RTB Ebbw Vale 6 Monmouth 23

Monmouth Youth 45 Dowlais Youth 13

MONMOUTH won their first game of the season this weekend in a tense game away at RTB Ebbw Vale.

In gorgeous weather, and following a stirring start, only the ball being lost in a tackle prevented the visitors from getting some early points on the board.

RTB‘s young lively backs looked to be their strength as their forwards struggled in the set pieces against a heavier and more experienced pack. Monmouth were playing with more shape than usual largely due to the presence of Andrew Davies, their head coach, at fly-half, whose checking back inside during a move along the line led to a ruck and, when he received the ball again, a calmly taken drop-goal to open the scoring after only ten minutes.

The home team were lively in the loose and twice in succession were able to turn over the ball, gaining large territorial gains as a result. With Monmouth now doggedly defending, a penalty to RTB resulted for an offside error which they easily converted to level the score inside the first quarter.

Monmouth piled on the pressure and eventually RTB were to succumb when another drive neared their line and number eight Phillips took three attempted tacklers over for an unconverted try.

Some advantage was now being lost as the referee deemed some of the dominating aspects of scrums to be illegal although others watching felt it was more to do with the inability of their younger opponents to take the scrummaging pressure.

At last it looked like another breakthrough when Monmouth ran well for a score only to be penalised for ‘holding on’ when the scorer had mistakenly dived for the wrong line.

RTB’s fitness now showed as they remained camped in the visitors’ 22 for the last five minutes of the half, the visitors welcoming the interval whistle when it came.

The lengthy breather as RTB retired to their new changing rooms revived older legs enough to take play right back to RTB in the first minute along the line to the lively left wing who, when stopped, saw play carried by supporting forwards with prop Hunter claiming the first score of the half. Centre Wilding having now assumed the kicking duties added the conversion to stretch the lead to 3-15.

RTB responded in kind taking advantage of a penalty against a Monmouth back for ‘holding on’ after a tackle. From a kick to the corner they won the line-out and spread the ball wide but were held out repeatedly by Monmouth until, with no advantage having been gained, they came back to convert an earlier penalty for offside.

Monmouth kept their cool though and after Monmouth in turn stretched the home defence first right, then left, then right again when, fittingly, fly half Davies spotted a gap which he went through untouched although Wilding’s attempted kick failed.

A yellow card for allegedly coming in to a maul on the side lifted RTB’s spirits briefly but when they in turn were penalised for a tackle offence the loud applause from the supporting visitors showed their views about the balance of penalties being awarded.

RTB pressed hard nearing the Monmouth line on a few occasions but the visitors defended their 14 point lead with determination. Substitute Oaten showed his upper body strength with the way he was able to rip out balls held in mauls and the carries he was able to perform until his lack of fitness began to show and his pace declined. Flanker Korb who had excelled about the field departed for a blood injury and veteran second row Copley returned to make a try saving tackle as play went into a lengthy overtime.

Monmouth had a penalty as they felt the final whistle approaching and Gordon a further substitute used his goal-kicking abilities well to comfortably add a lengthy penalty for a final score of 6-23. With hindsight, a kick to the corner could have led to a fourth try and a bonus point but many an international result has turned on such decisions, too!

Blackwood Stars visit the Sports Ground next week when hopefully the good run out enjoyed this week will give Monmouth the continued lift this result will have given them.

Meanwhile, a try in the first minute by Monmouth Youth set the tone for the rest of the match with a further 6 tries scored in an entertaining game.  

Despite conceding numerous penalties in a stop start encounter, Monmouth ran in some excellent tries with both effective team work and individual skill. Poor ball retention in contact areas allowed Dowlais to threaten the Monmouth try line on a number of occasions but after scoring against the run of play early in the second half resolute defence by Monmouth avoided any further tries being conceded.

Monmouth eventually finishing winners with a score of 45–13 against a spirited but limited Dowlais Youth.

Monmouth Druids also won in a hotly contested game against Abergavenny- completing a perfect weekend for the rugby club.