On a sunny, windless morning the Vale of Glamorgan under 11 rugby squad ran out winners over Blaenau Gwent last Saturday at Old Penarthians.
On a sunny, windless morning the Vale of Glamorgan under 11 rugby squad ran out winners over Blaenau Gwent last Saturday at Old Penarthians.
Vale started well from a scrum in their own 22m by Max Lucas taking one against the head and Bevan Howells was fed to run hard at the opposition. Continued by Harris Kahn, playing on the flank to take play into the opposition’s 22, but forwards were slow to support and as a result knocked on when attempting to keep the attack going.
The burly Blaenau Gwent outside half went hard at the defence from the scrum followed by their prop “Tank” ably supported by the rest of the pack but the Vale defence were up to it to stop the attack.
Ellis Sumon in the centre got the ball in hand. He was tackled hard but presented the ball well for the Vale second row Dan Holden to pick and go from 25 metres out and dive to score the first try of the match.
Straight from the restart Bevan Howells jinked and sprinted down the right hand touchline, covering over 60 metres to score in the corner. A superb solo effort.
Blaenau Gwent rucked well from their next possession, with Luke Shaw, their full back and captain, prominent. Vale were needed to tackle well against determined driving and control by the opposition. Blaenau Gwent were awarded a scrum in the vale 22 which they ran well but again were thwarted by great vale tackling.
Vale managed to steal the ball at the next ruck and feed to Harrison Ashby on the left to sprint a full 60 metres to score near the posts. Try was converted by Jake Griffiths.
An near identical copy of his first try, Bevan Howells caught the Blaenau Gwent restart just inside his own 10 metre line to dummy and sprint following the edge of the right hand touchline to score in his favourite corner, again converted by Jake Griffiths, giving the Vale a deserved 24 nil cushion.
The Blaenau Gwent outside half was having some useful restart kicking practice and from his next attempt Rhys Bradshaw, playing at outside half, ran well for Reuben Williams to continue the attack only for the Blaenau Gwent centre to steal the ball well and attack the Vale line. The Vale forwards combined well to stop the Blaenau Gwent pack functioning, with Harris Kahn, Jack Little and Cameron Roy combining well to drive away from danger and then Ioan Lewis feeding their dangerous backline of Bevan, Rhodri Hopkins, Joseff Williams and Ellis Sumon to feed Harrison on the left to send him under the posts, again converted by Jake Griffiths.
The kick off was taken well by Rhys Bradshaw but unfortunately lost at the breakdown, giving Blaenau Gwent hope, but the Vale forwards had other ideas, led by Max Lucas and Finlay Davies to drive the opposition off the ball at the ruck and work the ball well to Bevan in the centre to sprint over 65 metres along the touchline to once again score in the corner to complete his hat-trick of tries. Jake Griffiths converted again.
A half time score of 36 – 0 saw the Vale start the second half in confident mood and with a number of positional changes made at the interval by coaches Mottram and Golding, fielding fresh legs in Jac Tomos, Rhys Jones, Ioan Williams, Iestyn Raven, Jack Lee, Ben Jones and Jack Little.
The second half was again a feast of running rugby by the Vale team, with Joseff Williams linking well with Ben Jones well to send him into the opposition 22as well as determined forward pressure from captain Rhys Durlucia, Jac Tomos and Jack Little.
Ioan Williams ran well showing a serious of outwitting dummies then combined with Rhys Jones who ran hard for the tryline, feeding Rhys Bradshaw on the right to score. Jake Griffiths converted.
A number of late Vale attacks produced no more points, showing Blaenau Gwent battled to the final whistle, giving a final scoreline of Vale 43 – Blaenau Gwent 0.
A fully deserved victory by the Vale team, with all players adding very worthwhile contributions to the score and victory.
Both captains thanked each other for the manner in which the match was played as well as today’s referee, Rob Harrison, both team’s coaches, all supporters and to the Old Penarthians rugby club for hosting the match.