Rumney v UWIC 18.01.2010

SWALEC Cup 2009-2010 Round 2

RUMNEY v UWIC

Riverside Park, Rumney
Monday 18th January 2010, k.o. 7.15 pm

Rumney v UWIC 05.12.2009
Past playing record : played 14, Rumney 7 wins, UWIC 6 wins, 1 draw

Rumney : 15. Luke Fear 14. Dan Millward 13. Paul Niblett 12. Lee Mullane 11. Lewis Fox 10. Danny Clark 9. Chris Milton 8. Anthony Wilson 7. Matthew Way 6. Ryan Fenton 5. Joe Mills 4. Paul Bull 3. Darren Fenton 2. Michael Feneck (Capt) 1. John Leadbeatter Replacements: 16. Ryan Sutton 17. Lewis Andrews 18. James Monck 19. Simon Barry 20. Daniel Morris 21. Mike Neale 22. Joe Deacon

UWIC : 15. Rhys Roberts  14. Ed Tellwright   13. Louis Messer   12. Will Rees-Hole    11. Josh Robinson   10. Simon Humberstone    9. Derek Tredray   8. Justin Pakes     7. Craig Howells    6. Richard de Carpentier   5. Matt Smith   4. Sam Prior  3. Ricky Stout   2. Jack Yeandle   1. Dan Barlow
Replacements: 16. Jordan Allers   17. Dean Howells    18. Josh Tyler    19. Phil Hoult    20. Josh Leach   21. Aled Jenkins   22. Alex Carlton-Porter

Referee : Mike Bethell, Treherbert

Rumney 17  UWIC 13

Scorers for Rumney : Darren Fenton try, Dan Millward try, John Leadbeatter try, Danny Clark conversion

Scorers for UWIC : Matt Smith try, Simon Humberstone conversion and penalty and drop goal

Rumney and UWIC started where they had left off on the fifth of December, rain, snow and frozen pitches having prevented any games in the intervening weeks, and they came up with another pulsating encounter which was again a credit to both sides. This time it was the second round of the SWALEC Cup and from the first set piece it was clear that the scrummage would be the vital area of contact, Rumney dominating the first scrum and maintaining their advantage there throughout the game. Home No8 Anthony Wilson and second row Joe Mills made telling, early breaks and as soon as the dangerous UWIC backs started to move the ball, the Rumney threequarters put in accurate tackles, centres Paul Niblett and Lee Mullane and wingers Lewis Fox and Dan Millward bringing down opponents and creating turnovers, with scrum half Chris Milton clearing well out of defence. The Rumney lineout also worked effectively throughout the match, Wilson guaranteeing clean possession, and in the eighth minute the No8 gained good lineout ball to set up an excellent rolling maul which was tightly controlled to the try line, where prop Darren Fenton powered over for the opening try. Wilson continued to rule the lineouts, managing to take some opposition ball in vital positions, and with Milton and outside half Danny Clark accurately working the touchline, the home side kept play mostly in the visitors' half. Rumney maintained pressure in the set pieces and harassed the UWIC backs until, in the twenty second minute, a fumble in the threequarters allowed Niblett to pounce and flick a superb pass to Millward on the burst, the winger racing away for a fine try which Clark converted for a 12 - 0 lead. UWIC adjusted and adopting more of a ten man approach, kept the ball tight using second rows Matt Smith and Sam Prior and No8 Justin Pakes to drive forward and exert a period of pressure, but the home defence was sound and prevented a try being scored, the visitors having to settle for a twenty eighth minute penalty by outside half Simon Humberstone. Rumney replied by regaining the forward initiative, flankers Ryan Sutton and Matthew Way and second rows Mills and Paul Bull gaining territory and forcing errors and turnovers, and the front row of Darren Fenton, John Leadbeatter and Michael Feneck working as a mighty unit. In the thirty fourth minute Wilson obliged once more in the lineout and another well controlled rolling maul led to prop Leadbeatter scoring his side's third try. In loose play Captain Feneck conjoured up an excellent break and Fox hunted down attackers mercilessly, and for UWIC, centre Will Rees Hole scythed through and threatened to score from an elusive run, but as the interval approached, the students enjoyed their best period of the half and following a controlled lineout, maul and ruck, scrum half Derek Tredray fired the ball out to Humberstone who slotted a difficult long range drop goal, resulting in a 17 - 6 scoreline at the break.

UWIC restarted with more structure in their set pieces and spent a long period in the Rumney half but still struggled at some of the scrums, Tredray doing well to keep his side advancing in difficult situations. The students' control in the lineout and improved tight play led to sustained pressure in the home twenty two and when Rumney were reduced to fourteen men for a yellow card offence, the visitors used a powerful rolling maul to drive from a lineout and Smith touched down for the well planned try. Humberstone added a good conversion to close the gap to 17 - 13 with thirteen minutes remaining. James Monck had already come on at loose head for Rumney and showed his strength in maintaining the front row supremacy, and for the closing period Mike Neale took the field in the second row, Ryan Sutton at flanker, Lewis Andrews at scrum half and Joe Deacon on the wing, these new faces seeming to disrupt UWIC and forcing the students back on the defensive. With time running out however, UWIC again tightened their play and the ten man approach again worked well, taking them into potential scoring positons where they tested the home defense and brought out brilliant tackles from Way and Sutton. In the closing minutes the students worked a surprise set move from a freekick and a try was only stopped by a brilliant tackle by Rumney fullback Luke Fear. Fear had been completely secure throughout the game and had made strong counterattacking breaks, but his magnificent final tackle saved the game for his side and with Clark carefully controlling play behind the forwards, Rumney ran out 17 - 13 winners and progressed to the third round and an away tie against Glamorgan Wanderers.

Matt Silva, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "The first thing to say is that it is nice to get out on the field again, the boys have trained hard in spite of the bad weather, and it proved to be a telling factor in tonight's gluepot conditions. As a squad we have to remember that UWIC are top of Division One East and rightly so, because they are a quality outfit and this was only their second defeat this season. The players must draw confidence from this victory and I feel that this could be the turning point in our season. We must pay tribute to the whole squad, from one to twenty two. Rugby matches are won and lost up front and tonight our scrummage was outstanding, all the players were exceptional in the contact area. We should also applaud the backs, as UWIC did not score any tries through their backline and that is something which not many sides have achieved this year. Once again Michael Feneck was exceptional in leading from the front and the Man of the Match award has to go to Chris Milton for his sheer nuisance value and his huge work ethic ! "

Chris Milton, scrum half Rumney 1st XV : "I loved playing again after the long lay off, UWIC were very physical but our forwards matched them and it was a pleasure to play behind our pack. It was the effort up front in the first half that won it for us, and the defensive effort in the last five minutes was unbelievable. It was a good performance with no weaknesses, Danny Clark is special at outside half, Anthony Wilson is having a great season and Luke Fear's first game for us went very well."