Fixture

Risca RFC | 1st Team 11 - 5 Cwmbran RFC | 1st Team
Ben Murphy
Penalty 2
Daniel Horler
Try 1

Match Report
23 September 2018 / Team News

Risca 11 - Cwmbran 5

Match report by Clive James.

Newly promoted Cwmbran were the visitors to the Stores Field and they arrived in confident mood having won their three opening league fixtures.

Risca had Ryan Dallimore switching to full back in the absence of James Dowle,Taylor Dimmock coming in on the wing, Ben Murphy moving to no.10 with Biddy away on honeymoon and Matthew McGovern on permit from Newport filling the centre position. Rhys Norville came into the 2nd.row with Dan Horler dropping to the bench and Callum Coughlin moved to no.8.

With steady rain falling the game got underway and the home side immediately were on the offensive but the early pressure came to nothing and Cwmbran eventually got into the Risca half.The game was then held up firstly for treatment to Callum Coughlin and then a lengthy stoppage for the visitors prop who was eventually stretchered from the field with an achilles injury.

For the next twenty minutes Cwmbran kept Risca on the defensive inside their 22 but could not make the pressure count and eventually a relieving touch kick from Murphy saw play move back into the visitors half. A superb scrum from Risca saw the visiting eight being steamrollered backwards, this instigated a dust up which was followed by another after yet another scrum which Cwmbran had the better of. Fortunately no player was carded and the game continued. Risca then had an opportunity to get the first score but after moving the ball out wide the slippery ball was spilled and the chance was gone. An absorbing first half came to an end scoreless.

The second half saw Dan Horler coming on in the unfamiliar position of flanker replacing Jake Porter. It was an inspired move as he went on to have a superb game contributing around the field as well as in the lineout. Risca did to Cwmbran what had been done to them in the first half and put pressure on straight away. After a series of attacks Cwmbran infringed at the breakdown culminating in the no.8 being yellow carded.Ben Murphy put over the penalty from 22metres to give Risca the lead. From the kick off the homeside again went on the attack and some of the handling in the conditions was very good although it took another ten minutes to get the try they deserved. It came from that man Horler who finished off a move that started thirty metres out with centre Kent driving up and the move carrying on to the goalline. The conversion failed but Murphy made amends minutes later by adding another penalty. The visitors then got a foothold inside the Risca 22 and a number of scrums took place.Risca scrummaged well and thwarted Cwmbran.But the pressure finally told and they got over for an unconverted try. With ten minutes remaining Risca eventually did the right thing and put the ball into the Cwmbran half and stifled any attempt they made to break away.

Final score 11pts.-5.

This was a type of game that last season Risca would have lost but the whole team in this tough league game worked together talking to each other and backing each other up.Ben Murphy controlled things at no.10 and was very cool under pressure,Ryan Dallimore did well at full back,captain Rhys Meredith again led by example and the forwards were outstanding. Prop Jordan Rogers was Man of the Match after his strong scrummaging and big carries.

The Athletic played Cardiff Saracens in the replay of their Bowl fixture which was abandoned last week after a serious injury to a Cardiff player. A resounding win by 31pts.-5 see the Athletic in the next round.

Next Saturday the 1st.XV.play Blaenavon at home in the Plate while the Athletic are also at home to Bridgend Athletic.

The Youth travel to Brynmawr in a friendly.

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