Congratulations from Penarth RFC to Penarth Hockey Club
The men’s first team captained by Tom Haran defeated Bangor University 6-2 in the final of the Hockey Wales Trophy and 2nd team, captained by Matt Birch lost 3-1 to Swansea University 2nds in the final of the Hockey Wales Challenge Cup.
DOWLAIS 34 PENARTH 17 – Saturday 9 April 2016
After last week’s encouraging performance against second-placed Llantrisant, the Seasiders, searching for a first win since early January, made the trip up to the Heads of the Valleys to face promotion challengers Dowlais.
This was always going to be an uphill struggle for yet another hastily-assembled team showing several changes from the published squad, but they made a superb start. Alan Doyle ran back the Dowlais kick-off and quick possession was delivered to Nathan Smith at inside-centre who dummied inside before releasing Alex Thau, who beat two defenders to score.
With James Docherty adding the extras, Penarth were in the exhilarating position of enjoying a 7-0 lead within the first minute. Then they almost immediately lost Smith to a shoulder injury, with Owain Rees coming on at scrum-half while Rhys Morgan moved out to centre.
Dowlais were now dominating possession, but couldn’t keep up any sort of momentum as the referee was giving them no leeway at the breakdown. A youthful Penarth eight, despite facing a gnarled and experienced home pack, were holding their own in the tight, which is why it came as a surprise when Dowlais equalised after 15 minutes with a penalty try.
The Seasiders then experienced what was a decisive blow as Tom Luck, playing at blindside flanker, took an accidental knee to the temple and was naturally not allowed to continue. In the middle of a light hailstorm the hosts took quick advantage and full-back Tom Griffin put his side 14-7 ahead after 24 minutes.
Dowlais were moving the ball well, led by a lively number eight in Jon Pinch and although Penarth were struggling to make their tackles count, they set up a tidy-looking maul as half-time approached, winning a penalty. Docherty converted and the sides turned around with the Seasiders trailing by a creditable 4 points.
The second half closely resembled the first and the hosts increased their lead on 49 minutes from forward pressure, lock Jon Davies the scorer. Scrum-half Darryl Jenkins added another six minutes later and replacement Ceri Morgan turned up with the fifth on the hour.
The remaining 20 minutes were more evenly contested, but as Dowlais had secured the winning bonus, it was far too late for the Seasiders to make any real impression. Wing Bleddyn Rees added a sixth with 14 minutes to go and it wasn’t until the dying minutes that Penarth gained any field position.
Owain Rees, who had delivered an assured debut performance, hacked ahead and nearly scored as a cruel bounce took the full-back out of the equation under his own posts. Swift covering by Dowlais regained possession for them, but as they tried to run the ball out of the 22, the Seasiders applied such pressure that a panicky handling error set up quick-witted Rhys Morgan for a consolation second try.
PENARTH Huw Elias, Tom Smith, Keiron Carpenter (Morgan Smith), Nathan Smith (Owain Rees), James Crothers, James Docherty, Rhys Morgan, Jerome Bryan, Mason Good, Alan Doyle, Owain James, Scott Mackie, Tom Luck, Alex Thau, Louis Chandler
Scorers: Nathan Smith (Try), Rhys Morgan (Try), James Docherty (2 Conversions, penalty)
SINCE the beginning of the 20th century, 1901 to be more accurate, Good Friday has been a day of good rugby and much fun for Penarth and the neighbouring towns and villages. It was the time for the wandering tribe of the Barbarians to invade the Seaside town for the eagerly awaited Easter tour of South Wales.
It was always Penarth on Friday, Cardiff on Saturday, Penarth again on Sunday, but for golf rather than rugby, then Swansea on Monday and occasionally Newport, whenever available, on Tuesday. It was all gone by 1996, as the game turned professional, though the Penarth fixture disappeared from the Barbarians programme 10 years earlier.
But for the people of Penarth, Good Friday meant rugby as the Easter Friday fixture had entered during the previous 85 years in the genetic make-up of the town. Aware of its attraction the Seaside club made huge efforts to find an alternative for the rugby-hungry crowds.
