News

Ynysybwl welcomed Risca to the Recreation Ground in Round 2 of Division One East league action. In contrast to week one, conditions were perfect for running rugby and the early exchanges suggested that both teams had turned up to throw the ball around the park and play positive attacking rugby. 

Dion McIntosh struck an early penalty to nudge the home side into a 3-0 lead but Risca were soon in front when slightly against the run of play, Joseph Carlin intercepted a Bwl attack on halfway and showed great pace to get to the try line before the covering defence, Biddiscombe added the conversion with the boot.

Mcintosh reduced the deficit to one point with another penalty and the home side then went back in front with their first try of the afternoon. Dale Stuckey collected the ball inside his own twenty-two, glided effortlessly through the Risca defence and almost went all the way but credit to Full Back James Dowle who hauled him down five metres short only for the visitors to give away a penalty at the ruck. McIntosh kicked to the corner and from the resulting lineout, captain Daniel Watts broke free from the maul to score in the corner. 

The Cuckoos continued to play rugby and their back three looked dangerous in open play and they were rewarded for their efforts with a second converted score of the afternoon. On the stroke of half time, it was 14-14 when Risca were penalised for not clearly releasing the tackler in front of the posts. McIntosh obliged with the penalty strike from the boot.

Ynysybwl 14-14 Risca HT

Our talk at the interval was about picking up the pace of the game and to be more clinical with the execution of our set play and decision making. However, it was the men from Stores Field who again took the lead with a third converted try of the match. Risca turned possesion into points after their ball carriers earned the hard yards sucking in Bwl defenders and it left acres of space out wide. Scrum Half Liam Thomas identified the perfect time to feed the backline from the base of the ruck and with the wing sliding over unopposed in the corner. 

From the restart, The Bwl regained possesion of the ball and in this see-saw encounter it was now the home side with their foot on the gas dictating play deep in opposition territory. Risca infringements enabled McIntosh to kick to the corner and in similar fashion to the first try, prop Alex Taylor was the beneficiary from the rolling maul to crash over. McIntosh slotted the conversion from the touch line and the scores were tied once again at 21-21.

Ynysybwl continued to press and a moment of individual brilliance from Joseph Williams gave the home side the lead. Williams gathered the ball on half way and showed sublime pace and power to step the first defender and through the next defender before looping round and scoring under the posts. McIntosh had the simplest of tasks to slot the conversion. 

It was then three tries in five or six minutes for the home side and Williams was at it again, powering over for his second of the afternoon to extend our lead to 33-21. 

Ynysybwl were now heavily on top and battering at the Risca defensive door once again. From a lineout five metres out, the rolling maul was hauled down cynically leaving the referee no option but to award a penalty try. McIntosh took the home side to forty on the scoreboard fifteen minutes from time.

Both Risca and Ynysybwl squandered chances to put additional points on the board and it was the visiting team that were attacking in the final stages only to be denied by the full time whistle.

Ynysybwl 40-21 Risca FT

Division One East Results:

Abertillery BG 10-46 Nelson, Brecon 17-53 Rhydyfelin, Brynmawr 31-7 Senghenydd, Caerleon 22-6 Blaenavon, Penallta 62-3 Nantyglo

First XV Next Fixture: 

Brynmawr (H) - Saturday 17th September - Kick Off 2.30pm