Boxing Day match – Youth to the fore

Old Penarthians RFC 6 Penarth RFC 45

A Boxing Day fixture between the two clubs has been played on and off since the 1930s, though it was Penarth seconds (Athletic) that were involved in those days. The first teams match started in 1988, though it has not been played regularly until 2010. This was the 25th match between the two clubs with Penarth winning 19, losing five and drawing one.
The lopsided score of the 19th win does not really reflect the endeavour and application of the Old Pens, who tried hard to stem the advance of the Penarth juggernaut. They tackled bravely and even took the lead briefly after an infringement by a Penarth forward at a ruck, some five minutes into the game. But the tight driving game of their neighbours left them with little options in mud and pouring rain. Their frailties up-front were brutally exposed by a compact Penarth pack at a scrum near their own line, compelling the referee to start the countdown with a penalty try.

Nathan Smith was on target with the conversion, one of his three successful kicks at goal. The Penarth tight-eight went on battering the Old Penarthians line, which added six more tries to their tally, three on each half, with Elliott Smith capitalising on the dominant scrummaging with two touchdowns.

From the outset this was to be Andy Pyman’s farewell match, as former Captain and fellow prop Gary Power pointed out before kick-off. “This is Andy’s 100-match for Penarth and we must make it a day to remember” he said. They did it in style and Pyman, who started playing for Penarth in the early 1990s, was a happy man at the end of the game. “This is the end of it; no more playing. I am absolutely chuffed”, he said.

Penarth XV: (15-1) Rhys Morgan, (Chris Poole) Tom Smith (Jamie Halpin), Tom Luck, Alex Thau (Kieran Carpenter), James Crothers, Nathan Smith (Kevin Maddox), Gareth Mathias (Tom Hillman), Eliott Smith ( Louis Chandler), Mike Clare CPT (Gary Power), Miles Jones (Simon Crothers), Stuart Clarke, (Paul Gooding), Richard Howells, Alan Doyle, Simon Barry (Mason Goode), Jerome Bryan (Andy Pyman)

Scorers: penalty try, E Smith (2), J Bryan, A Doyle, K.Maddox, J Crothers, Cons N. Smith (3) K Maddox (2)