Heartbreak for Pooler After Stunning Comeback

Pontypool travelled to Llandovery to take on the Drovers in a SRC Cup semi-final. After all the rain that we have had, it was a joy to be greeted by bright sunshine and the artificial pitch glistening. This has not been a happy hunting ground for Pooler over recent times as Llandovery have established themselves as one of the top club sides in Wales. The relative league positions and home advantage would make Llandovery clear favourites but Pooler after their resurgence in form should fancy their chances of creating an upset. An early blow for Pooler saw the late withdrawal of dynamic scrum half Morgan Lloyd.

There was a breeze blowing down the ground towards the clubhouse and Pooler were given first use of it in the first half. Pooler started strongly enough and retained possession for the first few minutes as the teams sized each other up. The home side countered with some attacks of their own and their backs looked lively but the Pooler defence looked strong. The deadlock was broken after sixteen minutes when Meek kicked a penalty after Llandovery infringed at a scrum to put Pooler in front (0-3).

Early in the second quarter Pooler were penalised and Llandovery played the advantage. The backs attacked at pace and proved too hot to handle and a well-timed pass put Doel over in the corner for a try. The try was converted off the post by Hughes and Llandovery were leading 7-3.

While Pooler’s scrum was on top their lineout was struggling badly as the Llandovery jumpers appeared to have all of Pooler’s options covered. It seemed that every time that Pooler established a decent position in the Llandovery half they lost their own lineout to the frustration of players and fans alike.

Just after half an hour played, Pooler conceded a penalty that the home side kicked to the corner. The pressure was relieved by an excellent lineout steal from Ryan Jones which enabled Pooler to clear their lines. A minute or so later a 50/20 put Pooler in an attacking position. While they lost the lineout, Llandovery were penalised and Pooler kicked into the left corner.   Pooler finally won a lineout and attacked through their forwards. After a series of drives Allen forced his way over in the last minute of the half. Meek converted and gave Pooler a 7-10 lead at half time. In the build up to the try the Llandovery loosehead prop Hughes had transgressed and was subsequently shown a yellow card.

Pooler held a narrow lead but would be playing against the breeze in the second half. The Drovers had shown had shown just how dangerous they could be in turning defence into attack and quite clearly had the potential to score tries from anywhere on the field. For Pooler, there was a need to change their fortunes in the lineout which had proved such an Achilles heel in the first half.

The opening minutes of the second half were disastrous for Pooler. They made a mess of the first lineout and Llandovery hooker Lewis showed a terrific turn of speed as he raced down the field from halfway.  He found Hughes in support and the outside half dotted down under the posts unopposed. The conversion followed and the home side were back in the lead (14-10). A couple of minutes later, Pooler were penalised and Hughes kicked the penalty via a post (17-10).

Pooler’s lead had evaporated and momentum was very much with the home side even though they were down to fourteen men. Pooler found it difficult to get out of their own half as Llandovery monopolised possession. The third quarter saw Hughes kick another two penalties as Llandovery built on their lead. They led 23-10 as the quarter came to an end with Pooler on the ropes.

The benches were emptied and this seemed to put a real spring in Pooler’s step. They were only two converted tries behind and the game was far from over. Pooler never lack conviction in these kind of situations.

The first real Pooler assault of the second half saw the forwards carrying hard and they hammered away on the Drovers’ line. They managed to get over the line but the ball was adjudged to be held up. Pooler continued to attack and finally cracked the home defence when Rosser appeared in midfield to power over for a try. Ford, who was now playing outside half, converted. It was now 23-17 and it was very much ‘game on’ with seven minutes remaining and the Pooler lineout functioning at last.

It was now all Pooler as Llandovery desperately clung on to their lead. With less than three minutes on the clock, Pooler spread the ball wide and Anderson had a clear run to the line and gleefully put the ball down for Pooler’s third try. Ford landed the tricky conversion and against all the odds Pooler had taken the lead with a couple of minutes remaining (23-24).

