Indigo Group Premiership Cup

IRONMEN BONUS POINT WIN

MERTHYR 37 RGC 1404 29 (Saturday 25th September 21)

Merthyr bounced back from their opening day defeat against Ebbw Vale with a bonus point win over North Wales side RGC 1404 at the Wern.

For the neutral, this was an exciting and thrilling game of rugby with nearly 70 points shared between both sides. Early signs showed the visitors had come to play a fast-moving game, and both sides were level after the opening quarter with home outside half Gareth Davies slotting over a penalty, but this was soon cancelled out when RGC outside half Danny Cross levelled with a simple kick. Merthyr took the lead when following forward pressure near the RGC line, second row Callum Bradbury crashed over from short range to give Merthyr an 8-3 lead. The visitors soon responded when a slick move from the dangerous RGC backs, saw captain Tom Hughes cross wide out. With Cross converting, this gave the visitors an 8-10 lead.

Merthyr were securing good lineout possession thanks to skipper Craig Locke and Paddy Mcbride, working well with centurion Rhys Williams. The came possibly the best try of the game, when the Merthyr pack gained turnover ball from a lineout on halfway, the ball moved quickly across the backline to wingman Ashley Norton, who showed a clean pair of heals to race away some 40 metres to touch down. Davies converted to give Merthyr the lead back 15-10. RGC fought back once again just before half time when a forward drive inside the Merthyr 25 saw back row man Dan Owen touch down for a try Cross converted and the visitors led 15-17 at the break.

Merthyr’s pack began to take control early in the second half, the scrum driving the RGC side 8 back at the set piece and when a scrum near the RGC line was deliberately collapsed referee Rhys Jones awarded a penalty try and Merthyr and retaken the lead back 22-17. As the game began to open up both sides looked for the next score and it came to Merthyr when once again RGC crumbled under the scrum pressure and Davies converted a penalty to extend the lead 25-17.

Back came the visitors once again, with centre Hughes scoring his second try of the afternoon after he collected a poor Merthyr clearance kick, and race away beating two Merthyr defenders to score. Replacement kicker Sam Rogers converted to make it a 1-point game at 25-24.

As the game approached the last quarter it was anyone’s game, and it was the visitors that took the lead and gained a bonus point with their 4th try when wingman Harri Evans showed pace to race in from thirty metres to give the lead back to RGC 25-29.

But the Merthyr forward power proved to much for the visitors and after several forward drive’s wingman Alex Webber picked up a loose pass 30 metres out, to race away under the posts and with Davies converting Merthyr had edged back in front 32-29. This score also secured a try bonus point for the home side. With time almost up, Merthyr had the last say in this exciting game when a kick ahead from Davies was collected by replacement wing man Ewan Skuse, to touch down to seal the win for the Ironmen 37-29.

Both sides must be congratulated on a great game of rugby played with great skill and pace, the home side pack being the big difference in this enthralling cup game. Merthyr turn their attention this week when they make the short journey down the A470 to face Pontypridd in Round 3.

MERTHYR: 15 B Jones,14 A Webber,13 H Thompson, 12 J Martin, 11 A Norton, 10 G Davies, 9 J Soanes, 1 J Howe, 2 R Williams, 3 K Williams, 4 C Locke© 5 C Bradbury, 6 P Mcbride, 7 D Stonelake, 8 P Rees, 16 D Wall, 17 C Phillips, 18 O Rees, 19 J Perkins, 20 T Daley, 21 A Hoskins, 22 R Davies, 23 E Skuse.

Scorers, C Bradbury 1t, A Webber 1t, A Norton 1t, E Skuse 1t, Pen Try, G Davies 2P, 2C

Referee, Rhys Jones (WRU)