Pooler Go Down Fighting

It was a dull and dank day at Pontypool Park but that didn’t matter a jot. What mattered was that I had recovered sufficiently from my hip operation to be there. The match I had come to see was Pontypool v Ebbw vale in their third contest of the season with the tally 1-1 so far. This match was in the Super Rugby Wales Cup which is not really a cup at this stage but a league to decide who plays for the cup. This is different from Super Rugby Wales Trophy where the teams play in a league to decide who gets in a play off to play for the trophy. That sounds simple enough doesn’t it?

So, to the match. Pooler were playing down the slope in the first half and there was precious little wind to worry about. Pooler started brightly enough and spent most of the opening ten minutes or so in the Ebbw vale half but found the Ebbw Vale defence in a stingy mood. In the end they had to settle for a penalty from Meek (3-0).

For the next twenty minutes, it was the away side that dominated playing some smart rugby at times. Maybe it was the conditions or maybe it was the competiveness of the match but the error count was high for both sides. The Pooler defence worked overtime and rebuffed a series of Ebbw Vale attacks but could not seem to get out of their own half. In conditions like this a team’s kicking game and set piece need to be on point. While Pooler’s scrum looked solid their lineout misfired far too often and their relieving kicks were generally badly directed and lacking in length. Ebbw Vale were better served in their kicking game which helped to keep the pressure on Pooler.

Ebbw Vale were eventually rewarded for their dominance when a big gap opened up for Rough their scrum half at the tail end of a lineout. He needed no second invitation and scooted around twenty metres virtually unopposed to score near the posts. Lloyd converted and the visitors held a deserved 3-7 lead.

Pooler made a rare foray into the Ebbw Vale half towards the end of the first period and were rewarded with another penalty that Meek converted (6-7). This was the score at half time with all very much still to play for.

The Pooler faithful hoped for a better start to the second half but were treated to the exact opposite. Ebbw Vale put together the best piece of combined play in the match thus far. They moved the ball first to the left and then to the right and created an overlap for flanker Rees stationed on the right touch line. He bustled over the line to touch down in the corner. The conversion failed but the away side had opened up a six point lead at 6-12.

Pooler continued to struggle with their lineout and their kicking game and could not really create any real pressure on Ebbw Vale who soaked any attacking intent. Similarly, the Pooler defence stood firm in what was a tough and at times tetchy encounter. No quarter asked for or given - you would expect nothing less of a local derby.

A rather bizarre incident saw Pooler make a mess of a lineout near half way. They knocked the ball on a couple of times and Rough the Ebbw Vale scrum half latched on to the loose ball. He had a clear path to the line with no opposition in touching distance. As the line approached, he somehow managed to let the ball slip through his fingers and the chance of scoring what would probably have been a match-winning try was lost

Finally, Pooler broke the shackles with a lung bursting dash up the right touchline by Rosser from inside his own twenty two. He couldn’t quite make it to the try line before the cover defence got to him. A handling error resulted and the opportunity was lost. At least Pooler had worked themselves into an attacking position. A few minutes later Pooler were rewarded when a typical bullocking carry by Morgan Allen saw him touch down near the Ebbw vale posts. Meek converted and Pooler had taken a narrow 12-13 lead.

There was hardly time to celebrate before Pooler gave away a kickable penalty. This time Lloyd’s kick went wide but it was a warning that the away side were not about to let this match slip. As Pooler struggled to get out of their half, they conceded yet another penalty and this time Lloyd did not miss. Ebbw Vale were back in front at 13-15. Ebbw Vale continued to keep Pooler penned in their own half and the final nail in the coffin was another successful penalty from Lloyd. Final score Pontypool 13 : Ebbw Vale 18.

This was a typically tough local derby in trying conditions. Ebbw Vale ran out deserved winners but Pooler made sure that they had to earn their victory the hard way. The lineout proved to be Pooler’s Achilles’ heel in this match and cost them a lot of possession that they could ill-afford to lose. Ebbw Vale’s kicking game was also superior which helped them to apply pressure at critical times. It was a gripping if a disappointing return to the fold for me.

Next up for Pooler is a match against Aberavon at the Park on Friday evening. As always Aberavon are sure to be tough opponents so Pooler will need to front up.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the parting of the ways for Warren Gatland and the Welsh Squad. In Gatland 1 we had plenty of Welsh success and plenty of good memories were created. In retrospect Gatland 2 probably should not have happened. He didn’t have the wealth of talent to work with but for whatever reason the whole show never got back on the road. Could anyone else have done any better? We will never know. So, it is thanks to Gatland for the good times and hearty good luck to Sherratt in the short term and whoever else is brave (or foolish) enough to take up the reins in the longer term. Welsh rugby sure is in the doldrums and it is by no means all down to the coaches and players. But please let’s do something rather than have yet another review.

Wales will play Ireland on Saturday in Cardiff and, while a victory seems unlikely, we will be hoping for a lot more sparkle and signs of improved organisation from Wales.

Come on Wales!

Come on Pooler!