Fixture

Crymych 30 – v – 10 Aberystwyth

After an encouraging win at home against Llangennech pre-Christmas. Aber’s hopes of victory at Crymych were high. But last-minute changes where they lost captain Arwel Lloyd and full back Matthew Hughes weakened the team. Not only did they lose two of their strongest players, they seemed also to lose their spark and their concentration.

Despite the dull, foggy weather Aber’s supporters turned out in droves. Their team kicked off playing down the slope and went on the attack. But it was clear early on that the home team had earmarked this game as one that they could win as they defended vigorously and won possession for their No. 10, Gareth Davies to relieve the pressure with long, accurate kicks. But it was Aber who were first to score as Steff Rees put over a penalty from 25 metres out to take a 0 - 3 lead after 10 minutes.

However, the remaining 30 minutes of the first half belonged to Crymych as they out-fought and out-thought the visitors. In that period they controlled the game gaining close to 75% territorial advantage and just as much possession.

Crymych were on top in the scrummages, won their own lineouts, and either spoiled or stole many of Aber’s lineouts. In the loose, the home side were more tenacious and determined and rucked and counter-rucked very well. But tackling and general covering is one of Aber’s strong points and so it was for most of this match.

The hosts went ahead after the ball shot out of an Aber scrum 22metres from their tryline. Crymych’s open side flanker Sion Collella, pounced to gain possession and from the ensuing ruck, hooker Aled Harries crossed for a try that Davies converted to give Crymych a 7 – 3 lead.

Although Aber’s defence was strong, too many of their clearance kicks failed to find touch. As a result, the home side were able to counter attack with ball in hand or respond with much better kicks to keep the visitors under pressure. This pressure paid off as Crymych’s winger, Laurence Headlam went over in the corner for an unconverted try and a half time lead of 12 – 3.

Aber knocked the ball forward from the restart kick-off and were penalised at the scrum that followed for Davies to increase Crymych’s lead to 15 – 3. The visitors were again forced back by the host’s unrelenting pressure that saw Aber make more and more handling errors which the opposition capitalised on to win more territory and possession. Crymych used this possession more intelligently, either with flowing moves along their threequarters or with accurate kicks to peg Aber back.

The hosts’ confidence was high and was made even higher as they drove Aber’s forwards back a full 30 metres with a powerful driving maul. The visitors were penalised and Davies added another penalty to take the score to 18 – 3.

The restart saw Aber pegged back in their own 22metre area once again and when their scrum was demolished 5 metres out, the referee had no hesitation in awarding the home side a penalty try taking the score to 25 – 3.

Aber then entered a brief period where they scrummaged better and varied their play to such an extent that they forced the hosts to defend desperately. From a ruck near the Crymych 22 metre line, scrum half Llyr Thomas fed outside half Steff Rees; he fed centre Steff Rees who, when tackled, offloaded brilliantly for winger Dylan Evans to score Aber’s only try of the afternoon. Rees converted to take the score to 25 – 10.

But it was Crymych who had the last word as their outside centre Tomos Philips charged down a poor attempted clearance kick by Aber and fell on the ball as it crossed the line for 4-try bonus point. The conversion was missed but Crymych were home and dry at 30 – 10.

The home side varied their attacking tactics to good effect in this game, but Aber adopted a more one-dimensional approach of too much forward engagement and not enough spreading of the ball. On the few occasions when the ball was fed out they made ground and looked threatening.

Although there were very good individual efforts by some Aber players such as Binks, Havard and one or two others, there was real teamwork, no fluency and no change of tactics when plan A was clearly failing. Crymych on the other hand were far better organised. They varied their game, kept Aber under constant pressure and in the end, were worthy winners.