Back to Winning Ways
By Mike Jones
RGC picked up the Bonus Point win against Narberth at Eirias.
RGC 56 Narberth 14
Coach
Josh Leach saw his side step us a gear in the 2nd half to run in 6 tries “At half-time we told the boys that the platform was good, intensity was good, we were patient with the play and our defence was good, but we just needed have more control in the final phase play”
“In the 2nd half we controlled the play better and that was clearly seen in the opening 10 minutes when we ran in 2 scores. We forced them to make a lot of tackles in the 1st half and that should when they started to tire as the game went on.”
“At the end of the match Bryn Williams said to me it was a 7 out of 10 performance and we will have to be more consistent when we head to Swansea next week. We are back to winning ways and it was pleasing to see us put into practice what we have done in training all week”
Narberth winger Nick Gale made a run down the line but was tackled whilst in full flow. The visitors scrum was also looking to put pressure on the Gogs, testing the RGC forwards on a few occasions.
RGC worked their first true attack after 20 minutes and a
James Lang side-step made some space before setting up
Andrew Williams for the score.
Alex Schwarz kicked the conversion.
The visitors missed a chance to close the lead with a penalty that went wide from Jordan Roberts
Narberth were combining well with Rhys Lane, James Stephenson building the phases with a backline that had some pace.
The Eirias crowd were being kept quiet with much of the action on the field but wingers
Carwyn ap Myrddin and
Sam Jones sparked some life into the game with an attack down the touchline.
Alex Schwarz was taking on kicking duties after
James Lang picked up a knock in the warm up, and the scrum half edged a penalty wide.
RGC’s
Rhun Williams was next to get the Eirias crowd on their feet with a big run from his own half, and his cheeky pass to
Evan Yardley nearly ended with a score. The U20s full-back adds a direct running dimension to RGC and he is a danger when any team kicks to him.
That phase of play summed up RGC in the opening 40 minutes, as they were doing everything right apart from the final pass to get over the line.
The visitors were reduced to 14 men after Hooker Marc Jones was yellow carded, and the pressure was building from RGC and the line-out and maul were starting to be a major threat.
It was no surprise then, when Zigymantus Radzius took the ball at the line-out and drove over for the try with the pack behind him.
It was a key time to get the score and when Schwarz nailed the conversion the Gogs went into to the break 14-nil up.
RGC came out firing on all cylinders in the second half and scored to tries on the opening 10 minutes of play.
James Lang made a big run from the halfway line and no one could catch him, Schwarz booted the kick over.
Next up Yardley made a dart and passed to the supporting
Danny Cross who strolled over to touchdown for the bonus point try. Scrumhalf Schwarz again kicked the 2 points.
The visitors were looking tired and the gaps in defence were starting to appear and Lang mad the most of the opportunity when he made a 60 yard run, moved up the gears and scored a brilliant solo try. Conversion extended the score to 30- Nil.
The visitors didn’t roll over after the 5th score and they got back in the game with 2 tries and conversions from Jordan Roberts and RGC knew that they couldn’t rest up in the last 20 minutes.
Mei Parry made a good break but his pass was too long for
Maredydd Francis. The try did come from the pack when another driving maul went over the line and Zigymantus Radzius claimed his 2nd score of the game. Substitute Cam Davies got the extra points with the kick.
The try of the match came from Tiaan Loots, after Cam Davies started it on his own line before passing to
Josh Leach who broke away before the supporting centre Loots took the ball and sprinted to the line. Davies added the 2 points.
The final play of the game was a trademark
Andy Baston run and he was unlucky to score but the ball ended up in
Sam Jones hands and he went in for the try. Davies booted the conversion and the game was over.