Pooler Pipped at the Post

Conditions at the Gnoll in Neath were perfect and there was certainly a buzz around the ground as Pontypool rolled into town for their final warm up game before the season proper starts next weekend. These two teams were once the powerhouses of Welsh rugby but have become estranged and now it seems to be formally divorced from the top table in Wales. As at Aberavon last week, I looked around the ground and thought back to those bruising encounters of yesteryear and sighed. Still this was sure to be a competitive encounter and another chance for Pooler to measure their strength against a side from the Premiership.

It was an unfamiliar Pontypool team that took to the field when the game started and the first quarter was a bit of a nightmare as a vibrant Neath side threatened to run riot. The home forwards looked powerful and the backs looked quick and, to make matters worse, Pooler gave away a series of penalties. Neath scored three tries in the first quarter and it could easily have been more. The first try was scored after a series of Neath forward drives sucked in the Pontypool defence for Evans in the centre to have a clear run in near the posts (7-0). The second came when, to the embarrassment of the Pontypool defence, Neath second row Barley galloped down the touch line to score in the corner (12-0). The third try came when Neath attacked from their own twenty two for Howley to score an excellent long range try (19-0). Things looked black for Pooler!

In the second quarter Pooler managed to gain a bit of composure and, despite some close shaves, managed to prevent Neath from increasing their lead. Indeed, as the half drew to a close, a good kick chase after a speculative kick down field saw Morris charge down the attempted Neath clearance kick and touch the ball down for a try. The conversion failed but at least Pooler were on the scoreboard at 19-5.

Pontypool made mass substitutions at half time and the side started to look more familiar. They seemed intent of putting right the rather lack lustre performance of the first half. Neath soon realised that they were going to have to look to their laurels as Pooler powered their way into the home twenty two. A series of forward drives saw Pooler hooker Ball wriggle over and with Jones’ conversion it was game on at 19-12. Virtually from the restart, Pontypool were guilty of some weak tackling and Neath took full advantage with a try from Callow that with the conversion re-established their lead (26-12).

Pontypool had upped the pace and were now looking far more dangerous. A quick tapped penalty in the Neath twenty-two saw Gullis race over for an unconverted try (26-17). A few minutes later some great work by the Pooler back row forwards Edwards and Herbert opened up the space for Gullis to score his second try. This time Jones nailed the conversion and the gap was down to just two points (26-24) and the momentum completely with the away side. As a tremendous third quarter came to an end, Pontypool were again threatening the Neath line. A defensive lineout went awry and Lampitt got hold of the ball and powered over for a try. Despite the conversion failing, Pontypool had taken the lead at 26-29.

The final quarter saw Neath make substitutions and they came back strongly as they tried desperately to snatch the win. Pooler defended stoutly but were pinned in their own half for long periods. A yellow card for Pontypool wing Prothero made things even more difficult as Neath put their powerful attacks together. Pontypool managed to get hold of the ball and wound the clock down into time added on with a series of forward drives. It looked all up for Neath but with the last play of the game they found inspiration and moved the ball for Ellis to squeeze over in the corner. After some deliberation, the match officials decided that the try should stand. The conversion failed but this was irrelevant really as Neath had snatched victory at the last gasp. Final score 31-29.

This was certainly “a game of two halves” type of performance for Pontypool which will surely have given the coaching team plenty to think about. There is no doubt that Pontypool have a tremendously strong squad and it will be finding the right blend and combinations that will be the challenge. The first league game is next Saturday at newly promoted Ystrad Rhondda and Pontypool can certainly expect a warm welcome.

It wouldn’t be Welsh rugby if there weren’t reorganisations and recriminations and that certainly seems to be the situation at the moment. As usual, money is high on the agenda and that is never a good thing in sport. I am, I suppose, a bit of a dinosaur having been a rugby player and supporter for most of my sixty odd years. I do, however, have simple needs as a supporter and I do feel that the importance of the paying fan who goes to watch rugby week in and week out seems to fall down the pecking order as time goes on. I was taught that the customer is the most important person in the supply chain and surely the rugby fan is the customer here. Therefore as a customer let me put down what I would like:

• ·         I want to support a team that I feel an emotional attachment to and that I can feel part of. This cannot be created at the flick of a switch or with some high pressure marketing it has to be nurtured. I want to watch that team play in the flesh as often as I can be it home or away. There is only really room for one other team in my heart and that is the Welsh national team who I will also watch whenever I can. The team I choose to support is Pontypool RFC who I have followed through thick and thin since my days in West Mon School. Yes I have an avid interest in rugby in general but I do not really need to actually go and watch any other teams. I watch rugby on the TV but very much on a cherry picked basis. This means I watch rugby from all over the world as well as from Wales on the basis of what looks like being an interesting game.
• ·         I want the team that I support to be part of a competitive league structure that is based on a meritocracy and does not have artificially created barriers. This means promotion and relegation based on league position alone. I do not see the point of play offs at the end of the season. I would like a league structure that is not constantly changing but one that stays in place for at least five years. 
• ·         A rugby season that lasts from September to April i.e. 8 months or 34 weeks. I would like there to be at least 26 league games to watch preferably on a Saturday afternoon during that time. This would allow time for cup matches and postponements. This means a league of 14 or 16 clubs.
• ·         I would rather stand on a terrace than on the field. If it is pouring with rain I would rather be under cover. As I get older I guess I would rather sit than stand. These however are not things that determine whether I go and watch a match.
• ·         I have no strong feelings about whether players should be paid. In the end it is the market and the benefactors that will determine that. We should be eternally grateful that there are benefactors and sponsors who are prepared to put money into the game.
• ·         Of course I want my team to do well but that is not the be all and end all. Win or lose it is nice to be able to mix with supporters from other clubs.
• ·         Most of all I want to have a bit of fun at a rugby match on a Saturday afternoon with people of a like mind.

The last few years have been frustrating as a Pontypool supporter with a ring-fenced Premiership and not really enough league rugby in a 12 team league. It seems the former will eventually be resolved but I still feel that we could do with a league of 14 teams. But what about Regional rugby I hear you ask. Somehow it seems to have passed me by – it must be the dinosaur in me.

I am still enjoying my rugby thanks to Pontypool.

Come on Pooler!

A Tough Outing for Pooler

Pontypool visited the Talbot Athletic Ground to play Aberavon in their latest pre-season friendly. As at Talywain last week, the weather was dreadful with a constant very heavy drizzle making playing conditions difficult. When I visit grounds like this, that haven’t really changed much in my rugby watching life, I always get a feeling of nostalgia. I think back to all those fierce encounters with both sides fielding some of the best Welsh internationals of the day. This of course is history and for this new Pooler squad it is all about making history if they can. That feeling of nostalgia only increased when Pontypool ran out in their smart retro styled kit with the shirt numbers on a plain white background and white shorts.

Aberavon started with a bang with Pooler looking a bit shell-shocked by the ferocity of their play. They were soon camped on the Pontypool line and after dismantling a Pooler scrum were awarded a penalty try (7-0). The aftermath of the scrum was a prolonged bout of fisticuffs which resulted in a yellow card for Best of Pontypool and Waite of Aberavon. This was clearly going to be a “friendly” in name only.

The game settled down a bit after this but there was still an undercurrent of bad feeling between the sides. Aberavon continued to pressure Pontypool’s set piece and with their smart backs looked the more likely side to score. Pontypool were very much on the defensive but stuck to their task tenaciously. Twenty minutes in, Gullis for Pooler and Williams for Aberavon had a bit of a spat and were both awarded a yellow card for their trouble.

In the second quarter, Pontypool started to get a foothold in the game and worked their way into the Wizards’ twenty two. After a series of powerful forward drives they worked an opening for Usher to squeeze in at the corner for their first try. The conversion failed but Pooler were back in the game at 7-5. Sadly the momentum that the away side had gained was disrupted by yet another yellow card this time for Luckwell for a late tackle.

As the first half drew to a close, another Pontypool scrum was shunted backwards and despite the conditions Aberavon managed to pass the ball along their three-quarters for Pearce to outflank the defence and score in the corner. The conversion failed but Aberavon had built up a useful lead of 12-5 at the interval.

Aberavon started the second half as they had the first with plenty of attacking intent. Again they seemed to catch Pontypool cold and within a couple of minutes had shredded the away defence and Banfield galloped away to score in the left corner. The difficult conversion failed but the Wizards had pulled two scores clear at 17-5.

