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Page 2 of 2 Under 16’s Pontypridd 17-9 Widden Old Boys RFC
This was an impressive victory over one of England’s top young sides that are the current Gloucester RFU County Cup Champions.
From www.ponty.net
Yesterday saw a fantastic game of Rugby at Sardis Road where the Under 16's, who have had an indifferent start to the season, by their usual high standards, entertained impressive Gloucester side Widden Old Boys.
Widden are one of the official feeder clubs to the Gloucester Rugby Academy and are the reigning Gloucester Cup Champions and County Cup champions, and are unbeaten in three years. They fielded a side featuring 12 Gloucester Academy players in their starting line up, and the stage was set for a thrilling contest, against a Ponty side weakened by injuries and Blues callups.
Widden started strongly and dominated the first 10 minutes, camping on the Pontypridd line. When a series of driving mauls took Widden to the Ponty tryline, it looked odds on that Widden would open the scoring, however great strength and body positioning by the Ponty 8, with Cai Daniels and Richard Powell to the fore, stopped the maul and then showing great strength, Ponty prop James Sullivan tore the ball away from the Widden maul and burst away upfield, using sheer strength to break the Widden defence and launch a brilliant counter attack.
It was then Ponty's turn to dominate the opposition, and after some brilliant driving play by the forwards, led by Richard Powell, Ponty produced some quick ruck ball, and mercurial fly half Lewis Smith launched an excellent move, firing a huge miss pass to the left to put Jarod Scaplehorn over in the corner for the first try of the game.
Ponty continued to dominate the forward exchanges and a planned line out move, saw impressive prop Sullivan, who demonstrated his finest performance for 12 months, burst through and drive for the line, and although held up 10 meters short, the Ponty forwards set up the maul, and drove Dafydd Gristock over for a second try, converted by Smith.
Ponty indiscipline gave Widden a needless penalty at the end of the first half, leaving the half time score 12 - 3.
Widden started the second half strongly and Ponty brought on fresh legs to the front row in prop Marc Jones and hooker Sam Oliver, and also introduced hard tackling flanker, Ben Miles into the pack. The taller Widden forwards were now disrupting the Ponty lineout, however the Ponty Back row and midfield defence continually stopped the waves of Widden attacks. In the scrum, Ponty now clearly had the upper hand, and were dominating this aspect of the game, causing problems for the Widden no 8 who was caught time and again trying to pick up bad ball.
Ponty's poor self discipline again crept into the game, and some needless penalties for questioning the decisions of the referee, led to Widden pulling back two long range penalties to take the score to 12-9.
Going into the last 10 minutes Widden were clearly on top, and looked as though they were come back to steal the honours, however strong tackling on the half way line saw Widden spill the ball, and Ponty Captain and no 8 Dean Maissey quickly snapped up the loose ball and chipped to the corner, for wing Stephen Parker to chase, Parker was beaten to the ball by the Widden full back, but put in a crunching tackle, causing the ball to be spilled, and Maissey who had followed up his kick in text book fashion, was able to pick up the loose ball and cross wide out on the left, just placing the ball down seconds before the Widden cover drove him into the corner flag.
The kick was unconverted, and spurred Widden into a series of ferocious assaults led by their impressive open side flanker and outside centre, however heroic defence from Ponty, particularly the back three of Williams, Egal and Parker, stopped each attack dead, and the Ponty defence held out for a narrow but well deserved 17-9 victory.
Scorers with one try each were Dafydd Gristock, Dean Macey and Garrad Scaplehorn; with Lewis Smith kicking one conversion.
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