Rumney : 15.A.Carlson 14.L.Fox 13.B.Phillips 12.P.Niblett (Capt) 11.C.Smith 10.A.Solomon  9.B.Morris 1.J.Leadbeatter  2.M.Feneck  3.C.Fitzpatrick  4.A.Wilson   5.E.James  6.M.Way 7.R.Sutton  8.M.Kelly  Replacements : N.Ritchie A.Milton P.Bull C.Gale

Tredegar : 15.D.Morris  14.C.Lewis  13.G.Jones  12.P.Southall  11.C.Thew  10.S.Thomas  9.S.King  1.B.Mountney  2.P.Edwards  3.M.Webb 4.J.Dawson  5.C.Edwards  6.S.Evans  7.J.Campbell  8.L.Taylor  Replacements : C.Davies  R.Miles  G.Kearney  I.Jones

Referee : Leighton Hodges, Bridgend

Scorers for Rumney : A.Carlson try, M.Way try, L.Fox 2 tries, R.Sutton 3 tries, A.Solomon 2 tries and 6 conversions and penalty

Scorer for Tredegar : S.King try

An exciting open game in which both sides were determined to run the ball, saw Rumney put in one of their finest performances of the season. They started with a bang, taking full advantage of the firm pitch and dry conditions, hooker Michael Feneck, scrum half Ben Morris and flanker Matthew Way immediately driving play deep into the Tredegar half of the field. When the visitors relieved the pressure Rumney Captain Paul Niblett, full back Andrew Carlson and wing Carl Smith countered by starting non-stop handling movements from any part of the park, and when a fourth minute penalty was awarded, fly half Anthony Solomon obliged with a well taken kick to open the scoring. Rumney props John Leadbeatter and Craig Fitzpatrick provided a dynamic but stable platform in midfield and with Morris constantly prompting and snapping at the pack's heels, the home side enjoyed early forward domination. The scrum half was to put in an excellent performance all afternoon, his rapid, accurate pass allowing Solomon to unleash the backs time and time again, but in the ninth minute, having been supplied with clean lineout ball from second row Emyr James, Morris burst for the line and flicked a neat reverse pass to Way who powered over for the first try. Solomon's conversion gave Rumney a ten point advantage but Tredegar launched threatening attacks which were only stopped by outstanding tackles by centre Barry Phillips, Leadbeatter, Sutton and winger Lewis Fox. There was to be no let up in the pace, Niblett and Carlson cutting through on the burst from deep positions, Kelly breaking from the base of the scrum, Sutton controlling the lineouts and Morris kicking well for territory. The visitors's defence was tenacious and managed to stop a fine break by Fox but when Carlson raced through midfield and linked with Smith, the winger passed back in to a rampaging James who slipped the ball to Sutton for a great try and conversion. Tredegar again came back and from a scrum in the home twenty two, scrum half Simon King unexpectedly exploited the blind side to race in for an opportunist try. As half time approached Sutton claimed a difficult, long lineout ball and set up a maul, Morris broke left and drew in the defence before passing back to Sutton who, with a huge dummy, sprinted to the line for his second try, Solomon's conversion giving an interval score of Rumney 24 Tredegar 5.

Five minutes after the restart Rumney drove Tredegar back in a scrum on their twenty two, No8 Michael Kelly picked up and broke from the back, connecting with Morris who fed Solomon the scoring pass and when the outside half converted his own try with an excellent kick from the touchline, the lead stretched to 31 - 5. In the fifty second minute a handling error in the Tredegar defence led to Phillips snapping up the ball and quickly passing to Solomon who linked with Niblett and Fox to send Sutton in at the corner for his hat trick. Phillips was in fine form and was at the heart of the next try, working through midfield with Wilson and Way and starting a magnificent handling movement which Fox finished off to take the score to 41 - 5. More Tredegar attacks demanded outstanding tackles from Kelly, Fitzpatrick and Fox, when from a defensive lineout on the Rumney twenty two, Sutton produced an amazing take of a difficult long ball and supplied Morris, whose towering kick created confusion for the opposition, allowing Niblett to gather and start another fine passing movement which Fox again finished off for his second try in three minutes. In the Rumney second row Paul Bull was creating attacking opportunities with strong breaks upfield, but with Tredegar now on all out attack hooker Neal Ritchie brought off a try saving tackle and with the visitors' having to take risks, Solomon intercepted a loose pass and sprinted from his own twenty two to score under the posts, the outside half's conversion taking Rumney into a 53 - 5 lead. Prop Charlie Gale came on for the home side and tightened Rumney's grip on the forward exchanges, a necessary change of approach in the face of Tredegar's constant attacks, and with Morris moving to fullback, scrum half Anthony Milton provided a continuation of good service from the set piece, but in the eightieth minute another long, speculative pass resulted in Carlson intercepting and racing seventy metres for the touchdown. Solomon's conversion brought the proceedings to a close and marked a most pleasing result for Rumney who concluded their home matches with some of the most skilful rugby of their promotion season.

Lyn Evans, Press Officer Tredegar RFC : "Congratulations on your promotion and victory against us today. Rumney are certainly the best team in the league and wish you every success in Division 1 next year. I've enclosed our match report for your perusal :

Rumney Rout : Rumney 60 Tredegar 5
(Courtesy Tredegar RFC Official Website)

Tredegar slumped to their heaviest defeat of the season putting in a lethargic display at their final league game of the season. With Rumney certain of promotion to Division 1, finishing in second place in the league they blooded several of their youth team including their talented outside half who scored a brace of tries and also had a sucessful day with the boot, kicking 6 conversions and 1 penalty. Tredegar were disrupted up front and missed Ryan Willams whlist the visiting centre combination put up a paper thin defence that allowed the home team to run amok.

Rumney handed Tredegar a lesson in ball retention and finishing to score 8 tries with an outstanding hat-trick from their openside flanker and a brace from their number 10 with Tredegar's Simon King crossing for a consolation score. Tredegar's performance lacked pride and passion and brought the curtain down on a season that promised much but saw Tredegar eventually finishing 3rd in the league and missing out on promotion."

Steve Ford, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "We knew this was the last home game of the season and having lost three games on the trot, we wanted to finish on a high. We had been through a sticky patch, it was hard to get motivated having already won promotion with four games left. We picked the side and and said "We've got nothing to lose, just enjoy it" and today we played the brand of rugby we have wanted to all season. From broken play we played fifteen man rugby and also dominated the set piece. When there were turnovers or phase play we looked really dangerous and dominated every facet. I take my hat off to the boys who played today, they answered a few questions and gave 'a hundred and fifty percent ' to the cause, it is always nice to finish your home games on a win. Special mentions must go to Barry Phillips playing in the centre today, he did a very good job, Ryan Sutton stepped up to the mark and Anthony Wilson played his best game yet. The Man of the Match was outside half Anthony Solomon, who from the first kick off, set his stall out and organised our backline. It was great to see him controlling the game, he was absolutely superb !".

Anthony Solomon, outside half Rumney 1st XV : "It all started with the front five and we played it from there. Paul Niblett and Andrew Carlson did well in the backs and Lewis Fox had a very good game on the wing, but it was a good, all round team performance. My first try came when Tredegar spilled the ball and and I broke away and the second won came from a good backs move."