Pooler caught the kick off and set up a series of rucks to wind the clock down. All seemed to be under control but the referee was not happy and penalised Pooler with seconds remaining.  It left Llandovery with a kickable penalty to snatch the spoils. Up stepped Hughes in perfect silence and the ball sailed between the posts. It was a cruel end to a pulsating Pooler comeback. Final score Llandovery 26 : Pontypool 24.

This was real body blow for Pooler who had played so brilliantly to get themselves into a winning position with only seconds remaining against very good opposition. Despite this loss, it is clear that the Pooler revival is still very much on track. Congratulations to everyone involved for a stirring performance.

Next up for Pontypool is the match at Bridgend Ravens next Saturday. The shame of it is that it could have been the cup final next Saturday.

In the meantime, Wales travel to Dublin to play Ireland on Friday evening. After Ireland’s demolition of England this about as tough as it gets. I wish Wales luck.

Come on Wales!

Come on Pooler!

Much Better by Wales but Still No Cigar

The wait for a Welsh victory in the Six Nations goes on. This time they came agonising close and were in the lead until there were less than five minutes remaining in the match against Scotland.

A really forthright performance from the Welsh pack coupled with a real determination by the whole team to tackle everything in a blue shirt that moved saw them build a fifteen point lead early in the second half. The Principality Stadium had really come alive and Scotland were on the ropes.

They say that losing becomes a habit and, despite the big lead, you still felt a certain nervousness about the Welsh ability to deliver that much needed victory. A Scottish try from Russell closed the gap to 20-12 and the natural pessimism of the Welsh began to creep in.

Another penalty from Wales steadied the nerves at 23-12. But then came the moment that transformed the match. A lack of Welsh concentration with the team seemingly oblivious of the fact that Russell had restarted the game. It led to a try from Graham straight from the kick-off.  The conversion sailed over and now it was 23-19 and the Welsh heads momentarily dropped when they realised the schoolboy error that had been committed. The balloon of their fragile confidence had been well and truly pricked. Momentum was now very much with Scotland.

Hard as Wales tried to keep Scotland out, the penalty count increased against them and Scotland were able to drive over for the crucial score from a lineout.  The scoreboard now showed 23-26 and you never really felt that Wales could comeback in the little time remaining. It was like a punch in the guts to lose this match at the last gasp. A match that hardly anyone expected Wales to win remember.

So, what went wrong after so many things had gone right? Wales were well in control in the first half but gradually lost control in the second half as Scotland stepped up their effort. The glaring error from the kick off apart, Scotland seemed to get stronger when they deployed their bench while Wales seemed to get weaker if anything. Rugby has become a twenty-three man game and developing strength in depth is crucial if Wales are to continue to improve going forward

The Welsh forwards had really stepped up with Wainwright to the fore but ably backed up by the rest of the pack. The intensity of their performance was outstanding. The Welsh lineout was rock solid which makes a pleasant change. Costelow at outside half had his best game for Wales and it was a real shame when he was lost to an injury at a crucial time in the match. Yes, this was more like the old Wales. Despite some deft passing at times by the backs, they still somehow lack a cutting edge. Of course, they were up against a posse of British Lions who were always going to make things difficult.

Well played Wales. You certainly gave the supporters something to cheer. It is just a pity that we didn’t secure a win in the final reckoning. Next up Ireland in Dublin – it doesn’t get any easier.

Talking of Ireland, they really got stuck into England at Twickers and came away with a stunning victory (21-42). The English apple chariot has been well and truly upset. It leaves Ireland and Scotland to battle it out for the Triple Crown in the finale of the Six Nations Championship. Who would have thought it?

Next Saturday Pontypool will now travel to Llandovery to take on the Drovers in the semi-final of the SRC Cup. Pooler will need to produce something special to secure a win in what is not the happiest of hunting grounds. Another artificial pitch - let us hope that the experience in Cardiff last week will stand them in good stead.

Come on Pooler!

Come on Wales!

