The Dragons’ Den Is Too Hot For England

What a day for the Welsh in Cardiff! The much vaunted and confident English rugby team came unstuck on their seemingly unstoppable path to a Grand Slam and all that lay beyond. The chariot was derailed and how!

Forget about the Irish backstop, the Welsh backstop in the form of Liam Williams was certainly not going to give free access to the Welsh try line. He had a magnificent game and with a help of a few of his friends managed to negate the English kicking game which had proved to be match-winning against Ireland and France. Shorn of this, the English began to look bereft of ideas – they had no plan B.

Wales were on the back foot for most of the first half as the aggressive English defence stifled their every move and the English forwards carried strongly at every opportunity. The Welsh defence was resolute too and gave very little ground as the players thundered into each other. England scored the first try when the Welsh lost the ball at a maul and the English seized on it and made good ground before Curry burst out of a ruck to cross near the posts. The half time score was 3-10 in favour of England and the feeling amongst the Welsh fans around me was that Wales had done a good job in staying in touch.

The second half was different as Wales rolled up their sleeves and began to take control. True they were still rocked back at times by the English defence but you could sense that the momentum was shifting. England did not really look like adding to their try tally as their kicking game became more and more ineffective. Wales were looking more and more menacing as their forwards seemed to gain strength while the English began to fade. Even though the substitutions had started in earnest, a Welsh win began to look a distinct possibility

As we entered the last quarter, it was still nip and tuck as Wales attacked ferociously and England defended desperately. It was that rather unsung hero Corey Hill who broke the deadlock as he heaved himself over the line for a Welsh try. With the conversion from Biggar, Wales were in the lead. The Welsh fans were euphoric as England did not really look like being able to respond with a try. Those of us who have been in this situation many times before and bear the scars were not quite so sure. We needn’t have worried, Wales kept a stranglehold on possession and territory and even had the temerity to score a second try when Adams juggled a Biggar cross kick but managed to hang on to the ball long enough to touch down. The conversion sailed wide but it didn’t matter Wales were winning 21-13 with time running out. It just remained to make sure England were denied a losing bonus point and then cue jubilation.

This was a deserved victory for Wales on the basis of their strong second half showing. Liam Williams was the obvious choice as man of the match but really this was a great team performance from Wales with everyone getting stuck in. The Anscombe v Biggar debate will surely rage on with Biggar looking assured when he came on in the second half but not having to face the full ferocity of the English rush defence as Anscombe had done in the early stages. A couple of what looked like kickable penalties were not attempted in the first half presumably because they were out of Anscombes’s range. The most important thing, of course, is that Wales won and, in the final analysis, seemed strong and fitter than the English as the game wore on. Everyone played their part and put their bodies on the line and deserve hearty congratulations. Let us hope there are not too many injuries.

Next up for Wales is a trip up to Scotland in two weeks’ time. Even though a depleted Scottish team was beaten by France, they will be tough opposition as always. Wales will need to be at their very best if they are to keep their marvellous winning streak going. All power to their elbows.

Talking of winning streaks, next weekend Pontypool are back in action with a visit to Maesteg Quins. A far cry from the Principality Stadium but something to look forward to. Pontypool need to get back into the groove after struggling to find any fluency against Newcastle Emlyn. Maesteg Quins will be a tough prospect on their own ground that is for sure. The National Cup quarter final tie against Bridgend is looming too.

Sadly I didn’t manage to get to the Pontypool RFC dinner celebrating the 150 years of rugby. By all accounts it was a marvellous occasion and marked this important milestone with aplomb. Hearty congratulations to this great rugby club.

Well done Wales and come on Pooler!

Pooler Pass the Test from the West – Just

Pontypool haven’t been playing much rugby of late. Indeed the home against Newcastle Emlyn was the first league game at the Park since mid-December. They have barely been averaging a match every two weeks for various reasons and, with a large squad, game time for the players has been at a premium. All this means that the chasing pack has closed the lead at the top of the Championship to just eight points but Pooler have two or three games in hand. A much changed Pontypool team took the field against Newcastle Emlyn from the one that triumphed in the Cup against Cross Keys a few weeks back.

Pontypool played up the slope in the first half with a breeze at their backs.  They got off to a fast start when, with just five minutes or so played, centre Mahoney burst through in midfield. After almost getting to the try line himself, he fed Usher on the wing who found Luckwell running an inside support line to cross for an excellent try. Lewis converted and Pooler were 7-0 to the good.

Newcastle Emlyn despite their lowly league position proved to be spirited and skilful opponents and gave as good as they got. They began to find holes in an unusually porous home defence and the match was fiercely contested. Pooler had the edge in the scrum but elsewhere it was pretty even.