It was Public School Wanderers, the Crawshays, a few Sevens tournaments, you name it, but they did not last long, until the launch in 2001 of the Penarth Youth versus Crawshays Youth fixture, which slowly turned into the main Good Friday attraction. It lasted more than 10 years, but then as Penarth Youth got increasingly assertive and perhaps too strong for their own good, the Crawshays officials decided to abandon the fixture, finding an excuse in some kind of rowdy behaviour of the club’s young supporters.
This Good Friday, 30 years after the Barbarians left for good, the fixture was again fulfilled by the all-winning Penarth Youth side, against a District Youth XV, an excellent initiative that benefits both the club and of course the talented youngsters of Cardiff and District.
Players from nine district clubs, including Penarth, were selected for the District team captained by loose-head Mac James, one of the six St Joseph’s RFC youngsters in the squad. Penarth won 29-11, a somewhat expected outcome, taking into account their unbeaten season record as well as the excellent quality of the tuition provided by head coach Colin Laity, a former Neath, Cardiff and Wales B centre and his fellow assistants Simon Rees and Andrew Pyman, the latter a former Penarth prop.
Rees, provided sterling service during the absence of Pyman, taken ill at the beginning of the season, though his return to coaching a few weeks ago helped Penarth forwards assert themselves against a very strong District pack. Penarth Youth chairman Richard Smith pointed out this is a particularly talented generation of players, though no less than six of the 15 who started against the District are in their first year of youth rugby.
“I have to say that I had a dilemma when I announced the team.” said head coach Colin Laity.
“Several of our Year Three players (Youth starts at 17) who came back on their Easter break made themselves available to play, but I owed one to the Year One and Year Two boys who played throughout the season. There was no question that they had to start given the contribution they have made during the season, so basically we had only two Year Three players in the starting line-up, Owen Rees the scrum half and James Wales the fullback. The other 12 were Year Two and One players, with most of the Year Three boys on the bench,” added Laity.
The match was played in good spirit with Penarth running the ball at every opportunity. The skill standard of the Penarth players was probably the outstanding feature of the game, with all points scored by the backs, four tries by Leon Appiah, James Walsh, Derek Grotz and Sam Laity, with outside half Morgan Smith adding a penalty and three conversions.
Penarth Youth (1-15) Josh James, Morgan Jones, Josh Stafford, Owen Lloyd, Sam Davis (captain), Nathan Frost, Rhys Jones, Sum Sullivan, Owen Rees, Morgan Smith, Jac Ursall, George Roberts, Dekklan Grotz, Leon Appiah, James Walsh; (16-25): Jordan Ong, Alex Drake, Matt Holder, Calum McSorley, Aled George, Morgan Rees, Sam Laity, Jacob Frost, Cenghizan Zeathin, Ewan Thomas
Referee: Martyn Benzer (Llanharan)
PENARTH 10 – LLANTRISANT 19 – Saturday 2 April 2016
The sun shone and the pitch had drained, the breeze was across the pitch favouring neither side, delightful conditions for open rugby. So the crowd anticipated a good contest as Penarth welcomed second placed Llantrisant to the Athletic ground.
And so it proved as both sides spread the ball and ran with gusto. Neither was it a one sided affair. If anything Penarth were more than a match for the high fliers except, critically, in one aspect. Penarth failed throughout to convince referee Alex Yau from Cardiff that their lines out were conducted legally. So repeatedly had to concede scrum or penalty advantage to their opponents instead of taking possession. This proved too much of a handicap as it prevented home continuity and occasionally potential scores.
Penarth started with real intent working their first possession wide and going patiently through five phases until powerful centre Tom Luck burst through at pace to touch down.
The advantage was wiped out immediately from the restart as Penarth failed to control the ball, Llantrisant took possession and seamlessly switched the ball to wing Julian Andrews who brushed past a weak tackle to score in the corner.
At five minutes in and the score even at 5-5 a try festival looked on the cards. Instead there was half an hour of lively, keenly contested rugby played mainly between the 22meter lines. The entertainment value was high but both sides were guilty of squandering clear scoring opportunities by missed passes and knock ons or by the set pieces giving referee Yau reason to blow his whistle.