Pooler Power to Comeback Win in the Capital

Pontypool travelled to Cardiff knowing that they needed at least a one bonus point win to progress to the semi-final stage of the SRC Cup. A goodly posse of Pooler fans had made the trip and considerably outnumbered those who favoured Cardiff. Though it was cold, it made a real change to be watching a match played under almost perfect conditions for rugby. After the sodden pitches and the teeming rain of the last few months, the artificial pitch was really going to make a difference.

Cardiff kicked off and immediately went on the attack. They put plenty of verve into their opening salvoes spreading the ball from wing to wing. The benefits of being accustomed to playing on artificial surface were plain to see. This was all too much for the Pooler defence to cope with and Cardiff No. 8 Fry acrobatically dived over the line for the opening try after only a couple of minutes played. Wilde converted and it was 7-0 before Pooler had blinked.

Pooler did make a sortie into the Cardiff half but this was swiftly rebuffed and Cardiff were back on the attack. This time it was a forward drive that paid dividends for Cardiff with substitute hooker Nicholls-Ngasseu touching down for their second try which was again converted by Wilde (14-0). Pooler needed to reply and quickly - 14-0 down after only 12 minutes played was not in the script.

There were signs that the Pooler forwards were beginning to get to grips with things with their scrum looking powerful and the lineout functioning well. At the start of the second quarter, Matthews burst forward from a ruck near halfway. He found scrum half Lloyd in support who broke clear to score. Meek converted and Pooler had halved the deficit (14-7).

Five minutes or so later, Pooler wing Marcus Jones fielded a Pooler box kick which gave Pooler field position and possession. A burst from Morgan Allen broke the gain-line and Lloyd again popped up in the right place to score his second try of the evening. Meek’s conversion brough the scores level and the momentum was definitely with Pooler (14-14).

It didn’t take long for Pooler to snatch the lead. Lloyd completed his hat trick of tries when he spotted a gap around the edge of a ruck. Meek converted and Pooler had turned an unpromising start completely around to lead 14-21. Pooler continued to press but could not add to their tally before half time.

Pontypool had managed to achieve a measure of control of the match through their forwards but the Cardiff backs had shown enough to show how dangerous they could be from anywhere on the field. The job for Pooler was far from being done.

Pooler remained on the offensive for most of the third quarter but found it difficult to score that all important fourth try. A combination of solid Cardiff defence and Pooler errors at crucial points made it all so frustrating. With 55 minutes played, Pooler settled for a Meek penalty which took them two scores clear at 14-24.

At last, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, there was relief for Pooler after a series of penalties awarded against Cardiff in their twenty-two, Pooler opted for a scrum in front of the posts. Allen picked up from the base of the scrum and powered over for a try. Meek converted and Pooler had the try bonus point they craved and were also in a position to secure the extra bonus point courtesy of their seventeen point lead (14-31).

Pooler were their own worst enemies as they began to leak penalties and lost Kelleher-Griffiths to a yellow card. Cardiff rather took the initiative and it took some stern defence from Pooler to keep them out. Just before the clock hit 40 minutes played Pooler conceded a penalty that Cardiff kicked to touch. The lineout that followed was a scrappy affair and the Cardiff hooker Nicholls-Ngasseu was the first to react and he broke through the remaining defences to score in the left corner. The conversion failed but Pooler had lost the extra bonus point at 19-31. This was the last action of the game.

Final score Cardiff 19: Pontypool 31.

A fine win for Pontypool in the capital after recovering from an early fourteen point deficit. We wondered whether Pooler had done enough to qualify for the semi-final or whether RGC still had a chance to pip Pooler with a six point win over Carmarthen Quins. We were assured that Pooler would go through whatever the outcome of that match with Pooler’s potential opponents in the semi-final Llandovery or Ebbw Vale.

The victory was achieved by the dominance of the Pooler pack ably assisted by the opportunism of scrum half Lloyd. The backs found it hard to break through the Cardiff defence and had to do a lot of defending themselves against the lively home backs. The next match for Pooler will be away against Bridgend Ravens on March 7^th. Both sides are currently in the basement of the league so a close game can be expected. Hopefully Pooler’s improved run of form in the cup will continue in the league.

