The green, green grass of home

Pontypool had returned home with their tails between their legs after a hiding at Bargoed last week. We all hoped for a much improved performance in their first home league match against Llanharan. One thing for certain was the grass was greener in Pontypool Park than at Bargoed. The pitch was covered in a luxuriant growth that was so long that you couldn’t see the touch line from the Bank. In golfing parlance it looked more like the rough than the fairway.

The initial quarter of the game was played in fits and starts with neither side being able to find any fluency. If anything Llanharan had the better of the opening exchanges but failed to capitalise on having the edge in field position and possession. Both sides had lost their opening league fixture and seemed to be lacking in confidence and the error count was high.

Rather against the run of play Pooler sprang into life and scored the opening try with forwards and backs combining well for Thorley to score. The conversion was successful and it was quickly followed by a Hancock penalty to open up a 10-0 lead. The home side grew in confidence and a further tries looked likely as the backs started to show their pace. Unfortunately all the momentum was lost by what looked to be a serious knee injury to Dykhoff and a lengthy delay while he was stretchered off the field. We wish him well and hope that the injury is not as bad as it looked.

Llanharan seized the initiative and took advantage of some pretty ineffective tackling to score an unconverted try. An exchange of penalty goals left the half time score at 13-8. Pontypool would be playing down the slope in the second half and, if they could recapture their momentum, they seemed to be favourites to take the spoils.

Pontypool started the second half with much more energy and had clearly decided to try and increase the pace of the game. This quickly reaped its rewards with two converted tries by Thorley and Thomas which opened up a 27-8 lead which looked to be unassailable.  In truth, the home side should have scored more tries in this period but for a few passes that went astray or were slightly forward.

To their credit Llanharan went on the attack and were camped in the Pontypool 22 for a lengthy period. They seemed to lack a cutting edge and turned the ball over on a number of occasions when close to the Pontypool try line. The home side tried to capitalise on the turn-overs by running the ball but, to the frustration of the crowd, were repeatedly penalised for holding on to the ball or being off their feet at the break down whenever they were starting to make progress. All the Llanharan pressure eventually told and they scored an unconverted try to make the score 27- 13.

Pontypool went in search of their fourth try and in the dying moments Brooks crossed in the corner after an excellent passage of play. Hancock’s conversion hit the post but didn’t go over leaving the final score 32-13 with Pontypool collecting a bonus point.

This was a much better performance from Pontypool and demonstrated that with enough possession and quick ball from the breakdown that they can be a force to be reckoned with. Yes of course there were plenty of those early season errors and lots of things to work on but this was encouraging. The halfbacks Quick and Hancock controlled the game well and the combative Nash added much needed go forward to the pack. There are of course tougher challenges ahead and that starts with the visit to Tondu next week.

I watched the Dragons v the Ospreys on the TV on Friday evening. What could have been a good game was marred by the untidiness of the scrums. Even Nigel Owens couldn’t seem to make them work despite brandishing his yellow card. The Ospreys were the better side but the Dragons could have pipped them if a late dropped goal attempt hadn’t of sailed wide. The most positive thing to come out of the game was Eli Walker looking fit and sharp again. Now this is the kind of player that should be given a WRU central contract.

Talking of money, I was aghast to see the prices of the tickets for the next Rugby World Cup. More than £200 to watch a group match - “they’re ‘aving a larff” as they say in London. The tickets are obviously not aimed at the grass roots rugby fan. I love the way they advertise the ticket as “from £15” and then suggest that the best way to get a ticket is apply for a cheap ticket but say that you will take a more expensive one if the cheaper one is not available. I bet there are not many £15 tickets available!

Next week I’ll be paying my fiver to watch Pooler play at Tondu. If we win it will be money well spent.