The away side reduced the arrears through a penalty from Davies as the match entered the second quarter. Pontypool responded within a couple of minutes with a pushover try from a scrum near the visitors’ try line. Matthews got the touchdown with Lewis converting to give Pooler a 14-3 lead. Newcastle Emlyn responded swiftly when outside half Evans skated through a breach in the home defence to score a try that was converted by Davies and the away side had closed the gap to 14-10.

Pontypool needed to respond and the forwards turned up the heat with a series of drives that took them up to the Newcastle Emlyn try line. Something had to give and a yellow card was awarded to the visitors’ scrum half for stopping a drive illegally.  With the visitors a man down, Pooler’s task was made easier and a minute or so later Gregory scored under the posts. With the conversion, Pooler were now 21-10 ahead. Straight from the restart Matthews burst through the away team’s defence and kicked ahead. The defence made a mess of dealing with the situation and as a result Pontypool had a scrum deep in Newcastle Emlyn’s twenty two. The ball was spread wide for Usher to outflank the defence and score in the left corner. The conversion just missed but Pooler had a healthy 26-10 lead and had secured a bonus point when the half time whistle was blown a few minutes later.

The second half was frustrating for the home fans as the away side dominated possession and when Pontypool did get their hands on the ball they made too many errors to get any form of continuity. The visitors pounded away at the Pooler line and after ten minutes got a deserved try when Owens crossed. With the successful conversion Newcastle Emlyn were certainly back in the hunt with the deficit down to just nine points at 26-17.  

Ponypool started to use their bench and their supporters were delighted to see the return of Matthew Jones after a long spell out of action through injury. The visitors sensed an upset was on the cards and continued to attack. A yellow card for Pooler centre Mahoney certainly helped the visitors’ cause as we entered the fourth quarter and it needed desperate defence from the home side to avoid conceding another try. Eventually Pooler managed to escape from the stranglehold and an astute kick from Jones nearly put Usher in. The wing was stopped just short of the line and the ruck ball was slowed down illegally. This led to a yellow card for Evans from the visitors but also for Pooler prop Price who took exception to something or other. This resulted in a penalty for Newcastle Emlyn who cleared their lines.

Pontypool now had the bit firmly between their teeth as they attempted to stamp their authority back on the game. A tremendous driving lineout from their opponents’ twenty two took play right up to the try line. Lampitt drove over to claim Pontypool’s fifth try and despite the conversion failing Pooler breathed a sigh of relief as the scoreboard ticked over to 31-17.

A momentary lack of concentration from Pooler and they were on the back foot again. Newcastle Emlyn were back in their twenty two and they moved the ball through their backs for Davies to score a try. This was again converted and the visitors were within a score at 31-24 with almost ten minutes remaining. The tension amongst the Pooler faithful was palpable as the visitors looked more than capable of scoring again.

Pontypool used all their bench as they sought to regain control against opponents who were not going to lie down that was for sure.  Pontypool’s forwards did the necessary and with a series of driving mauls retained possession and gained valuable territory. One such maul took play deep into the away twenty two and when the ball was eventually spread wide a gap opened that Gullis exploited to score the try that put the game to bed. The conversion failed but Pontypool had clinched the win at 36-24. It had been a tough day at the office and all associated with Pontypool were relieved to hear the final whistle.

While Pontypool played in fits and starts and were not at their best, they managed to find a way to win against formidable and motivated opponents. The lack of competitive rugby seems to have resulted in a lack of sharpness and precision in Pooler’s play. I am sure that this will be resolved as the frequency of their matches increases. Newcastle Emlyn gave a really good account of themselves and in truth deserved a losing bonus point at the very least.

The sides around Pontypool in the Championship won with the exception of Cardiff Met who drew. This means that the gap at the top remains at eight points. Premiership play-off watch reveals that our old friends Cross Keys are in the play-off spot at present. It looks like a desperately close struggle near the bottom of the Premiership with Bridgend, Cross Keys , Bedwas and Llanelli all very closely packed and in all likelihood Bargoed and Neath already two of the four facing automatic relegation.

I have been thoroughly impressed by the plans for the redevelopment of Pontypool Park and it is evident that this is a well thought out way forward. Let us hope that there is general agreement and the club progresses as planned. None of this would be possible of course without the fantastic contribution and commitment from Peter and Ben Jeffreys. We all owe them a great vote of thanks for saving and rebuilding this great club of ours.

Next weekend looks like being decisive in the Six Nations Championship. Wales take on England in Cardiff and an English win will surely see them progress to a grand slam with home fixtures against Scotland and Italy to come. Can Wales wheel clamp the chariot? Everyone outside England is relying on us and it is an onerous burden. Current form would suggest it will be very difficult as a jaunty England have blown away Ireland and France and Wales have looked far from convincing in beating France and Italy albeit away from home. The Welsh pack have a huge job to do for if England get a solid platform to work with they will be odds on to win. At least we will have a proper fullback playing which will be a big help as England’s previous wins have come courtesy of a kicking game that has found out part-timers in this position. Wales will not need any motivation that is for sure! It will be a summer of misery if England win so come on boys.

