Fixture

Llangennech RFC | 1st Team 19 - 20 Aberystwyth RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
05 January 2020 / Team News

Determined Away Win

Llangennech RFC  19  -  20  Aberystwyth RFC

Given that their opponents were lying in third place in Division 1 West of the National League with Aber in eighth place. Given that Llangennech had already won at Aber earlier in the season by 20 – 13 and had won seven of nine games played so far this season. And given that the visitors arrived with a depleted squad of only seventeen players; it was more in hope than expectation that Aber travelled to Llangennech on Saturday. But in one of the most exciting games, and one of their best performances of the season so far, they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the dying seconds of this game.

On a fine, dry, still afternoon Aber kicked off and played with the advantage of a slight slope. Llangennech were the more impressive of the two sides early on even though it took them nearly ten minutes to get out of their own half. The hosts moved the ball more smoothly and their forwards linked well to threaten Aber’s defence. But the visitors kept them out with determined and effective tackling by backs and forwards.

The visitors broke the deadlock after thirty minutes from a scrum fifteen metres out. A huge shove from the Aber eight gave scrum half Llyr Thomas plenty of time and space to feed outside half Steffan Rees. He found centre Carwyn Evans storming up outside him to cross for Aber’s opening try. Rees converted and the visitors were 0 – 7 ahead.

Llangennech hit back on the stroke of half-time with a number of well supported breaks up the left wing. Carwyn Evans put in an excellent try-saving tackle but the hosts won the ensuing ruck. Outside half Phillips put in a very accurate cross field kick for winger Tom Davies to catch and score and for Taylor Phillips to convert to open the hosts’ account.

The half time score at 7 – 7 reflected the pattern of the first half. Both sides had been generous in giving away penalties and both had used these well to gain ground. Aber had made too many handling errors to string together many threatening moves but had defended stoutly. Both territory and possession had been evenly shared and the exchanges had been very physical.

Aber regained the lead after Llyr Thomas took a quick tap penalty to feed his backs. Dan Binks, lurking at outside centre, ran powerfully but was stopped illegally thirty metres out. Steffan Rees put over the kick and the visitors were back in the lead at 7 – 10.

Aber continued to throw the ball around and both wingers saw plenty of attacking action. Left wing Adam Carvell made ground with a meandering run upfield and across the field leading to a series of rucks in which Aber retained possession. As they moved nearer and nearer to the hosts’ line Carwyn Evans again burst through for his and Aber’s second try. Rees converted and the lead was stretched to 7 – 17 with twenty minutes left to play.

Llangennech’s response was to up the tempo of their game and put Aber under increasing pressure. This would have been more effective had it not been for fine, relieving kicks from defence by Ian Ellis, Llyr Thomas and Steffan Rees. But despite Aber’s strong defending the home side finally found  a way through for Hopkins to score. Crucially, the try went unconverted and Aber seemed to have done enough at 12 – 17 to seal a win.

Llangennech continued to exert pressure from the kick-off. They gradually made ground against a tiring Aber side for hooker Jenkins to break through some weak tackling from ten metres out. His try was converted by Phillips to put the hosts ahead by 19 – 17 with less than five minutes left to play.

To their great credit Aber found the energy to launch one last, desperate attack and forced a scrum thirty metres out and, with only a minute of play left, were awarded a penalty. The tension and the importance of the kick put a lot of pressure on kicker Steffan Rees. He struck the ball well; the ball struck a post and, much to Aber’s players and supporters’ delight, went over to clinch a well-earned win for the visitors by 19 – 20.

This was an encouraging performance by Aber and a very important win in which they showed competitiveness, skill and determination. Arwel Lloyd led very well by example and by motivation. Carwyn Evans was the pick of the backs and there were too many other fine performances to mention individually.

On the minus side was the very weak lineout performance by Aber, where the coordination between thrower and jumpers was poor and very little lineout ball was won as a result. On the bright side was the much improved moving of the ball through many pairs of hands with impressive carrying and offloading.

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