Brynithel v Rumney, 17.12.05

Rumney : 15.P.Carlton 14.M.Miller 13.A.Jones 12.P.Niblett (Capt) 11.J.Offside 10.D.Clark  9.C.Miller  1.P.Douglas  2.C.O'Donoghue  3.C.Gale   4.E.James  5.J.Braine 6.R.Sutton 7.R.Fenton 8.M.Kelly  Replacements : L.Khan M.Feneck A.Feehan B.Phillips

Brynithel : 15.M.Hurn 14.G.Hayes 13.D.Pitt 12.D.Slimmon 11.A.Watkins 10.M.Williams  9.G.Thomas  1.Dean Jones (Capt)  2.S.Cox  3.T.Anjalovic   4.I.Hulme  5.S.Creed 6.K.Day  7.S.Pitt 8.C.Llewellyn  Replacements : from the squad

Referee : Neil Howells, Maesteg

Scorers for Rumney : P.Niblett try, D.Clark try and 6 conversions and 2 penalties, C.Miller try, P.Douglas try, C.O'Donoghue try, R.Fenton try, L.Khan 2 tries

Scorers for Brynithel : A.Watkins try, M.Williams conversion and penalty

Brynithel started this match in attacking mood and, had it not been for a crunching tackle by Rumney prop Charley Gale which brought to an end a promising blind side burst, might well have scored within seconds of the kick off. As it was, it only took them four minutes to open the scoring through a neat passing movement which was finished off with a jinking run by winger Adrian Watkins and a try under the posts. Outside half Mark Williams' conversion put the visitors into a 0 - 7 lead but from the restart Rumney began putting things together and play moved mostly into the Brynithel half of the field where home outside half Danny Clark kicked a twelfth minute penalty. Brynithel came back strongly but Clark's line kicking pegged them back and from a lineout, second row Jamie Braine took clean possession at the back to set centre Anthony Jones thundering through the midfield, switching on the twenty two to flanker Ryan Fenton who sprinted to the posts to touchdown. Clark's conversion gave Rumney a 10 - 7 lead and this was extended in the twenty fifth minute when more successful lineout work by Braine created a rolling maul and in form prop Paul Douglas crossed for a very well constructed try. Clark again put over the difficult conversion and added a penalty in the thirty second minute, and although Rumney showed a willingness to attack from anywhere, they also tended to lose the ball at crucial times and were susceptible to Brynithel counterattacks, but nevertheless they arrived at the interval leading 20 - 7.

Clark continued in the outstanding form which he had shown in the first half, with all the Rumney backs being brought increasingly into play, centres Jones and Paul Niblett controlling the midfield, with wingers Joey Offside and Matthew Miller making long gains and full back Phil Carlton effectively entering the line. Five minutes into the half home hooker Colin O'Donoghue was rewarded with a try, having played brilliantly from the start of the game, but Williams kicked a forty eighth minute penalty for Brynithel before elusive scrum half Chris Miller darted in for a sixtieth minute try, by which time Rumney were ahead by 32 - 10. Gale, O'Donoghue and Douglas were now playing at a much faster pace than their opponents, and soon the home pack developed firm control of the forward exchanges with No8 Michael Kelly making devestating breaks from the back of the scrum and speedy second row Emyr James constantly driving forward and getting good support from prop Andrew Feehan, hooker Michael Feneck and flanker Barry Phillips. A scintillating break by Clark led to a fine try for Captain Niblett and in the sixty eighth minute a sweeping movement brought an equally good score for wing Luke Khan. Another Kelly inspired break put outstanding wing forward Ryan Sutton away and quick ball to James set up Khan for his second try. Shortly before the final whistle Jones seized on a loose ball and supplied Clark with a quality pass which allowed the outside half to score under the post and convert his own try, concluding an exceptional personal performance and Rumney's best display of the season with a 58 - 10 winning margin.

Steve Ford, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "It was a do or die situation going into this game, a six pointer with a lot of pressure on us to stay in this league. We started off slowly and were seven points down in the first five minutes, so things were not looking too good for us, we were not scoring even though our lineout and scrum were very good. After twenty minutes it was 13 - 10 and we knew we were in the game and after we got some phase play I knew we'd be alright. At half time I told the players in no uncertain terms that we hadn't turned up for the first twenty minutes and in the second half they were a different side. Brynithel were stopping our quick ball but as soon as we got two or three phases we cut loose, and it was very pleasing to see us playing with confidence for the first time. As soon as it went wide there was a bit of pressure off and we thoroughly deserved our win. Danny Clark at outside half made a big difference today and was the Man of the Match, and Anthony Jones showed what a big strong runner he is in the centre, so we played a bit of football and looked to score from every opportunity, those thirty minutes in the second half were the best rugby we have played all season."

Chris Miller, scrum half Rumney 1st XV : "We were anxious and nervous at first because this was such a big game and it started with knocks on and turnovers, but we had set targets and and got into it and showed our skill. We were all hanging out at first but we needed to win the ball and the Brynithel flanker Sean Pitt was good and causing problems, but in the second half we cut them to pieces. Danny Clark had a stormer, and the centres had good games, Michael Kelly carried well and our scrummaging was awesome, the forwards drove Brynithel of the ball and popped it up for me to score my try."

Chris Miller