Bright spots in this for the home side were the line breaks made by Luck, the booming cross kicks for territory by outside half Nathan Smith, a devastating demolition tackle by Jerome Bryan and a couple of critical tackles back by replacement wing Paul Collett.
The stalemate was broken by the visitors, and it was, again, right wing Andrews ability to break through weak tackles that achieved the score which, converted, allowed the visitors to go in at half time seven point up.
Tom Luck continued where he left off at the restart. A penetrating burst through was held but possession regained and quickly released to him again along with the weight of the heavy brigade who ensured his passage over the line. At 10-12 the match was well and truly on. Penarth continued to exert pressure but just failed to take the lead from a long Smith penalty attempt.
Mid way through the half came a significant moment. A Llantrisant move was halted by the support runner being taken out and a yellow card being issued to Bryan. Penarth held firm for most of his absence but just before the end of the sin binning Llantrisant centre Dafydd Israel was able to exploit the defensive gap. The conversion extended their lead to nine points.
Sadly by now a bit of niggle had crept into the game. A series of lectures from the referee to the captains failed to put a stop to this and what appeared to be two tip tackles were followed by a ruckus which then resulted in a yellow card against Llantrisant in what was already time added on for stoppages.
Penarth will be disappointed at not securing a victory that was theirs to be taken.
Next Saturday, April 9th, Penarth are away at third placed Dowlais.
Scorers, Penarth Tries Tom Luck 2.
Llantrisant Tries Julian Andrews 2; Dafydd Israel. Conversions Scott Bryant 2.
Penarth; James Docherty; Ben Hill; Rhys Morgan; Tom Luck; James Crothers; Nathan Smith; Tom Hillman; Jerome Bryan; Mason Goode; Alan Doyle; Scott Mackie (capt.); Owain James Harry Roberts; Elliot Smith; Alex Thau.
Replacements Paul Collett; Sean O’Sullivan; Louis Chandler.
ABERCYNON 18 PENARTH 12 – Saturday 26 March 2016
Not so much a game of two halves as a hastily-reassembled Penarth side faced relegation-haunted Abercynon last Saturday at Y Parc. More a case of the hosts adapting to the appalling conditions rather better than the visitors for an hour and then almost losing it.
The heavy rain and wind were at the Seasiders’ backs for the first period, but the going remained firm and eminently playable. The main thing was that both sides tried to keep the ball in hand, but Abercynon eased into an 8-0 lead after 15 minutes as a rare kick ahead was fielded in the Penarth 22 and the clearance by Huw Elias was charged down for a try by the home right wing.
Although the Seasiders were to enjoy a good deal of possession, there was little chance of any real continuity as the slippery ball meant way too many handling errors. The closest either side came to a further score in the half was right at the end as the home outside-half chipped ahead and Ben Hill knocked on, the referee adjudging deliberately. However, the defence by 14-man Penarth was more than Abercynon could deal with and they turned round with the score remaining 8-0 to the hosts.
By now, the wind blowing up the valley had turned through 90 degrees and the Seasiders again found themselves playing with the wind at their backs. Not that this was any real advantage, as Abercynon piled on the pressure from a penalty kick in their own half. The Penarth defence was again well up to the task of repelling forward thrusts, but when the home scrum-half feinted to move the ball wide, he cut back in to score by the posts and the score moved on to a daunting 13-0.
The Seasiders continued to take the game to Abercynon, with Harry Roberts often leading the charge, but they simply couldn’t get on to the scoresheet as a James Docherty penalty sailed just outside the far post. Soon an Abercynon attack, led once again by their lively outside-half, brought a penalty which yielded a 5 metre line-out. Play was now hidden by the lowered shutters of one end of the stand, so Abercynon’s third try was scored out of sight.
Leading 18-0 with 20 minutes to go, the hosts were clearly coasting, but Penarth suddenly burst into life with the try of the afternoon. A messy line-out on half way was tidied up by Mike Clare and the ball moved infield to Huw Elias. The full-back hoisted it into the Abercynon half, where he beat the opposition to the ball, side-stepped and left the defence for dead down the touchline before scoring behind the posts. Docherty converted to bring the score back to 18-7.
