Above : Rumney v Llantrisant 16.10.04

Rumney : 15.G.Bowen 14.M.Miller 13. P.Niblett (Capt) 12.I.Blackburn 11.M.O'Neill 10.D.Clark 9.R.Lawson 1.P.Douglas 2.M.Feneck 3.N.Trevett 4.S.Coles 5.J.Brain 6.R.Sutton 7.R.Fenton 8.C.Jones  Replacements : B.Morris N.Ritchie J.Harris M.Harrington

Referee : Huw Griffiths

Scorers for Rumney : M.O'Neill 2 tries, D.Clark try and penalty and 3 conversions

Scorers for Llantrisant : D.Evans try, I.Worgan try, J.Alford conversion and penalty

This was the game in which Rumney finally hit form as they disposed of a strong and lively Llantrisant side, reversing the defeat which they suffered at the hands of the Black Army in the corresponding fixture last season. Within a minute Rumney winger Matthew Miller had snapped up a loose kick, linked with prop Nathan Trevett and put outside half Danny Clark in a position to launch a long kick for right wing Paddy O'Neill to gather and score. It only took Llantrisant three minutes to strike back, this time it was a loose Rumney clearance which gave the visitors possession and they used their forward power to set up hooker and captain Dean Evans to crash over for the try. Seven minutes into the game the home side were back in the lead by 10 - 5 when full back Gareth Bowen attacked from deep, prop Paul Douglas set up second phase and lock Stuart Coles, flanker Ryan Sutton and scrum half Rob Lawson worked well together to release O'Neill for his second try. The winger started the movement which led to his side's third try when he gathered on half way, fed centre Paul Niblett who linked with Miller to take play up to the twenty two where Trevett, No8 Chris Jones, Douglas and Coles all drove into the defences and gave Niblett the chance to slice through to score under the posts. Clark's conversion extended Rumney's lead to 17 - 5 but the outside half was soon to run in a try of his own when hooker Neal Ritchie gathered on his own ten metre line and fired out a long pass to Lawson, who drew in the opposition and sent his half back partner away on a fifty metre sprint to the posts. Clark converted his own try and with Rumney having scored four tries in the first thirty minutes, Coles and Douglas were commanding the centre field with Jones and lock Jamie Brain cleaning up and securing possession, and flankers Ryan Fenton, Ryan Sutton and hooker Michael Feneck driving upfield in loose play. Llantrisant were at their best when they kept the ball tight in the forwards but despite launching a series of furious attacks, they were unable to finish off the moves, Douglas being particularly skilled in stopping their progress with well executed tackles. Sutton and Brain controlled the lineouts and with Niblett, Bowen and centre Ian Blackburn finding more gaps, Llantrisant counterattacked with their backs and speedy right wing Ian Worgan covered sixty metres for a fine try. Outside half Jason Alford's conversion took the half time score to Rumney 24 - Llantrisant 12.

The visitors started the second period strongly, forcing errors and gaining penalties and when Rumney were caught with hands in the loose, Alford took the three points on offer but in the fiftieth minute Lawson capped an outstanding debut for Rumney when, following good lineout possession from Sutton, he deceived the whole defence by dummying and jinking his way through for an excellent solo try. Clark added the conversion and in the fifty fifth minute slotted a penalty, but most of the final quarter was played in the Rumney half with Llantrisant applying the pressure but still not finding a way through. Huw Griffith's final whistle brought proceedings to an end with Rumney running out winners by 34 - 15, a scoreline which took them into a comfortable mid table position and the opportunity to build on a well constructed victory.

Gafyn Cooper, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "A win at last. We were always confident in our ability, and we had an excellent start at a good tempo with improved continuity and ball retention. The backline functioned well as a unit and with quality ball from the lineout and scrum, it was a hundred percent improvement on the Abercynon game. Our defensive effort late in the second half showed the character of the side and we can build on this when we face our local rivals the Old Illtydians in the cup next week. Today there were outstanding performances in the backs from Rob Lawson and captain Paul Niblett, and Paul Douglas and Chris Jones in the forwards. Rob Lawson won the Man of the Match award."

Chris Jones, No8 Rumney 1st XV : "After the first two games the boys needed a win to raise morale. We gelled well and cut out any bickering, and the defence was superb. Ryan Fenton was brilliant and Danny Clark controlled the game superbly. We have got a bit of work to do on the scrum but we'll be ok."

Chris Jones

Above, left to right : Paul Douglas, Michael O'Neill, Rob Lawson, Danny Clark