Tomorrow sees Wales play Scotland in Cardiff in the Six Nations Championship. Scotland looked strong in their victory over England last week while Wales were overrun by France. Scotland have a host of British Lions in their backline who are bound to make things difficult for Wales. I would still like to see Wales have a specialist open side flanker playing. On paper it looks like a Scotland victory but rugby is not played on paper.

Come on Pooler!

Come on Wales! 

French Polish Too Slick for Wales

The rampant French team duly inflicted a heavy defeat on the beleaguered Welsh outfit. The final score was 12-54 and you were left feeling could have been a lot worse.

Strangely, this was an improved Welsh performance compared with that against England the previous week and there were a few encouraging signs. On the positive side, both lineout and scrum had been strengthened appreciably. The front five looked a much more solid outfit even though they struggled to contain their French counterparts in the loose at times.

Wales did have plenty of possession but this is where things looked decidedly off the pace. The backs were predictable and failed to make any real impression on the well-organised French defence when they tried to run the ball. The forwards who carried the ball with the possible exception of Wainwright struggled to get over the gain line. Most of the time, however, the plan seemed to be to kick the ball up in the air and hope that the French would make a mistake. This is a dangerous tactic to employ against a team who have such brilliant attacking runners in the backfield. When the French decide to move the ball they are absolutely scintillating and they had the ability to very quickly cut the Welsh defence to ribbons. Not for them is running the ball into contact but more the use of sidesteps and subtle switches of play to bamboozle the opposition. Wales were left clutching at shadows too often as the French showed us their exhilarating brand of rugby. You desperately wanted Wales to somehow manage to slow the ball down if there was a breakdown to allow the defence to reform. Perhaps the presence of a genuine openside flanker in the starting line-up might have helped.

So, yet another heavy defeat for Wales and a short turn round before they take on Scotland who will be brimming with confidence after beating England. Italy also continue to impress and were a little unfortunate to lose in Dublin where they looked the better team for much of the match. The prospect of another wooden spoon for Wales looms large.

Will there be changes to the Welsh team? We really do need an open side flanker to start – in my eyes Tommy Refell would be the obvious choice but there seems to be no room for this talented player in the squad. We really do miss Jac Morgan. That aside, I would not expect major changes as we need to give the current players a chance to bond and hopefully improve.

The demise of Wales has shown itself in the large number of empty seats in the stadium on Sunday. I sat in area normally populated by debenture holders and I was absolutely surrounded by French fans. When the debenture holders are not taking up their tickets it clearly reflects the disillusionment of so many fans. The French seemed dumbfounded by the speed at which Welsh rugby has gone from hero to zero and it is chastening to hear them feel sorry for us. They are very envious of our stadium though.

Wales take on Scotland next Saturday in Cardiff but before that Pontypool visit Cardiff on Thursday evening for a cup match. After the disappointment of the game lost to the weather against Carmarthen Quins which was designated as a 0-0 draw, Pooler have to win in Cardiff to have a chance of progressing to the semi-final.

Come on Pooler!

Come on Wales!

More Rain and More Pain

Pontypool’s planned cup match against Carmarthen Quins was rained off. I really can’t remember a season when there has been so much rain. Even a lot of the games that have gone ahead have done so in heavy rain. Still the postponement meant a full afternoon of Six Nations’ rugby.

The first game saw Scotland playing Italy in Rome. It was raining there too! Even heavier rain than in Pontypool and at times you wondered whether the game would be abandoned. Italy looked a strong and thoroughly competent side and took the spoils. I have to say they deserved to win with Scotland a bit of a damp squib. It was not really until the end when Scotland had the ghost of a chance of snatching a victory that they put any meaningful phase rugby together. Even then they found that the Italian defence was not about to let victory slip away. So, on the scoreboard a narrow 18-15 Italian victory but really that flatters Scotland.

Then came the match Welsh fans have been dreading the Wales team taking on England at Twickenham. Given the current status of the two teams, nobody gave Wales a chance with a cricket score a distinct possibility.