Trailing by 11 points, Penarth were bizarrely dominating proceedings and scored a second five minutes later. A five metre scrum yielded messy possession, but Docherty scooped the ball up at full stretch to Rhys Morgan, who swiftly straightened the line before putting the replacement left wing Chad Hogan in at the corner.
The remaining eight minutes were played out with a clearly rattled home side struggling to keep the Seasiders out. This coming Saturday, Penarth play host to second-placed Llantrisant at the Athletic Field and visit third-placed Dowlais the week after. The good news is that they remain fully 19 points clear of the relegation zone.
PENARTH Huw Elias, Jacob Genty (Chad Hogan), James Crothers, Rhys Morgan, Ben Hill, James Docherty, Tom Hillman, Jerome Bryan, Mason Good, Alan Doyle, Lloyd Hutson (Mike Clare), Owain James, Harry Roberts, Scott Mackie, Louis Chandler
Scorers: Huw Elias (Try), Chad Hogan (Try), James Docherty (Conversion)
Division 2 East Central
Saturday 2nd April 2016
PENARTH v Llantrisant
The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road
Kick-off 2.30pm
There are 30 years this weekend since the Barbarians turned up at the Athletic Field for the last time. It was sad and painful, though inevitable as their Easter Tour schedule had to be initially cut down then eventually
abandoned for good. Penarth, the host of tour opener on Good Friday were the first to be dropped in 1986, but ten years later the game turned professional and Barbarians Easter tour of South Wales was all but never to be
forgotten memories. The supporters and players of both Penarth clubs started celebrating the 30thanniversary last weekend, with two matches, against foreign opposition. Les Limacs (The Snails) the veterans of ES Gimont, a club in Gers region of Gascony, were the first to sample Penarth hospitality on Friday night. Two years ago, another French Veterans side visited Penarth and the fun they had convinced one of the then tourists Jerome Escalas, the President and captain of Limacs to return this March.
The match between Penarth veterans and the visitors was an entertaining 9-tries affair, in which the French surprised their hosts with their skill and pace. Captained by veteran Jason Allen, Penarth fielded an experienced team of whom Simon Crothers, approaching his 50th birthday was probably the most senior. Brendan Bush returned to don the Penarth jersey, so did Gavin Seymour and Geraint Evans who showed great form in the front row. Mike Clare played outside half, a position that enabled him to display his appetite for running rugby, while former skipper Gary Power had a good run at flank-forward. Several of the Penarth first team regulars had an opportunity to have a run, to help them return to form for the remaining League matches. Penarth scored five tries to the visitors’ four to win the match, but the evening ended well after midnight after a most enjoyable dinner and singing session. Appropriately, great time was had by all, one of those occasions that reminded of a bygone era, when the drinking and singing went well into the small hours of the night.
On Sunday afternoon a combined Penarth/ Old Penarthians XV entertained the St. John’s University RFC from Minnesota, who stopped in Penarth for their first match of their tour, which takes them to Bath and Chester as well. The club nicknamed “The Johnies” won the National Small College Rugby Organisation (NSCRO) a few times since 2010 but seemed quite rusty after a three months break. The Combined Penarth XV showed great appetite for running rugby and won comfortable 73-22, but after the break the visitors redeemed themselves with several well-taken tries.
This weekend the anniversary Good Friday fixture is going to be fulfilled by the all-winning Penarth Youth side, against a District Youth XV, as the Crawshays Youth decided to abandon the fixture. Coached by former Neath and Wales B centre Colin Laity, helped by Andy Pyman, who has returned to coaching duties after a break due to poor health, Penarth Youth are enjoying one of their best seasons to date. They are unbeaten so far in their League and as Youth Chairman Richard Smith pointed out this is a particularly talented generation of players as the majority of the squad are only in their first or second year of Youth rugby. The last home match on the Penarth Firsts fixture list for the 2015-16 season is against Llantrisant, Saturday week, on April 2nd when the Seasiders will celebrate 30 years since the last match against the Barbarians in 1986. The former players are invited to attend and the organisers hope to have a good turnout of former Penarth stars.
