News

Aberystwyth RFC 34  -  v  -  3 Bethesda RFC

Aber progressed to the next round of the WRU Plate competition with a comfortable win over north Wales club Bethesda on Saturday. Although this was a big win, the home team were made to fight every inch of the way and in some aspects were taught a lesson by their opponents.

With a few notable absentees, the hosts fielded a squad which had a mix of experience and youth and, as they had not played together competitively for five weeks, they took time to settle down. But by the end of the game the whole squad had been given an opportunity for a valuable run-out.

Centre Jac Jones and the pre-Covid half-back partnership of Charles Thomas and Steffan Rees resumed business, and when they were taken off, their replacements at Nos 9 and 10, Dylan Benjamin and Llyr Thomas took over effortlessly. Up front, Iestyn Thomas, Steffan Rattray, Will Caron Lewis and Evan Robotham, all Youth XV players pre-pandemic, will have learnt much from this encounter. But too many handling errors and penalties were gifted for this to be a free-flowing performance although these were reduced as the game progressed and players became more confident.

Aber’s scrummaging was far superior to Bethesda’s effort and the team as a whole made the most of this superiority. But Aber’s pack suffered a torrid afternoon in the lineouts and too often won scrappy possession or lost out altogether. In the loose too, the visitors’ forwards were more aggressive and hungry for loose ball and, for the first hour in particular, made life uncomfortable for the home forwards. Possession in the first 40 minutes was evenly shared but Aber made better use of theirs than did their opponents. That the visitors never looked like scoring a try was due entirely to Aber’s determined, first-time tackling. This was a feature of their game from start to finish.

Conditions at Plascrug were ideal, dry and still, and a good number of both sides’ supporters turned up despite the restrictions on numbers allowed indoors post-match. The hosts were first to score as Steffan Rees put over a penalty from 35 metres. Their first try soon followed as a big push at a scrum 40 metres out saw the ball moved out quickly along the backs. A lovely dummy by Jac Jones created an overlap which gave Ian Ellis a clear run in to score an unconverted try in the corner to take the score to 8 – 0. On the downside though Aber made too many errors and gave away too many penalties during this period. Indeed, had their kicker had a luckier day, Bethesda would have been ahead after the first twenty minutes of play.

Ellis scored his second try after Matthew Hughes fielded a kick in his 22 metre area and set off on one of his characteristic ‘party-piece’ runs through the visitors’ defence. After 40 metres he passed to Carwyn Evans who provided Ian Ellis with the scoring pass. This went unconverted but Aber had increased their lead to 13 – 0. Evans then started and finished the move that created the hosts’ third try. He wrestled the ball from a Bethesda attacker, fed Dan Binks who made good ground before returning  the ball to Evans to score under the posts. Steffan Rees converted to take his side to 20 – 0. Bethesda kicked a penalty on the stroke of half-time to turn round 20 – 3 down.

Aber were put under considerable pressure for the opening period of the second half as close inter-passing and aggressive running kept the visitors in their opponents 22 metre area. Aber broke out of defence thanks to a break by scrum-half Thomas. The momentum continued and an exchange of passes between Ellis and Hughes saw the latter score a well worked try. Both sides now used their subs but this did not appear to change the pattern of play.

The home team completed their afternoon’s work with a well worked try under the posts by Ben Jones after Iestyn Thomas had made a powerful break. Rees added the conversion to wrap up the scoring at 34 – 3.

This was an entertaining, if at times, frustrating match for Aber’s supporters. The hosts’ unavoidable rustiness after a five week enforced break showed in their error and penalty counts. Bethesda, on the other hand, have been able to play far more regularly and will no doubt feel that the scoreline flattered the hosts. Aber will now face Swansea side, Bonymaen, in the next round of the Plate. This will demand higher levels of discipline and focus from Aber’s players, but there is no reason why they should not feel confident about progressing further in this competition.