The start of the match did nothing to allay that possibility as Wales conceded penalty after penalty and made far too many errors. England had registered nineteen points in the first twenty minutes or so and Wales had been reduced to thirteen men by yellow cards. Arundell had scored a couple of tries and Earl a try with simple run-ins - it was embarrassing to watch. Wales were outmuscled and the rather pedantic referee seemed to be forever raising his arm in the air to signify yet another penalty against Wales. The sofa had been pulled away from the wall and I was crouched behind it.

One more English try was to follow before half time. This one when Wales were actually on the attack and a pass from Thomas went yards behind the intended recipient. Another simple try for Arundel was the result. The score at half time was 29-0 and as someone one said Wales were lucky to have the nil.

The second half had to be better for Wales didn’t it? Well, I suppose it was but nevertheless Wales found themselves down to thirteen men again due to poor discipline. England squandered a number of good chances to pile on the agony and kicked a lot of ball away. England did, however, manage to score a further three tries while, wonder of wonders, Wales scored a try of their own when Adams fielded a crosskick. England’s final try came right at the death and we all heaved a sigh of relief as the game ended with a missed conversion. Wales had managed to keep the England tally to less than fifty points at 48-7.

Wales were thrashed as I am sure the media will have it and that is, putting it bluntly, the truth. Were there any redeeming features for Wales? Well, they did keep trying to the very end and discipline apart did not make it easy for England. A strong performance from Wainwright who was one of the few Welsh players to carry the ball over the gain line. The occasional flash of inspiration from Rees-Zammit but really little else to cheer.

On the negative side, there were far too many silly errors and far too many penalties conceded. You cannot hope to trouble a powerful side like England with thirteen players on the field. Will changes be made? Probably not that many as the options are extremely limited – it’s going to be a long tournament and another wooden spoon for Wales is a strong possibility.

The next opponents for Wales will be France next Sunday in Cardiff. France looked very good as they disposed of a rather tame Irish side and will be licking their lips as they look forward to feasting on Welsh profligacy.

So, not a good weekend for the Celtic nations although all were playing away from home. The set up of the Six Nations with three matches in three weeks really favours the teams with the strongest squads which are England and France. The Wales squad is paper thin at the best of times and a few injuries will exact a heavy toll. It really does make me feel depressed!

A shout out for an encouraging performance for the Wales Under 20 team who were pipped by their English counterparts right at the death after building a 0-16 lead. They showed tremendous spirit against the big English forwards.

I believe Pooler’s next match is Cardiff away in the SRC cup on the 19^th February. A fair while to wait for the chance to forget about the travails of Welsh rugby. It’s Cardiff for me next Sunday for the French game – let’s hope for a miracle.

Come on Wales!

Come on Pooler!

Pooler Earn a Draw at Newport

Pontypool’s latest SRC Cup match was against old rivals Newport. It is difficult to remember the last time Pooler won in Newport but it must be a significant time ago. As always, the Pooler Army travel in hope.

Newport Stadium is a little soulless at the best of times but it was pretty bleak for this encounter with a bitingly cold wind blowing down the ground with rain never far away. A decent crowd huddled together in the stand to try and keep warm.

Newport kicked off with the wind at their backs and proceeded to dominate the opening ten minutes. Despite the conditions they were clearly intent on playing fast and open rugby and it was all that the Pooler defence could do to keep them from scoring the opening try. Keep them out they did and then completely against the run of play Pooler worked their way up field for the first time. The attacking play gave them a scrum close to the line and scrum half Morgan Lloyd spotted a gap and touched down for a try. The difficult conversion failed but Pooler had stolen a march on Newport and led 0-5.

Newport went back on the attack but a few minutes later Pooler ran out of defence and after a couple of penalties were camped on the Newport line. Unfortunately for Pooler they were held up over the line and a good chance was lost.

Newport dominated the second quarter in terms of territory and possession and early in the quarter their forwards drove several times but it was Palmer who touched down for the try after obdurate Pooler defence was eventually overcome. With the successful conversion Newport took the lead at 7-5.

