Bridging the Gap

The first home game of the season always has a special atmosphere. It’s rather like the first day of term at school when you renew acquaintances with people and places that you haven’t seen for a while. Everything looks very familiar but as you look more carefully you pick up lots of small changes. Pontypool Park looked a picture and the ground had been spruced up over the summer. There were a few extra grey hairs and maybe an extra pound or two on view amongst the Pontypool faithful on the Bank but there were plenty of smiles.

Conditions were perfect for rugby and we were ready to be entertained. The previous week’s uplifting performance at Beddau had given us every reason to be optimistic that we could beat our visitors, Bridgend Athletic.

A glance at the smart retro-designed match programme showed that the side was largely the same as that that had accounted for Beddau so convincingly.  Things started very much according to plan with Pooler attacking strongly up the slope. It was surely only matter of time before they opened the scoring. They actually crossed the try line but were called back for a forward pass. Then disaster; a Pooler attack broke down on the visitor’s 22 and the ball was fly-hacked down the field for the Bridgend wing, Howells, to win the chase and score a try completely against the run of play. The conversion sailed over and the crowd were stunned. Bridgend Athletic took heart from this and began to impose themselves on the game. Poor tackling by the home side following a tap penalty led to another try by Velu that was duly converted. The score was 0-14 and the Pooler players were looking slightly bewildered. A penalty by new outside half, Martin, brought some relief but it was short-lived as the visitors asserted their superiority with a third converted try by Parsons. With the score now 3-21 Pontypool were in a deep hole and didn’t really show any sign of knowing how to get out of it. It could have been even worse if the visitors’ goal kicking had been more accurate.

This was now a true test of whether the team had the character and resilience necessary to have a successful season. The first half was drawing to a close as a rather tame Pooler attack seemed to break down in midfield. The ball was hacked on and most people expected the referee’s whistle to blow for a knock on but it remained silent. There was a desperate chase as the ball bounced towards the Bridgend dead-ball line. Norton won the foot race and just managed to touch down in time to score a try that gave Pooler a glimmer of hope. The successful conversion made the score 10-21 as the whistle went for half time.

The half time interval was the time for the Pooler coaching staff to earn their corn. No doubt Leighton Jones had a few choice words for his charges. Maybe even a hairdryer moment or two.

When the teams re-emerged Pooler certainly looked fired up and a few changes in personnel had been made. The combative Tom Organ and the experienced Jeune and Mills joined the fray. Almost before they could make their presence felt, Pooler gave away a very kickable penalty and were very fortunate that it drifted wide of the uprights. Organ proved to be a little too combative for the referee and was dispatched to the sin bin shortly afterwards following a bout of fisticuffs. The match was on the line; if the visitors scored next there was probably no way back for Pooler. The game suddenly turned as the Pontypool scrum started to dominate and Pooler got on to the front foot. The home side’s cause was helped when Bridgend were also reduced to fourteen men when their scrum half was sin-binned. Full back Hurley made several exhilarating runs as Pooler turned the screw. Excellent tries by James and Quick both converted by Martin gave Pooler the lead during this golden period of concerted pressure. It was the visitors’ turn to look bewildered and they certainly did not seem to have any answer to the dramatic shift in momentum. The bonus point try was duly secured by Sparks to give Pooler a 31-21 advantage. The home side relaxed slightly and Bridgend finally managed to convert a penalty to close the gap to 31-24. There were a few anxious moments as the clock ran down but Pooler hung on for another bonus point win.

So another victory but this was certainly not plain sailing. There is no doubt that this type of comeback will do wonders for team building and confidence. I think everyone realises that this is a team in the making and there is still much work to do. Finding the right blend of youth and experience is going to be the key to future success. I suppose in reality TV parlance we are all on “a journey”.

I wonder if all this business with the Heineken Cup is ever going to be resolved? I can’t think that England and France having their own cup is the solution but at least it would stop the Irish winning I suppose. Imagine that happening in football - it would be like England and Spain having their own cup competition because they were fed up with the Italians or the Germans winning. European football seems to be able to manage a cup competition successfully with vastly more countries to satisfy. There must be some lessons to learn from them.

Money is indeed the root of all evil. It’s never truer than in sport.  

A Pleasant Surprise

Victories for Pontypool in the first three months of the season over the last five or six years have been as rare as good decisions made by the WRU concerning the structure of Welsh rugby. It was therefore with some trepidation that we headed for Mount Pleasant Park, Beddau for the first league match of the season. We needn’t have worried, Pooler put on a vibrant display that served notice that they might be something of a force in the league this season. It is a much changed Pontypool team with plenty of new faces. Identification of our new heroes was made a little challenging when the programme had the team printed in reverse order with the full back Davies given the number one.

Right from the first whistle Pooler seized the initiative and looked the stronger side. They played with positive intent and very quickly Hurley had crossed for an excellent try. Those of us who have watched Pooler for many decades have seen them flatter to deceive with an early score many times before. This time it seemed much more convincing and they dominated the first half to lead 0-20 with three tries in the bag. Heady stuff indeed! In truth they should have racked up a few more points but were let down by some inaccurate passing with the line beckoning. Pooler had some strong ball carriers from numbers 4 to 8 (or 8 to 12 in the programme) with Dychoff and Sparkes particularly prominent. The backs also looked to have plenty of pace and power.

Beddau re-emerged in the second half and scored a try after concerted pressure on the Pooler line. Was a comeback on the cards? Pooler quickly slammed the door shut and secured their bonus point try. From then on, the game degenerated into a mistake fest as tired bodies and copious replacements affected both sides. Pooler grabbed two more tries and Beddau had some consolation from a penalty try and another try from short range from the last play of the game. The final score was 21-41 - this is a welcome reversal of last season’s 29-8 defeat at the same venue.

I don’t think anyone should get too carried away with this victory but it is a marked improvement on the fare served up a year ago. Pooler seem to have recruited wisely and the team look fit and motivated. There are far more difficult assignments ahead, however, and the coaches will need to work hard if we are to challenge the likes of Ebbw Vale. Whilst the set pieces looked reasonably solid, there were a lot of turnovers conceded at the breakdown - the only area where Beddau had an edge. The cohesion between half backs and backs also broke down alarmingly at times but this can only improve as the team gels over the course of the next few months.

I am optimistic that we can build on this win and enjoy a far better season (with fingers and legs firmly crossed and a rabbit’s foot in my pocket).

I watched the Scarlets lose to Leinster on the TV. After promising much in the first half, they were dismantled by a weakened Leinster side after the break. No change there then. One noteworthy change was the Dragons defeat of Ulster - could it be that they can move up the regional pecking order this season? Early days I think.

I also watched a French league match between Toulouse and Racing Club. I was amazed to learn that in France the home side wins more than 85% of league matches. More often than not the away team fields a weakened side as canon fodder so that their better players can be protected and  hopefully secure a win in front of their sponsors. Dan Lydiate had to do even more tackling than he did for the Dragons as Racing Club were stuffed. No wonder French teams travel notoriously badly - a losing mentality must become engrained.

PS: Good luck to Josh Lewsey - he’s going to need it. Let’s hope he can bring some much needed good sense to the WRU.