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Page 1 of 2 YOUTH RUGBY: Llantwit Major 30 – 7 Pontypridd Youth (1) The Ponty youth Senior team kicked off their 2007/08 season in Division 2 of the Welsh National league against Llantwit Major, who were unlucky to be relegated from the first division last season when they narrowly lost their last game of the season to be relegated by one point.
Llantwit have a strong side this season featuring some age group internationals and Blues players and are favourites to bounce straight back to first division, whilst this was Ponty's first taste of National league rugby. Ponty's pre season preparation has been seriously disrupted due to injuries to key players: centre - Lewis Egal (broken leg), fullback - Rhys Simms (achilles), scrum-half - Sam Studley (Knee), hooker - Dale Pugh (Ankle) and lock - Nathaniel Williams (Shoulder). Ponty have also lost a number of last seasons squad either to senior Rugby such as Jon Reid, or to other commitments, such as college or work. So it was a new look Ponty who lined up against Llantwit Major, with many players making their Ponty debut or first start after injury. Ponty's preparations on the day couldn't have started worse. Talented prop Marc Jones suffered a serious leg injury playing for his school against a touring New Zealand side on Friday and had to withdraw and with the early kick off, a number of Ponty players had work commitments, or arrived late at the ground and were unable to take part in the warm up. However Ponty started very brightly, and when aggressive rucking won quick ball, Ponty fly half Lewis Smith was able to launch a training ground move that saw the ever impressive centre Dan Dearden power through two tacklers for the opening try that was converted by Simms, to take an early 7 point lead. With Ponty competing well, things seemed to be going well until a mix up in defence saw Ponty run the ball into touch and from the resulting line out Llantwit used their giant pack to maul over for their opening try that went unconverted. Ponty were put under pressure immediately from the kick off, when poor tackling saw the Llantwit full back return the restart with interest and with the Ponty defence in disarray, Llantwit were able to score their second try that was successfully converted. Ponty composed themselves and once again returned to the attack. Winning a penalty on the edge of the twenty-two, Ponty rushed, opting to kick for the corner rather than take the three points? They lost the resulting line out and the opportunity was gone. A brilliant attack from Ponty flyhalf Smith saw No8 Dean Maissey, who was playing centre due to Ponty's injury crisis, slice open the Llantwit defence and with wing Lewis Williams in support Ponty's second try seemed destined? But a brilliant cover tackle on Williams saw him driven into touch inches short of the line. Fullback Simms was next to go close when an excellent move by the three quarters unleashed Simms who carved open the defence and chipped his opposite number only for the ball to run dead before it could be grounded. With the game still close Llantwit started to use their power pack to good effect and with Ponty losing two consecutive scrums against the head, Ponty were forced to defend a scrum deep in their half. With the scrum now under intense pressure, a hurried pass saw fly half Smith receive the ball and two flankers whilst stood on his own try line, Smith had no option other than to try to slip a pass away to a team mate to kick for touch, but the pass was dropped and Ponty conceded a five metre scrum. With Ponty hooker Cai Daniels having injured his wrist, replacement Sam Oliver joined the scrum. Llantwit went for a back row move, and excellent tackling from Alun Thomas and Mike Davies stopped the initial drive. Llantwit set up the ruck on the Ponty line and drove again with their forwards, only for James Sullivan and Dean Brown to halt the drive in it's tracks. Once again Llantwit recycled and powered for the line with their big forwards, but Nathaniel Williams held the ball up, again Llantwit recycled and a triple tackle from Alun Thomas, Christian Hitt and Sam Oliver seemed to have prevented the ball from being grounded. With the referee unsure, he asked all the players to get up slowly, and after consultation with the Llantwit Major touch judge awarded the score, much to the anger of the Ponty players. Ponty had one last attack of the half and a series of forward drives saw giant lock Nathaniel Williams and prop James Sullivan both held up over the line. With the ball-recycled prop Dean Brown went for a further short-range drive, that the referee ruled was just short and the half ended 17-7. Ponty lost prop Brown with an ankle injury and Scrum Half Studley to a nasty head wound at half time, with Mike Davies switching from flanker to scrum half in the absence of a scrum half replacement. Dale Pugh replaced Brown, making his first match appearance of the season after a serious ankle injury and Maissey moved back to no8 to allow Ryan Hughes his debut at centre. Llantwit started the second half keen to put the game beyond Ponty and when a series of attacks floundered on the Ponty defence, Llantwit were happy to take a quick drop goal to keep the score moving. 20-7. Ponty did try to get back into the game, but they were tiring badly and often moves broke down due to poor support. Ryan Hughes made an excellent break only halted 15 metres from the line by a desperate tackle, but with no support from the Ponty back row, the danger was cleared. Captain Lewis Smith never gave up and launched a brilliant solo attack, dummying and side stepping his way through the defence, using replacement Ponty wing Nathan Evans as a decoy, he scored what appeared a good try, only the referee ruled the ball had been grounded inches short? With the game entering it's final five minutes Ponty lost Nathaniel Williams to a nasty shoulder injury and Sam Oliver, giving debuts to Grant Johnson and Ross Griffiths. Johnson made an immediate impact when Ponty Full back Simms was injured, Llantwit stole possession and kicked deep toward the Ponty line, but replacement lock Johnson won the race back for the ball and bravely secured possession to drive back up-field through three tacklers allowing Ponty time to recycle and clear the danger. Llantwit were now dominating all aspects of the game and when Ponty wing Max Padfield allowed an up and under to bounce before collecting the ball, the Ponty defence was in disarray. Padfield collected the ball at the second attempt, but under pressure badly sliced his kick that was gratefully collected the Llantwit fullback who stroll in for his second try. With the game in injury time, Llantwit added insult to injury when they launched a great attack wide on the left. For the second time in the game, the Llantwit touch judge raised his flag to indicate foot in touch only to change his mind and lower it again? With the move now only metres from the line, Ponty's Dean Maissey put in a fantastic tackle to drive the wing into touch at the corner flag, but once again after consulting the Llantwit touch judge the try was awarded much to the disgust of the Ponty players and supporters, bringing the game to an end on a sour note with the final score 30 -7. Llantwit were the deserved winners and the far better side on the day, however the antics of the touch judge supplied by Llantwit Major was very disappointing and prompted a formal complaint both to the referee and the Llantwit Major coaches after the game. His decisions had a direct bearing on the award of two Llantwit tries and his indecisive signalling and change of heart over whether the ball was out of play or not on two separate occasions was difficult to justify. TRY Scorer for Pontypridd: Dan Deardon.
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