Written By Chris Thau
With several WRU League matches suspended for Six Nation weekends, not to mention the inclement weather that led to numerous cancellations, the much needed help for the rugby-hungry Penarth supporters arrives in the shape of two overseas sides this week. The first to sample Penarth RFC hospitality are the Veterans of ES Gimont, a club in Gers region of Gascony, a county with rich cultural and rugby traditions. In fact Penarth RFC visited Gers in 1977, when they were entertained by the local club Auch RC, the leading club in Gascony. The locals, led by the then French captain and scrum-half Jacques Fouroux lost to the fired up visitors from Wales, in a match still remembered by the Gesrsois. “It was an incredible match, and we had so much fun” recalled Penarth RFC Chairman Mike Gooding, one of the then Welsh tourists.
Two years ago, a French Veterans side visited Penarth and the welcome of the Seasiders and the fun they had convinced one of the then tourists Jerome Escalas to relaunch another adventure to the country of “Les Dragons” this March. The match, between Penarth Old Souls – a combined side of local veterans – will be played under lights kicking off at the Athletic Field at 7 pm on Friday, 18th of March. Former Penarth RFC regular Jason Allen is the player/manager/captain of the locals, while Jerome Escales will captain the visitors, appropriately called “The Limacs” which stands for snails in the local Patois dialect. According to the French liaison Stephanie Escales, the youngest French player is 37, while the oldest is 80. ES Gimont, plays in Division Three of Federale 3 league of the French Championship and is currently third in the league table.
Meanwhile, the St. John’s University RFC from Minnesota arrives from the USA, for a three match tour, that will commence on Sunday with a match against Penarth RFC, first XV. After playing Penarth the visitors, one of the leading lights of the National Small College Rugby Organisation (NSCRO) in the US, will travel to Bath and Chester for two further matches. The club nicknamed “The Johnies” has won the Colleges championship a few times during the last five year and are the reigning NSCRO champions. They are one of the 240 male student teams playing in the championship and are keen to start their tour with a win. Since the admission of rugby ion the Olympics, the interest in the game has skyrocketed in US colleges – who are keen to remind everyone that the US are the reigning Olympic Champions, title they won in 1924. The match will kick off on Sunday 20th of March, at 2.30 at the Athletic Field and Penarth Head Coach David Morgan is expected to select a healthy mixture of senior and Youth players for the game.
There are not many home matches to be fulfilled on the Penarth fixture list, so the club has decided to use the final home match of the 2015-16 season against Llantrisant, on April 2nd to celebrate 30 years since the last match against the Barbarians in 1986. The former players are invited to attend and the organisers hope to have a good turnout of former Penarth stars.
Penarth RFC Home Fixtures
PENARTH 17 – ST.PETERS 28
Penarth will be particularly disappointed on looking back at this contest. After giving the opposition a seven point lead they hit back straight away, went behind again but grafted their way into a second half lead only to let it slip again.
Conditions were excellent and encouraged open, running rugby. St. Peters took immediate advantage of this from the off, throwing the ball wide and bringing their three quarters straight into the game. Penarth seemed not to sense the early threat and fell off too many tackles allowing St Peters number 10 James Morris a free passage to the line.
This set back galvanised the home side who threw everything into an attack of their own. Behind a pack thundering away at the line scrum half Gareth Mathias sniped away only to be flattened after releasing a probing chip. Referee Mark Jones had no hesitation in judging that a score had been illegally prevented and awarded a penalty try.
Ten minutes gone and the score was all square at 7 – 7.
Now it was the visitors turn to hit back with their back row making Mathias’s life impossible. As so often number 8 Elliot Smith brought an element of calm amongst the storm working the ball out to the home backs where the decision to kick through just let St Peters reapply pressure.
This pressure gained two successive penalties then a yellow card for Louis Chandler in defence. With a one man advantage in the pack St Peters were able to shove Penarth pack back over their own line for a touchdown and conversion.
