Fixture

Aberystwyth RFC beat St Clears RFC 43 – 16 in their Admiral National League 1 West match at Cae Plascrug on Saturday. After a closely fought first half, Aber put in a dominant second half display for a convincing win, scoring seven tries.

On an overcast day, with a slight breeze across the pitch, Aber struggled to gain rhythm and momentum in the first half, and failed to convert early territorial advantage into points.

St Clears were soon winning the early kicking battles and Dan Griffiths converted a penalty from 30 metres out. The visitors won a lineout on halfway on the restart, kicked for the corner, and poor Aber cover allowed St Clears’ winger Dafydd Waters to score an unconverted try.

The game then entered a disjointed phase, with no side gaining dominance from rucks or penalties in midfield, and no significant pressure exerted by either side. Aber’s defence was solid and the scrum performed well. Good work by Aber in the loose and quick ruck ball pushed play deep into St Clears’ half. Aber tapped penalties, advanced up to the visitors’ try line, and prop Osian Bebb-Worrall crossed for a try converted by Tommy Sandford.

A closely contested first half with only a point separating the teams.

Aber started the second half with more purpose, and from good scrum and ruck work, a break by Dylan Jones set up Carwyn Evans to score a try which he also converted. St Clears missed penalty scoring opportunities and Aber’s defence was effective.

Aber used the forwards well to gain good metres from their rucks. The dominance of the home side scrum meant Aber called a scrum from a penalty 10 metres from the visitor’s try line and Lee Evans broke and fed the ball to Charles Thomas to score a try converted by Carwyn Evans.

St Clears quickly responded, scoring from an intercepted pass from the base of an Aber scrum with centre Aled Owens crossing for an unconverted try. The visitors then converted a penalty into points to get within one score of the hosts.

The restart resulted in excellent work in the loose by Aber’s hooker Iestyn Thomas, releasing winger Ben Jones on halfway to break through several tackles to score an unconverted try. St Clears infringed from a lineout 30 metres from Aber’s line and the tapped restart saw Carwyn Evans racing 70 metres to score an unconverted try.

 Aber were now rampant, with the visitors tiring, and the restart was returned by Lee Evans who linked with centre Jac Jones who offloaded the ball to Tommy Sandford to score a try converted by Dylan Benjamin. Another break by Aber centre Jac Jones was thwarted by a last ditch try-saving tackle, but he managed to flick the ball up for Harri Gwynn Jones to score the last unconverted try.

A breath-taking finish to a game of two halves. Aber played some exhilarating rugby in the second half to come away with a convincing win. A great team effort from this young side, with man of the match Lee Evans.

Match Sponsors: Aberystwyth Vets Touch Rugby
Ball Sponsors: Wyn Winny Morris and Aled and Bethan Bebb
Match Report: Graham Harris
Photos: Mike Binks