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Page 1 of 2 Under 9’s Pontypridd 90 - 0 Llantwit Fardre There is always an air of expectation and excitement on the rare occasions Ponty juniors are able to play at Sardis Road, and today was no exception.The weather was a little chilly and the coaches a little anxious in the warm-up, one coach claiming ‘ there’s about as much go in you as there was in England on Friday!’ Prophetic words, but as usual the boys responded in their normal positive manner.
This was the third match of the season with the change in the player’s and team’s attitude before a match is now world’s away from the first game of the season, gone is the anxious trepidation to be replaced by a calm air of confidence. Captain Chris Temple lined up his team for the start of the match, and within the first minute the tone of the game was set, Ponty swarmed over their opponents and quick ruck ball and a well timed pass from Callum ‘Tucker’ Hall meant Jay ‘the pocket battleship’ Jones scored the first of his tries. A minute later, the same combination saw the same result and when Josh Barnes quickly crossed the line for Ponty’s third, Llantwit Fardre were reeling and understandably shell shocked. Both Callum Hall and Jay Jones were having outstanding games, and their combination worked yet again for Ponty’s fourth, this time Callum crossing for a well deserved try. So five minutes gone and Ponty were 25 points ahead, what a shame Wales couldn’t have started so positively yesterday! Llantwit Fardre tried to respond and for a second it looked as though they were going to break through the Ponty defence, but an outstanding tackle from Rhys ‘Little’ Britton quickly snuffed out the danger, leading to turnover ball and yet another Ponty score. Before half time, tries from Dafydd Smith, Christopher Temple and two further from Jay Jones tries meant at 40 points to nil the game was all but over. The sheer quality of the Ponty teamwork, technique and abundant enthusiasm to work for each other was simply outstanding, with Jay Jones again leading by example, and having possibly his best all round game in a Ponty shirt. Half time saw the now obligatory large-scale changes in the Ponty team, with all the players chomping at the bit to get on the field. The players may have altered, but the result was the same, Owain Morris and then Carl Blacker (twice) scoring in quick succession, before Christopher Temple threw a perfect long spiralling pass to Rhodri Smith, who showing the sidestepping skill of Shane Williams, left several opponents flat footed before touching down in the corner. The game was wrapped up in the final minutes when Lloyd Owens, an ex-Llantwit Fardre player showed good individual skills and a fine turn of speed to score two further tries to complete a comprehensive victory and continue the fine tradition of Sardis Road being a fortress dubbed the ‘House of Pain’. TRY Scorers for Pontypridd: Jay Jones (4), Josh Barnes, Callum Hall, Dafydd Smith, Christopher Temple, Owain Morris, Carl Blacker (2), Rhodri Smith and Lloyd Owens (2).
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