Saturday 28th March 2026
Tref-y-Clawdd 43 v Old Penarthians 11
It seems strange that at a time when rugby is supposed to be played in regional areas to encourage local derbies that Old Penarthians should have to make a trip of nearly 21/2 hours and over 90 miles to play a game in WRU Division 5 East Central. But that is what happened last Saturday when the 1st XV travelled to Tref-y-Clawdd to play their 16th game of the league campaign. Tref-y-Clawdd are located in Knighton, in mid-Wales, with the England/Wales border running parallel with the pitch, and they were to complete the double over the Old Pens when they recorded a victory by 43 points to 11.
That win boosted the Tref league position up to fourth whilst Penarthians remain in eighth place in the ten-team league, nine points above the drop zone with two games remaining. The team had travelled in the hope that they could have earned something from the game but those chances were limited by the fact that they could not field a fully qualified front row from the start and had to play the game with uncontested scrums and fourteen men throughout.
That said, the eighteen players who represented the club gave 100% effort and at half time were leading by 11 points to 7. Tref-y-Clawdd had in fact scored first with a converted try inside 5 minutes and things were not looking promising for the small number of supporters who had made the trip but that was to underestimate the team mentality as the players stuck to their tasks. The defence was heroic at times and the tackling fierce especially by Will Davis, Josh Alcock, James Reynolds, Zac Gilbert and Tyler Carter in the forwards.
Joe Francis-Oaten was a lead carrier for the team from ruck and maul situations supported by Sam MacListon and Will Graham. They were assisted by the attacking play of Ieuan Harris, Craig Haines, Cae Williams and Connor Christie form the three-quarters and the bigger Tref forwards could not find any rhythm to their play.
On 22 minutes, good play in midfield saw Haines, Williams, Oaten and Davis apply pressure in the home team twenty-two and from a Tref-y-Clawdd line out there was a knock-on and a scrum award to Old Pens. A neat switch at scrum half put Ethan Galsworthy into the pack and Reynolds at no 9 and with the ball secured he broke to the blind side and forced his way through two tackles to score in the corner. The kick from Ollie Moir was unsuccessful.
Moir was to make up for that miss 10 minutes later when from a Reynolds turnover at a ruck in midfield he slotted a penalty from 40m and Penarthians led 8-7. Moir was to add three more points for another penalty just before half time. This time it was after a lineout won by Graham that Alcock drove into the defence and after support from his fellow forwards the defenders infringed at the ruck. So, at half time Old Penarthians led 11-7.
The half time break saw the introduction of Jac Davies for MacListon but it was Tref who started the brighter following a strong half time talk from the home team coaching staff that obviously changed the attitude and tactics of the Tref-y-Clawdd team as they realised that the weakness in the Old Pens team was wide out on the flanks in the absence of a winger. It resulted in two quick tries within 8 minutes of the restart, one of which was converted and Tref led 17-11.
Old Penarthians were however not without ambition and a strong run out of defence by Harris that was supported by Williams resulted in a penalty 10m from the opposition tryline. A kick to the corner by Moir led to a lineout. The throw was well taken by Carter and a set play saw Francis-Oaten peel to the front of the lineout to feed Reynolds at hooker, but he was forced into touch at the corner flag and the chance was lost.
To compound that failure Tef-y-Clawdd were soon back on the attack and from a sweeping move from their own twenty-two, which saw forwards and threequarters combine, they scored a length of the field try under the posts to extend their lead to 24-11 after 20 minutes
Further substitutions saw the introduction of Jon deClaire, Richie Moir and Dan Jones but not even their fresh legs could help the fatiguing players who had given everything and in the last seven minutes the home team ran in three more tries , two of which were converted, for a winning scoreline of 43-11. Whilst Tref-y- Clawdd undoubtedly deserved the victory the final score did not do justice to the efforts of the visiting team who will now have to raise the same intensity for their next game away to Glyncoch.
That next, and penultimate, 1st XV league fixture will not be until 11th April but this weekend there is a home club fixture against a touring team from Old Hamptonians who are based in London.