Rumney : 15.L.Abdul 14.M.O'Neill 13.P.Carlton 12.G.Bowen 11.L.Khan 10.D.Clark  9.P.Nash  1.N.Trevett  2.C.O'Donoghue (Capt)  3.D.Evans   4.P.Bull  5.J.Braine 6.R.Sutton 7.R.Fenton 8.N.Coles  Replacements : J.Harris M.Feneck  K.Jama  L.Miller

Referee : Darren Evans, Neath

Scorers for Rumney : L.Abdul 2 tries, M.O'Neill try, P.Carlton try, D.Clark try and penalty and 7 conversions, R.Sutton 2 tries

Scorers for Croesyceiliog : S.Copsey try, M.Entwistle conversion

Rumney began the 2006-2007 season with a devestating display of attacking rugby, handling superbly in greasy, rainy conditions, running in seven tries and issuing a stark, early warning to all the other teams in the division. Croesyceiliog started by putting on heavy pressure, taking play into the visitors' half, but outside half Danny Clark immediately drove Rumney back upfield through huge line kicks. Flanker Ryan Sutton was to dominate the lineout all afternoon and his early steals disrupted the home side and with prop Nathan Trevett bursting down midfield, the visiting backs were soon brought into action, showing pace and determination. After ten minutes Clark opened the scoring with a penalty but the Cockerels returned to the offensive, coming close to scoring a try but also finding that Rumney were ready to run any ball out of defence or use their pack to control strong forward drives in order to relieve any danger. In the twenty fifth minute, deep in his own territory, Rumney full back Lee Abdul gathered a difficult loose kick and set off on a magnificent movement with winger Luke Khan, linking with scrum half Paul Nash, second row Jamie Braine, Clark, Trevett, centre Phil Carlton, Sutton and winger Paddy O'Neill, before Sutton again took the ball and finished off a glorious try in the corner. Clark converted for a 0 - 10 lead and soon the outside half was again creating breaks with powerful, fast midfield support from No8 Neil Coles, second row Paul Bull and flanker Ryan Fenton. The visitors' rock solid front row of props David Evans and Trevett, and unstoppable hooker Colin O'Donoghue provided the foundation of excellent set pieces and in the thirtieth minute Fenton, Bull and Sutton launched a co-ordinated midfield drive supplying Nash with clean ball, giving centre Carlton the chance to take a beautifully timed ball from Clark to sprint in under the sticks. The conversion extended the lead to 0 - 17 but with a change in tactics, Croesyceiliog threatened to score through wide threequarter movements and only decisive tackling by the Rumney defence and centre Gareth Bowen in particular, kept them out. Visiting Captain O'Donoghue was now thriving in attack, drawing in so many opposition players that large gaps were appearing in midfield. Five minutes before the interval and from a scrum on their own twenty two, Clark, Khan and Abdul created a brilliant handling spree that ended with the full back touching down under the posts, Clark's conversion giving a half time score of 0 - 24.

Croesyceiliog made a lively start to the second half but the visitors' defence again proved to be unbreakable and in reply Coles and O'Donoghue created havoc with high paced counterattacks. Nash's sniping runs and Bowen's thumping centre play caused more problems out wide and it was clear that the Cockerels were being forced into making an increasing number of errors until ten minutes into the half, when Carlton pounced on a dropped pass to send O'Neill racing away for his side's fourth try and conversion. Powerplay from Evans, complete domination of the lineout by Sutton and the occasional variation involving Braine, gave Rumney tight control of the set pieces, leading to a good scrummage from which Nash, Khan, Carlton and Abdul set up Sutton for another outstanding try. In the sixty sixth minute Sutton siezed turnover ball deep in his own half, starting an astonishing counterattack which led to Abdul scoring another quality touchdown. More superb counterattacking by Coles, Fenton and Sutton kept the visitors firmly in control but the Cockerels were not to be outdone and in the seventieth minute Croesyceiliog cashed in on a period of pressure when outside half and Captain Matthew Entwistle made a great break and set up centre Scott Copsey for a very good try. Five minutes from the final whistle, Sutton was still claiming everything in the lineout and his last steal of the game sent Clark off on a jinking run through a now desperate defence and the stand-off brought the match to an end with the conversion of his own try, giving a closing scoreline of 7 - 52.

Steve Ford, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "We have had several weeks of pre-season training and made a few new signings so we are moving on from last season. It was our first league game today and there were some new faces. Our lineout was superb but we also took seventy percent of the opposition ball, and in the scrummage our lighter pack pushed Croesyceiliog around the park. As soon as your set piece is ready, you are in front straight away - it just goes to prove the point that you have to have your set piece in place. The forwards gave our outstanding backs a good platform, we simplified our moves, working on only four moves in order to get them right. If a side plays loosely aginst us we are going to punish them from any broken play. After the game I said to the boys that there is a long way to go and we are going to meet a lot of hard sides, but we are not worried, we take it as it comes and I was very pleased with the result today, we can't wait for our cup match next week. Danny Clark at outside half controlled the game, got the backs moving and kicked and passed well at the right times. Ryan Sutton was the Man of the Match."

Lee Abdul, full back Rumney 1st XV : "It was a really good, overall team performance, the whole side was outstanding and we played for each other. There is a great atmosphere in the club and there is a lot of competition for places so that makes it difficult for Steve Ford and Mike Peard with their selections, but that's a good position to be in. The forwards turned over a lot of ball today and Danny Clark's distribution was fantastic, he controlled it from start to finish. It was a good team effort, with 'team' being the key word. Ryan Sutton was unbelievable, he took loads of lineout ball and that made life easier and we couldn't have done it without the props. Everyone wants to play and long may that carry on, we will get better and better throughout the season and with everyone up for places no one can rest on their laurels."

Paul Niblett, Captain Rumney 1st XV : "Yes coach it's Nibby e-mailing from Sri Lanka. Just checked out how the boys got on yesterday, looks like a great win! No need for me and Drago to come back by the look of it ! Having a quiet time over here, me and Drago, you will have to give me Sean Hill's number so I can see when he wants us back training for the Athletic XV ! See you when I get back, got to go now coz they just poured me a beer at the pool bar ! Don't want it to get too warm ! Big love to the boys from me coach !"