There followed a period of mass substitutions with both sides taking the opportunity to give their squads a run out. As you might expect, the game lacked any sort of continuity as the new players got up to speed. The influx of new blood seemed to energise Pontypool more than Aberavon and they managed to improve the quality of possession from their set pieces. As a consequence, the game became far more even but again Pooler’s momentum was lost by another yellow card when Thomas was guilty of a late tackle.

Aberavon continued to look dangerous in attack but the Pontypool defence stood firm helped out by the conditions which made handling difficult. With a quarter of an hour to go, Pooler finally broke the shackles and managed to position themselves inside the home twenty two. A concerted forward drive saw Attwell touch down in the corner and with Meek’s excellent conversion Pontypool had closed the gap to 17-12.

The closing stages of the match saw Aberavon back on the attack and the Pontypool defence again hard at work. There was just one glimmer of a chance for Pontypool when they won a turnover and scuttled off down the field. Unfortunately the Aberavon cover got back to make the crucial tackle and the final score remained at 17-12 with the home side running out deserved winners.

This was a tough outing for Pontypool where they faced the harsh reality of what life is like in the Premiership. The game was lost in the first few minutes of each half when Pooler seemed to be caught cold. Add to this the poor discipline which resulted in four yellow cards and they left themselves a mountain to climb against a strong well-coached Aberavon team. It will certainly have been a valuable experience for the Pontypool squad who next week have another uphill battle when they visit Neath.

The game certainly revealed the tremendous strength in depth that the Pontypool squad possesses. It will be very interesting to see the team that is selected for the first league game on September the first. Competition for places has never been keener.

Come on Pooler!

Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

Whatever happened to that long hot summer? It certainly was not in evidence at Emlyn Park, Talywain yesterday afternoon. It was dark and dismal with incessant rainfall that varied from a heavy drizzle to a downpour. Did I mind? Yes maybe a little, but it was the first rugby match of the pre-season and Pontypool were taking on neighbours Talywain whose team had been augmented by the addition of players from Blaenavon. Yes, it would be good to see Pooler in action even in a monsoon.

Friendly fixtures like this can often be disjointed with copious substitutions, new combinations and a certain amount of rustiness to contend with. Couple this with the rain and of course it was a match littered with mistakes. The home side certainly made Pontypool work hard in all aspects of their game which made it a valuable exercise.

Pontypool started strongly and within the first five minutes had registered two converted tries. Ace try scorer Watkins scored the first from short range and Mahoney the second when he won a kick and chase competition. Both tries were converted by new boy Ceri Morris playing at outside half (0-14).

Virtually all of the remainder of the first half was played in the Pontypool half with strong Pooler defence cancelling out the best efforts of the home attack. Pontypool finally broke the stranglehold as the half drew to a close and some good inter-passing amongst the backs down the left wing saw Mahoney score his second try in the corner. The score at half time was 0-19 which was not really a reflection of the balance of play.

Pooler made a raft of changes at half time and started off really strongly. Watkins powered over for his second try shortly after the restart (0-24) and a few minutes later, after probably the best piece of combined play of the match, Luckwell took an inside ball from Nash to score near the posts. The Luckwell try was converted by another new boy Matthew Lewis who was now playing outside half (0-31).

After this bright spell of play, the rain got heavier and the game got stodgier with few moments of inspiration for the crowd to cheer. As the third quarter ended, tight head prop Price forced his way over the line from short range to record Pooler’s sixth try which was converted by Lewis (0-38).

This was to be the final score in the match. From then on it became a bit of a stalemate with the home side managing to negate Pooler’s best efforts to add to their tally. The Pooler defence were equally determined to keep a clean sheet. The rain and the rustiness did the rest. Final score Talywain & Blaenavon 0 - Pontypool 38.

Both sides must be pleased with this opportunity to play some competitive rugby. For Pooler it was a chance to give their new signings a runout alongside the successful squad from last season. It is early days of course but there look to be some useful acquisitions who will bolster the strength of the squad for what is sure to be a demanding season. For their part, the combined Talywain and Blaenavon team showed great heart and no little skill in making Pontypool work so hard for victory.

Pontypool’s next “friendly” will be a visit to the Talbot Athletic Ground to take on Premiership outfit Aberavon. This will certainly be a challenging encounter but will give Pooler a chance to measure their strength against a team from the next league up.

Come on Pooler!