to Pontypool.

Come on Pooler!