There was a lot of kicking with the swirling wind making things difficult for the would-be catchers.  The lineouts were also proving difficult but, overall, the packs seemed evenly matched in scrum and loose.

Again, rather against the run of play, Pooler found a foothold in the Newport half and Ford kicked a penalty for them to retake the lead (7-8). Newport then totally dominated the last ten minutes of the half and worked their way up to the Pooler line. Pooler defended stoutly but did leak a series of penalties. The penalty count became a too high for the referee’s liking and Pooler hooker Scarfe was shown a yellow card. This tipped the balance sufficiently for the Newport forwards to drive and create an opportunity for Palmer for their second try. Lloyd converted and Newport were back in the lead at 14-8. This remained the score until the half time whistle was blown.

Pooler could look forward to the help of the wind in the second half and a six point gap was far from being insurmountable. They would need to start well but would be playing with fourteen men for the first few minutes.

The half started badly when Pooler made a hash of the kick-off. Fortunately for them it was not costly and a tremendous relieving kick was deemed a 50-22 which gave Pooler a lineout inside the home twenty-two. The lineout went wrong but Pooler were able to keep Newport penned in their own half. This led to Pooler being awarded a penalty that Ford converted and closed the gap to 14-11 with half an hour left to play.

Pooler again made a mess of the kick-off reception although they were back to fifteen men. The referee decided that he had seen enough problems in the scrum and a yellow card was shown to Kelleher-Griffiths at the subsequent scrum so Pooler were back to fourteen men again. Newport seized the opportunity and five minutes or so later a flat pass saw Westwood fly through the Pooler defence to touch down under the posts for a try that Lloyd converted (21-11).

We had now reached the fourth quarter of the game and it was imperative that Pooler scored next. Despite still playing with fourteen men, Pooler forced a penalty or two out of the home side and after strong work by the forwards had a scrum five metres out.  It was skipper Morgan Allan who picked up from the back of the scrum and stormed for a try under the posts. The gap had been trimmed to just three point at 21-18.

The game was still anyone’s and Pooler had built momentum and were soon back to a full complement. The game was full of mistakes but was enthralling. With around ten minutes remaining, Newport prop Devine received a yellow card after Newport had given away too many penalties in defence. Ford kicked the penalty and the teams were tied at 21-21.

A few minutes later Ford had another penalty attempt and this time it hit a post and agonisingly bounced back into play. Newport then went on the attack and after what seemed like an endless set of phases finally made a mistake. The Pooler defence and discipline during this period was absolutely exemplary. Pooler had one last possession but sadly it came to nought and the game ended as a draw, Final score Newport 21 : Pontypool 21.

A performance full of character by Pooler against a good team in difficult conditions. There were opportunities to win lost by both sides and I guess that a draw is a fair result. The last two games have shown that Pooler are back in much better shape after their run of defeats. Pooler’s next game in the Cup is Saturday 7^th Feb against Carmarthen Quins at Pontypool Park. A win would put Pooler in a strong position.

That Saturday will also Wales kick off their Six Nations Championship with a rather daunting trip to Twickenham. I think I will need to hide behind the couch for that one. In the current circumstances, I can’t see anything but a convincing English victory but you can always hope.

Come on Pooler!

Come on Wales! 

At Last Pooler End Their Dismal Run

The end of January was fast approaching and at last Pontypool were going to play some rugby in 2026. The weather hasn’t been kind so far and it was little better at a rain-soaked Pontypool Park where Pooler were due to take on RGC in a SRC Cup match. We had feared that the heavy rain of the last few days would have made this game another casualty but mercifully the pitch was playable. The rain was still sweeping up the ground and it would surely mean that running rugby would not be the order of the day.