Wingman Paul Collett was recruited into the back row to return some balance to that contest and frustrated St Peters scrum half, Luke O’Brien temporarily confused his sports and offered a few sideswipes in place of sidesteps A chat from the referee meant that a subsequent infringement gave Penarth stalwart James Docherty a chance for three points that he readily accepted.
Half Time: Penarth 10 – St Peters 14.
After some suffering in the first half the young Penarth front row had by this stage got the measure of the opposition. So the start to the second period saw some exciting running particularly from Alex Thau, engaged twice in a charge down the blind side wing. From the attacking penalty that this gained Docherty declined three points and set up a five meter line out. Secured possession became a perfectly formed rolling maul driven over for Thau to round off his earlier work with the try. Docherty added an element of drama by converting in-off the post.
At this stage, ten minutes in, the home side were running positively and off-loading slickly. Scrum and line out were working and the tackling error rate had improved.
But St Peters had not despaired and applied pressure up front once more achieving four successive 5 meter scrums with a desperate home defence conceding a penalty try.
Penarth were by no means out of it but started to miss tackles again and amongst desperate defence a frustrated Tom Luck got on the wrong end of a red card. St Peters, alert to the chance, worked the ball wide where the gap was and Morris strolled through for their bonus point try.
Penarth threw all their replacements into the fray but apart from an unwelcome session of fisticuffs at the death the action was over.
Penarth will learn from this encounter and develop the positive things in their performance as well as putting in some tackling practice.
Penarth: Rhys Morgan; Paul Collett; Nathan Smith; Tom Luck; James Crothers; James Docherty; Gareth Mathias; Jerome Bryan; Mason Good; Alan Doyle; Lloyd Hutson; Scott Mackie (capt.); Alex Thau; Elliot Smith; Louis Chandler.
Substitutes; Sean O’Sullivan; Mathew Sutton; Riyad Aukbarally; Harry Roberts; Ben Hill.
PONTYCLUN 38 PENARTH 21 – Saturday 27 February 2016
A patched-together Penarth side took the field for the first time in February at Mill Fields Pontyclun last Saturday. Hooker Mason Good was pressed into service in the second row, while centre Tom Luck packed down on the blindside flank. Both gave an excellent account of themselves. The hosts, starting the day at the bottom of the table, were welcoming back several players and fairly tore into the game.
They gained early control of the breakdown and put the Seasiders under real pressure, racing into a 6-0 lead after 11 minutes. Then two things happened: Penarth got into their stride as Nathan Smith converted a couple of penalties to bring the scores level and the referee finally worked out how the home side were doing so well at the breakdown and started penalising them. Just before half-time, with the score 9-9, Pontyclun tight-head Morgan Bosanko received his marching orders and things were looking up for the Seasiders.
The Badgers came roaring out of the traps in the second half and received due reward as they wheeled a five-metre scrum and sent number eight Jack Theaker over for the game’s first try and a 16-9 lead. This lead was short-lived, as the Penarth back division sprang into life with Gareth Mathias, Nathan Smith and James Thatcher combining to threaten the Pontyclun line. A penalty yielded a line-out and although the first drive was pushed back, Mathias whipped the ball inside to Adam Lewis, who skipped past the first tackle and dashed over under the posts.
With the match finely poised, Pontyclun eased their noses in front on the hour with a fourth penalty from full-back Jamie Theaker and the score was still 19-16 with twelve minutes to go when the roof fell in on the Seasiders in spectacular fashion. Three tries in seven minutes brought the hosts a winning bonus point and it was game over. Firstly centre Rory Woodland ran unchallenged in at the right-hand corner and then partner Luke Rose followed the same route three minutes later. Tight-head Bosanko completed the hat-trick from a scrum four minutes later.
As if waking from weird dream and now trailing 38-16, Penarth went on to dominate the last five minutes as normal service was restored. A searing break from Alex Thau set up a consolation try by Rhys Morgan in the corner and the visitors were left to ponder what on earth had happened in those seven minutes in an otherwise evenly-contested match.
Fifth-placed St.Peters are the visitors at the Athletic Field next Saturday and a home win would take the Seasiders up to fifth place in Division 2 East Central.
