Pooler impress after slow start in the Welsh capital

The final match in the Super Rygbi Cymru Cup round robin stage saw Pontypool travel to the capital to take on Cardiff and came away from Cardiff Arms Park with a thoroughly deserved victory, writes Ray Ruddick. Cardiff had already lost their previous three games in the competition while Pooler had beaten RGC at home and drew with Newport away and had the home match against Carmarthen Quins called off due to the inclement weather but, due to time constraints, it was not possible to fit the match in so it was decided by the WRU to declare the match a 0-0 draw with both teams getting two league points. Pontypool flanker Callum Davies was making his 100^th appearance for the club while scrum half Morgan Lloyd his 50^th, and what a 50^th it turned out to be, scoring a first half hat trick.

The home side kicked off attacking the clubhouse end of the ground on a fine by chilly Thursday evening. Cardiff started strongly and in the second minute took the lead when number eight Ben Fry crossed for a try under the posts and outside half Harri Wilde converted (7-0). Then in the 13^th minute the Blue and Blacks were on the attack inside the visitors’ 22 and after several drives towards their opponents’ goal line, increased their lead when replacement hooker Evan Nicholls-Ngasseu barged over for a try from close range, 10 metres in from the left corner and, again, Harri Wilde slotted the conversion so Pooler were 14 points down in less than as many minutes and it was looking a little ominous for Pontypool as the Cardiff backs look sharp and dangerous and could strike at any time.

So, the first quarter certainly belonged to the capital city side but after that Pontypool grew into the game. In the 23^rd minute Scott Matthews picked up from the base of a ruck near the half-way line and made a break, taking play up to the home 22. He then gave the scoring pass to Morgan Lloyd who managed to escape the clutches of two defenders and managed to get over for a try, 10 metres in from the left corner. Outside half and captain Kieran Meek added the extras (14-7). On the half hour the visitors drew level when they were on the attack inside the home 22. Number eight Morgan Allen broke through and offloaded to Morgan Lloyd who ran round behind the posts for a try which Kieran Meek converted (14-14). Five minutes later, Pooler second row Liam Antrobus took a knock, and he was replaced by Dan Hill. In the 36^th minute Pontypool were again on the offensive deep inside Cardiff’s 22 and after several powerful drives towards the home goal line, Morgan Lloyd dummied and darted over for his hat trick near the posts as Pooler took the lead for the first time in the match. Kieran Meek added the conversion (14-21). Towards the end of an enjoyable first forty minutes, Pooler loose head prop Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths was bleeding from a head wound, and he was temporarily replaced by Jake Wisniewski. Callum Davies took a heavy knock to his ribs, and Ryan Jones took over from him, which was a disappointing end to his century of appearances – wishing Callum a full and speedy recovery. Half-time score – Cardiff 14 Pontypool 21.

It took until a quarter-of-an-hour into the second period for the next score when Cardiff were penalised on their 22 to the right of the posts and Kieran Meek’s attempt at goal was successful in putting Pooler into a ten-point lead (14-24). Ten minutes later the hosts strayed offside near their goal line to the right of the posts. Pooler decided to go for a scrum as they started to dominate in that area. From the scrum, Morgan Allen picked up and powered his way over, carrying two defenders with him, near the right upright for the bonus-point try and Kieran Meek slotted the relatively easy conversion (14-31). Visiting tight head prop Owen Popple was then replaced by Kyan Best. In the 66^th minute Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, who had earlier returned to the field after having his head wound treated, was yellow carded for a high tackle near Pontypool’s 22.

In the 73^rd minute Logan Franklin then took over from man-of-the-match Morgan Lloyd then three minutes later Morgan Allen and hooker Sam Scarfe were replaced by Buster Bodkin and Aneurin James respectively. Marcus Jones, who was sacrificed when Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths was sin-binned as Pooler had to have front row cover when Jake Wisniewski returned to the action, stayed off for the final few minutes when Louis Rees took the field to effectively replace him on the left wing. In the second minute of injury time, and in last play, Evan Nicholls-Ngasseu gathered a loose ball from a line out just outside Pooler’s 22 on Cardiff’s left and he ran in for his second try of the contest, touching down 5 metres in from the left corner but the conversion attempt hit the post. It was little more than a consolation score as Pontypool took the spoils in front of a sizeable, vocal and enthusiastic away support. Final score – Cardiff 19 Pontypool 31.

This was a particularly good performance by Pontypool, so congratulations to all concerned. The Pooler pack went well and certainly won the forward battle with a dominant scrum and good work in the line-out and in the loose. The backs looked to move the ball across the field, and they tightened up in defence as the game went on. Pontypool finished in second place in the final table in Group A and now qualify for the cup semi-final and a trip to Church Bank to face Llandovery which will take place on Saturday 28 February with a 2.30pm kick-off.

Cardiff: Matty Young, Joe Goodchild, Ioan Leyshon (replaced by Ioan Penry), Tom Williams, Dewi Cross (replaced by Steffan Davies), Harri Wilde, Ethan Lloyd (replaced by Joe Williams), Cameron Tyler-Grocott (replaced by Christian Brooke), Gavin Parry, (replaced by Evan Nicholls-Ngasseu) Callum Donoghue-Proud (replaced by Tom Harper), Ethan Phillips, Sonny McCabe, Craig Hudd (captain (replaced by Lucca Alexander-White), Nathan Hudd (replaced by Tirion Bowen) and Ben Fry.

Pontypool: Huw Anderson, Carrick McDonough, Pat Lewis, Joel Mahoney, Marcus Jones (replaced by Louis Rees), Kieran Meek (captain), Morgan Lloyd (replaced by Logan Franklin), Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths (replaced by Jake Wisniewski), Sam Scarfe (replaced by Aneurin James), Owen Popple (replaced by Kyan Best), Joe Davies, Liam Antrobus (replaced by Dan Hill), Scott Matthews, Callum Davies (replaced by Ryan Jones) and Morgan Allen (replaced by Buster Bodkin).