Pontypool do not have a match next weekend due to the international but the following weekend they will visit Maesteg Quins who have even more games in hand then Pooler do.

Come on Wales and come on Pooler!

A Win but No Laurel Wreath for Wales

I have just returned from Rome after a very enjoyable weekend. There is so much about Rome that is inspiring and we were fortunate to have lovely weather. Sadly the least inspiring moments of the weekend surrounded what was meant to be the focal point – the match. Yes, us old ruins do like looking at other old ruins but really we wanted to be inspired by an exciting Welsh performance against Italy.

The Olympic Stadium in Rome is a great venue in a lot of ways especially when the sun shines. Whilst it is a good way out of the centre of the city, the great expanse of space outside the stadium allows the spectators to indulge a range of pre-match activities with plenty of entertainment provided. This brings almost a carnival atmosphere with music and loads of people in fancy dress. The Peroni Village does a roaring in trade in beer that is for sure.

Inside, the stadium is a vast bowl which could probably accommodate twice the number of spectators than those that turned up. The Welsh were there in numbers with plenty of red everywhere you looked. Because it is a multi-purpose stadium it is not ideal for rugby with the athletics track meaning that you are further from the action than would like. Our seats were low down and behind the posts so we didn’t really have a very good view of what was going in on. We really are spoilt by playing at the Principality Stadium which is purpose built for rugby. There were big screens but even these seemed a long way away so it is difficult to get to grips with the intricacies of the match.

The game itself was not of the greatest quality with a disjointed performance from an experimental Welsh team against an Italian team that strove hard but were generally lacking in quality. Nobody really expected the Italians to win and although they got close to Wales just after half time, in truth, they didn’t actually look like toppling the Welsh. The frustration as a spectator was that Wales managed to work their way into many promising positions but didn’t seem to have the guile to score the tries we craved. The Italians on the other hand didn’t get into scoring conditions often but did actually look more likely to score a try.

From our vantage point it was difficult to assess whether any of the Welsh hopefuls had furthered their cause in a compelling way. The lineout certainly didn’t function well and the three-quarters did not show much sparkle apart from the odd flash from Adams. The Anscombe v Biggar debate will rage on but, as I have said before, we really do need to include a top class goal kicker against England. This time last year Eddie Jones was being disparaging about Patchell who was had a run of unfortunate injuries so is out of the picture. I suspect Gatland will return to the tried and tested and rely to a large extent on the starting fifteen against France.

History will show that Wales won by 26-15 with the teams scoring two tries apiece. Wales did not get the winning bonus point nor the Italians the losing bonus point and it was a rather deflated bunch of supporters from both sides that headed back to the city centre after the match. For Wales it was rather self-inflicted with the ten changes they made after the French game clearly having a bearing on their lack of cohesion. It is rather like the self-inflicted pain associated with not picking Rhys Webb. Yes, Wales have recorded a record equalling eleven wins in a row but it hardly felt like a cause for celebration. They really will need to find themselves many higher gears if they are to trouble a rampant England side in a couple of weeks.

I didn’t manage to see any of the Scotland v Ireland game and only the closing moments of England v France. Watching the highlights, it is striking just how many of the tries scored come from opposition cock-ups rather than planned attacking play. England have taken full toll from the lack of an experienced opposition fullback in their two convincing wins with their kicking game exposing the weak link mercilessly. There is no doubt that they will be a handful when they come to Cardiff and Gatland and his team will need to have a few tricks up their sleeves and the boys will need to have plenty of hwyl. Hopefully we will not have to hear too much of Eddie Jones’ drivel in the lead up to the match but I am not holding my breath. He has already started talking about taking down “the best ever Welsh team”. I suppose there is always the off button.

Next week it is back to real rugby with Pontypool back in action against Newcastle Emlyn. Their lack of rugby has meant that the top of the Championship looks a bit closer but Pontypool now have several games in hand on the chasing pack.

Come on Pooler!

Turbo-charged England Blast Past the Irish Dump Truck

I only normally write something once a week but having watched England’s demolition of Ireland in the Six Nations Championship I felt compelled to record something.

We all are led to believe that the Irish do not like the tag of favourites and before this match they surely were the favourites to win the Six Nations. They may still do so of course but after England’s storming start it is probably unlikely. Given England’s home record and the fact that they have three home matches to come, it looks as if it is down to Wales to try and prevent the chariot from sweeping all before it in Cardiff. If England did triumph then of course there would be no point in the rest of us turning up in Japan as the Rugby World Cup world surely be a formality (according to the media). What a prospect that is! Warren Gatland will need to use all his wiles to come up with a cunning plan to wheel clamp the chariot if we are still going to be find anything other than coverage of England in the sport sections of the newspapers.