Pooler played up the slope but with the wind in the first half and started the stronger. The applied early pressure through their kicking game and established a position in the RGC twenty-two. After just three minutes they opted to take a shot at goal from a penalty in front of the posts and Ford did the necessary to give Pooler an early lead in what was likely to be a low scoring match (3-0)

RGC almost immediately replied with a penalty goal from Dion Jones after Pooler transgressed in front of their posts (3-3). This was going to be a real dogfight with the awful conditions making the kicking games of the two sides prominent. In the set piece battles Pooler had the edge in the scrums and in the lineout neither side looked particularly secure on their own ball. For Pooler, Antrobus was looking a key figure in the lineout as he successfully challenged the RGC throw-in. Most of the play for the first quarter was in the middle third of the pitch as the two packs battled it out. One or two incursions into the opposition twenty-two rather frustrating led to a turnover against the would-be attackers.

The second quarter belonged to Pooler with Morgan Allan playing a key part. The first try of the game came when Allan followed up a kick ahead and played football down the left touchline. Remarkably although the ball was perilously close to going into touch it stayed in play and dribbled up to the RGC goal line where Allan was there to touch down. The conversion failed but Pooler were leading 8-3.

A few minutes later, Allan charged up the field brushing defenders aside after receiving a RGC kick in his own half. This time he was hauled down but, after a few more carries from the forwards, Scarfe charged over the line near the posts for Pooler’s second try. Ford converted and Pooler were building a substantial lead at 15-3.

Pooler were now well on top but frustratingly, despite coming close on a couple of occasions, they could not take advantage of a yellow card for RGC’s Tudor Jones and add to their score before the half time whistle. Still Pooler had managed to build a decent lead and despite playing against the wind would be playing down the slope in the second half.

Pooler continued to be on top in the second half and kept RGC in their own half for an extended period. Despite the pressure, the tricky conditions contrived to make moving the ball difficult and the RGC defence remained strong against the forward surges. Pragmatically, Pooler eventually decided to kick for goal and Ford’s successful kick put them more than two scores clear at 18-3.

The fourth quarter became much more even with a yellow card for Morgan Allan giving RGC numerical supremacy at least. A long clearance kick from Dion Jones with the benefit of the wind bounced and bounced and eventually stopped in the Pooler in-goal area where Pooler touched down. There followed a period of strong RGC pressure on the Pooler line and eventually the Pooler defence cracked with Parry scoring a try. MacBride converted and RGC were back in the game at 18-10 with fifteen minutes remaining.

RGC sensed that a comeback was on the cards and momentum shifted. Pooler’s cause was certainly not helped by a red card for Matthews after a fracas near halfway which meant Pooler were down to thirteen men. RGC attacked and the Pooler defence was at full stretch to keep them out but keep them out they did as the minutes ticked away. The Pooler faithful were getting a bit anxious as they had lost from winning positions a few times this season already.

Ieuan Jones joined the fray at the end of Allan’s sin-binning which brought much needed solidity to the Pooler scrum. Indeed, the Pooler scrum was so dominant with Marcus Jones on the flank that it earned a couple of penalties to get Pooler back into RGC territory. In the final minute Ford kicked a penalty to give Pooler a hard-earned 21-10 victory at full time.

After a run of defeats, it was really important for Pooler to get a win and although it wasn’t pretty they got the job done. With the return of Kelleher Griffiths and Scarfe the scrum looked a lot more solid and Antrobus had an excellent match in the lineout. The forwards edged the contest with Allan prominent on his 50^th appearance. It wasn’t a day for the backs but when the chips were down towards the end they defended well. Well done to everyone!

Next up is the small matter of a visit to Newport for another cup match on Thursday evening. Pooler will need to build on this performance to tackle an in-form Newport outfit.

Welsh rugby continues to astound us with crisis after crisis mostly of our own making.  The fans are protesting, the players are protesting and the media are scathing. When will it all end? It is hard to see how this will come to a satisfactory outcome. I certainly do not have the answers but neither seemingly do the WRU. I don’t think we can just go back to how we were as that clearly was not working so something had to change as Welsh rugby was in danger of a downward spiral to oblivion. The Six Nations is just around the corner and the awful prospect of a heavy defeat at Twickenham looming amidst talk of a players’ strike. What a mess!

It makes my head hurt and my heart bleed so I will just look forward to our local derby against Newport on Thursday.

Come on Pooler!