In conditions which couldn’t have been more dissimilar to the first league game of the season, Old Penarthians 1st XV headed to Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Cyncoed campus, playing into the driving rain and very windy conditions in the first half of their Division 5 East Central fixture.
On a plastic pitch, which must be a great advantage to the students who are sure to be more used to the otherwise alien ground beneath their feet, the ball was often unplayable and resembled a bar of soap, with the unusual bounce also proving difficult to manage, especially by the back three of full-back Ieuan Harris and wingers Rhys Stout and Richie Moir. The students used the conditions to good effect in the early stages, making use of the weather conditions to continually pin back the Old Pens and put the back-field defence under tremendous pressure.
Both teams displayed a commendable but perhaps foolhardy approach of running the ball from anywhere on the pitch, which made for an entertaining game which was some effort, given the horrendous playing conditions.
Unsurprisingly, given pressure exerted by the Met, they rushed into a 17-0 lead after the first quarter scoring three tries, despite the valiant effort of the Pens’ defence which was getting plenty of tackling practice, with the home team dominating both possession and territory.
Soon after, a freak clash of heads between second row Will Davies and flanker James Reynolds resulted in both players having to leave the field, being replaced by Dan Thomas and Mark Smart. Whilst Reynolds returned to the fray soon afterwards, sporting a natty headguard, Will Davies was unable to return.
The Old Pens enjoyed more possession in the second quarter but the scrum, which had initially held firm, came under sustained pressure, as did the linesout, with several turnovers conceded in great attacking positions.
However, it was the Met Athletic team which got the all-important next score, which saw the elusive outside half make a break in the Old Pens 22 and, after finding good support on his outside, the unconverted try was scored for a 22-0 lead which the home team took into the half-time break.
The Old Pens had few chances in the first half but did put the Met under enormous pressure at the end of the first half and were unlucky not to come away with a score after good work from Ieuan Harris, only to see Cae Williams drop the very wet ball with the try line at his mercy.
The second half began with the conditions having relented a little, but it was more of the same; great support play from Cardiff Met who continued to run the ball from everywhere, and the Old Pens defending valiantly for long periods. Charlie Wheatly and Dan Thomas were particularly prominent in a brave effort to repel their excellent opponents, as was newly-converted tight -head prop Jack Chandler who was awarded the Player of the Match accolade.
The defence was again penetrated after 51 minutes, following sustained pressure on the Old Pens’s try-line, and a fifth try was scored, extending the home team’s lead to 27-0.
Unused replacement and head Coach James Greenfield made changes in an effort to invigorate the team, with Henry Kynaston and Ethan Galsworthy being replaced by Gareth Clancy and Mark Smart, increasing the average age of the very young team considerably in the process.
Cruelly, with only 10 minutes left to play, a promising Old Pens attack was infiltrated, and an interception try was scored from 60 metres, which was converted for a 34-0 scoreline.
Further changes were made which saw Craig Haines replace Richie Moir and Henry Kynaston return to the field in place of hooker Zach Gilbert who had put in another all-action performance, despite difficulties at lineout time with the blustery conditions.
The Old Pens never-say-die attitude was eventually rewarded on 75 minutes, when James Reynolds forced his way over from ten metres out for a try that was converted by Josh Preece, making the final score 34-7.
Whilst the Old Pens never really looked like winning the game, especially after playing into the awful conditions in the first half, this was a performance to be proud of, and the away team finished the stronger, evidenced by the two yellow cards conceded by the Met under the unrelenting pressure exerted upon them.
It was great to see new 1st XV captain Joe Francis-Oaten making his first start of the season after missing the first game of the campaign through injury, and he gave the travelling supporters plenty to think about with strong ball carrying and stout defensive work.
There was an excellent result from the Old Pens Youth team who travelled to Taffs Well for an early kick-off against an inexperienced but committed team, emerging victorious by 66-5. New youth team coaches Jon Bryant and Robert Sidoli can be very pleased with a solid start to the campaign, whilst realising there will be stronger challenges ahead.
On Sunday, the Old Penarthians Women’s XV, aka ‘The Pumas’, travelled away to Lampeter to play in their first Championship game of the season and put in a mighty performance, winning 62-0, and scoring 10 tries in all.
Next Week’s Matches:
Saturday 21st September 1st XV v Blackwood Stars – WRU Division 5 cup (away)
Youth XV v St Albans (away) – Cardiff Youth Championship South
Sunday 28th September Women’s XV v Senghenydd – WRU Championship. All games are scheduled to kick-off at 2.30pm