PENARTH Huw Elias, Paul Collett, Adam Lewis, James Thatcher, James Crothers (Ben Hill) Nathan Smith, Gareth Mathias (Rhys Morgan), Jerome Bryan, Simon Barry (James Docherty), Alan Doyle (Sean O’Sullivan), Mason Good, Richie Howells, Tom Luck, Alex Thau, Louis Chandler (Mike Clare).
Scorers: Nathan Smith (Try, Conversion, 3 Penalties), Rhys Morgan (Try)
Division 2 East Central
Saturday 5th March 2016
PENARTH v St.Peters
The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road
Kick-off 2.30pm
PENARTH 5 PORTH HARLEQUINS 28 – Saturday 30 January 2016
It didn’t look as if it was going to be a long afternoon as Nathan Smith dummied a pass to his outside backs in the Porth 22 before slicing through the defensive line to score the opening try after only four minutes. Admittedly, the fact that it wasn’t going to be easy became clear as soon as Porth drove a maul into the Penarth 22 before peeling it off to outside centre Luke Shepherd who powered over under the posts.
Porth Harlequins aren’t undefeated at the top of the table for nothing. They have a peerless line-out, an almost irresistible maul and a way of accelerating into tackles that’s challenging, to say the least. After full-back Josh Waughington had completely fluffed a 43-metre penalty attempt, they simply concentrated on those positive aspects of their game and prop David Wilcox extended their lead to 14-5 after 19 minutes.
Five minutes later they decided they didn’t even need lines-out and mauls and simply bashed their way through tackles down the right wing, Dan Hitchins completed the score. 21-5 down, the Seasiders suddenly seemed to get the hang of it, soaking up the pressure more effectively, but nevertheless planting too many kicks out of hand straight into the hands of the opposition to make any real progress.
Penarth were taking much of the initiative as the half drew to a close, which made it especially disappointing the Quins were able to gain a line-out in the home 22 in the last minute. Fully exploiting the speed with which they could set a maul in motion, they drove for the line and, as it collapsed, fed Hitchins, coming off his wing at an angle and beating two defenders with sheer pace to go under the posts.
The least said about the second half the better. Yes, there was rain heavy enough to drive most of the spectators into the stand, but everything the first 40 minutes had promised simply didn’t happen in a second half that looked as if it belonged to another fixture altogether.
Either Porth, with a bonus point already in the bag, simply lost interest, or the Seasiders had worked them out and didn’t really need to have been 28-5 down. It’s really no exaggeration to say that there were only two points of interest in the whole 40 minutes. The red card earned by Waughington for a punch thrown at the breakdown and the yellow card theatrically claimed for dissent by Daf Gristock as he clearly caught the ball before planting his foot in touch.
There’s no way Penarth could have exploited the two-man advantage in the last five minutes, as the match had long since descended into farce. The challenge now is to put this dreadful game behind them, as they travel to the other side of Cardiff to face St.Peters next Saturday. The Rocks are only three points ahead of the Seasiders in fourth place, but have played two games fewer.
PENARTH James Docherty, Huw Elias, Adam Lewis, Tom Luck, Paul Collett, Nathan Smith (Ben Hill), Chris Mortimer (Owain George), Jerome Bryan, Simon Barry, Sean O’Sullivan, Richie Howells, Lloyd Hutson (Owain James), Scott Mackie, Elliott Smith, Alex Thau.
Scorers: Nathan Smith (Try)
Division 2 East Central
Saturday 6th February 2016
St.Peters v PENARTH
Minster Road, Roath, Cardiff
Kick-off 2.30pm
Penarth – Rhiwbina
9. Match Day
30/11/2024,
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | T | L | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | St Josephs | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 35 |
| 2 | • | Penarth | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 33 |
| 3 | ↑ | Rhydyfelin | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 30 |
| 4 | ↓ | Abercynon | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 29 |
| 5 | ↑ | Llanharan | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| 6 | ↑ | Abercwmboi | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 20 |
| 7 | ↓ | Llanishen | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 20 |
| 8 | • | Barry | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 11 |
| 9 | • | Rhiwbina | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
| 10 | • | Porth Harlequins | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