England certainly caught Ireland cold yesterday and the speed and power of their defence coupled with an astute kicking game rendered Ireland pretty ineffective. In a way England out- irelanded Ireland. I am sure Schmidt deeply regrets not playing an experienced fullback as Henshaw and his colleagues on the wing found it very difficult to cover the ground and negate a variety of tactical kicks from Farrell and co. It was a tactical triumph for Eddie Jones and his backroom staff that is for sure. Not many people saw this comprehensive victory coming and I congratulate England.

Ireland have not become a poor side overnight and they will be back with a vengeance I am sure. Their next match is away in Scotland who looked quite tasty at times against a lumbering Italian side. There promises to be some fireworks at Murrayfield as resurgent Scotland face the Irish backlash.

England take on France at Twickenham next week and if France play as they did in the second half in Paris against Wales they will be overwhelmed. You never know with France of course but I won’t be hazarding any Euros on a French win.

I will be travelling to Rome next weekend and looking forward to some pasta, chianti and hopefully a Welsh win. I am certainly not counting my chickens before they hatch though as Wales have come unstuck in Italy before.

Come on Wales!

Merci France

Wow that is three agonising rugby matches in as many weeks. First it was Pontypool scraping home at Narberth, then last week we had the narrow win for Pooler in the mudbath of Pandy Park and last night it was the turn of Wales in Paris. My hair has turned from grey to white and I have consumed my nails and have started on my fingers – sacre bleu!

I watched the France v. Wales game on a big screen in Cardiff accompanied by many of a like persuasion. There was plenty of rain but the pitch did not turn into the paddy field that Pooler had experienced the previous week. It did make handling difficult however and Wales had a horrendous first half with virtually every attempted attack halted by a knock-on. France did not seem to suffer from the same malaise and went to work with a purpose. They had soon bagged two tries to go with a penalty and a dropped goal to accumulate a 16-0 lead. For Wales it was frustration heaped on frustration as they couldn’t build any momentum. True Liam Williams seemed to have crossed for a try that was rightly disallowed as he had lost the ball as he was crossing the try line. There were also a couple of penalty attempts but all in all they were not at the races. It had to be better in the second half didn’t it?

The second half was better as France seemed to seize Wales’ mantle and made some very costly errors. Wales finally got on the scoresheet when a break by Adams was ably supported by Tomas Williams and the scrum half gleefully touched down. The conversion went over and Wales were back in contention. Knowing the French temperament, there is just a chance, I thought. Huget then made a horlicks of a grubber kick near his own line. George North was on hand to pounce on the loose ball. Another conversion and it was 16-14 with the momentum swinging towards Wales. Moriarty looked to have scored another try for Wales but it was disallowed for obstruction but it was all Wales and only a matter of time surely. Soon after Wales actually took the lead through an excellent penalty from Biggar. It was 16-17 and Wales had come back from nowhere. Could they hold on?

Wales had actually held the monster French scrum quite well but they chose the wrong time and the wrong place to get marmalised by a huge French shove. They conceded a penalty in front of the posts that the French converted and retook the lead at 19-17. Was all that effort from Wales for nought?

Then came the coup de grace with the French on the attack. A horrible ballooned pass caught the attention of North and he needed no second invitation. He grabbed the ball and sprinted seventy metres to score. Biggar converted and Wales were five points clear at 19-24. Time was running out and France had to score a try. They laid siege but the redoubtable Welsh defence held firm. Wales won a penalty with a minute or so to go. We were safe surely. Biggar kicked to touch – all we needed to do was to win the lineout and the game was ours. Agonisingly Wales lost the lineout and gave the French one last chance. They got as far as the Welsh twenty two before Wales won a turnover and Davies kicked the ball into touch. Cue celebration!

This was a classic cliché of a match – a game of two halves. Wales looked sunk after a dismal first half but France rather gifted them the match with the two errors that let George North in. Wales know that they have to improve significantly for the stern tests to come. I do think that we need to include a top class goal kicker in the side somehow – these games are decided by fine margins.

The cold weather has put paid to Pontypool’s home fixture against Bedlinog so it is the couch for me today. I am expecting two home wins for Scotland and Ireland but England may have other ideas in a heavyweight clash in Dublin.

Next week it is Rome for Wales and a match against Italy. The Italian club form has improved that is for sure but will it be reflected in the national team. We will see when they take on Scotland in Murrayfield today whether they have made progress or whether it is more about the foreign imports that play for their clubs. There is another blank Saturday for Pontypool with the next scheduled match against Newcastle Emlyn at home on February 16th.

Come on Wales! Come on Pooler!