Prem Review - 2nd Sep

By Zippy
September 3 2006

Review of the action in the Principality Welsh Premiership as Bridgend and Ponty got off to the worst possible starts, losing to Ebbw Vale and Llandovery, for details read on.

Pontypridd 13 Llandovery 33

By www.PontypriddRFC.co.uk - Rygbi Pontypridd - Official Website / Y Wefan Swyddogol - The Valleys' Premier Team.

Ponty’s new season got underway in dismal weather conditions, but the home team making light of the elements, setting up an overlap try for full back Kristian Baller with just four minutes gone, outside half Dai Flanagan adding the conversion. Llandovery launched a snap counter offensive, allowing Simon Daniel to slot over a close range penalty. Both sides were scrapping for possession, with Ponty soaking up a good deal of pressure, but looking aggressive in defence.

Seizing a turnover ball, Ponty set off on a counter attack headed by a Gareth John chip and chase, and rounded off with a penalty converted from in front of the posts by Flanagan. The home fly half then kicked another goal, this time from a longer distance, to hoist his team into a 13pts to 3 lead with eighteen minutes gone. Poaching opposition line out ball, Ponty now looked to be well on top but hampered by their opponents’ infringing tactics. The Drovers responded with a powerful foray upfield, their pack shunting over the line from close range, a try claimed by hooker Adam Yelland. Llandovery now set up camp in the home twenty-two, with Ponty grafting hard in defence but eventually conceding points to another short range try scored by lock Arwel Davies, and converted by Daniel.

All attempts by Ponty to creatively play their way out of trouble came to nothing, and falling further behind to another Simon Daniel penalty. Ponty were now out of contention in all aspects of play, suffering a torrid period of Llandovery pressure which was rewarded with a try scored by flanker Gareth Williams. Tempers flared as Ponty’s frustrations grew, going into the interval trailing by 13 pts to 23.

Two half time substitutions saw Sam Hobbs and Nathan Strong coming out for the restart, in place of Rhys James and Justin Benfield, but Ponty conceding territory once more to their opponents’ “up the jumper” forward drives. The home team’s efforts to put width on the ball looked shapeless, their play littered with miss-kicks and handling errors. It was Llandovery who set the scoreboard back in motion, outside half Daniel slotting over another penalty with forty-six minutes gone.

In the prevailing wet conditions, Ponty just could not manufacture any attacking fluency, looking out of sorts and out of touch. A turnover and charge at last gave Ponty some impetus upfield, but never threatening a score. The home team were soon back-tracking into their own half, Llandovery setting up a powerful forward drive before the ball was fed out for winger Vivian Jenkins to cross for a try, a wide angle conversion to follow from Simon Daniel. Substitutions were made as Damien Welch came on for Grant Harrington, and Gareth Jones for Tom Dickens, followed by Nick Eaves in place of Stuart Williams.

With Simon Daniel kicking effectively for field position, Llandovery remained the dominant force, the crowd venting their frustrations with a slow hand-clap. Scrum half Gareth Jones injected some urgency into Ponty’s play with his sniping around the fringes, but a period of solid home pressure coming to nothing. Ponty were still losing ball in contact, and lacking any kind of cutting edge to their play, as Dylan Jones came on for Dai Flanagan and Leighton Davies for Duane Goodfield. Going into injury time, the game was petering out into a scrappy ending, Ponty’s woes compounded as Gareth Jones was carried off, and the final whistle setting the seal on a dismal performance and a demoralising home defeat by 13 pts to 33.

Pontypridd: 15.Kristian Baller  14.Dan Hitchings  13.Tom Riley  12.Dafydd Lockyer  11.Gareth John  10.Dai Flanagan (Dylan Jones) 9.Tom Dickens (Gareth Jones) 1.Stuart Williams (Nicky Eaves)  2.Duane Goodfield (Leighton Davies)  3.Rhys James (Sam Hobbs) 4.Chris Dicomidis  5.Grant Harrington (Damien Welch)  6.Lee Evans  7.Justin Benfield (Nathan Strong) 8.Dale McIntosh – cpt

Pontypridd	13 - 33 (13 - 23)	Llandovery
Tries: K Baller		Tries: A Yelland, A Davies, G Williams, V Jenkins
Pens: D Flanagan 2		Pens: S Daniel 3
Cons: L Evans		Cons: S Daniel 2

Bridgend 7 Ebbw Vale 16

Comments from Raven until match report available

Ebbw Vale good value for their win at the Brewery Field. The Ravens gave a very disappointing display and made more mistakes than in the whole of last season.

But Vale's pack was better in the scrums and lineouts and more streetwise in the loose where referee Mr Neil Ballard had a bit of a mare.

Not unsual for the Ravens to be outplayed up front but the backs could never get going and turned over far too much possession.

Vale's limited game plan worked well. They kicked to the corners or downfield almost all the time and kept the Ravens on the back foot and trying to attack from far too deep.

Bryan Shelbourne and Matthew Griffiths got tries for Vale and Shelbourne kicked two penalties.

A penalty try for the Ravens because of a high tackle by Andrew Bevan on Chris Tossell as he was about to score. Matthew Hutchings kicked the conversion.

Both sides missed good chances. Bevan and Craig Blunsdon dropped scoring passes for Vale while the Ravens blew at least five good chances.

Bridgend	7 - 16 (7 - 6)	Ebbw Vale
Tries: penalty		Tries: B Shelbourne, M Griffiths
		Pens: B Shelbourne 2
Cons: M Hutchings