19 Nov 2022
RGC 34 Aberavon 26
Saturday 19th November 2022
RGC had all the possession and territory in the opening but couldn’t turn that into points early on.
Dion Jones and Sam Earl-Jones were finding space with some great kicks, but Aberavon managed to stifle the Gogs attacks near the try line
Sam Earl-Jones went close with a great run but was stopped yards from the line before the pack were held up over the whitewash.
The pressure told and RGC were awarded a penalty try when Stef Andrews deliberately knocked on when the Gogs went wide. The fullback was shown the yellow card as well.
A minute later the Wizards got on the board with a penalty from Aled Thomas.
It was the Gogs who were making the yards with ball in hand, putting them back on the front foot and the visitor's half.
Try number 2 came in the 30th minute when Rhys Tudor finished with an airborne dive in the corner with Dion Jones hitting the extras.
Aberavon's 1st foray into the RGC half ended with a try after some good phases before Aled Thomas hit the conversion to close the score to 4 points.
From the restart, Sam Earl-Jones ripped opened the defence with a solid run but again found a red and black wall that stopped him in his tracks just before half-time.
It was the visitors that got the scoreboard moving in the 2nd half with the boot of Thomas hammering a penalty from distance.
Aberavon were having more of the ball and the penalty count was going up the wrong way from an RGC perspective.
The boot of Thomas got his side into the lead with another successful penalty.
Minutes later super defence line-speed and Rhys Tudor tackle earnt RGC a penalty and Dion Jones gave his side the lead again with the kick.
The Gogs found themselves down to 14 when Jessie Williams was yellow-carded and the man advantage was turned into points for the Wizards with a try by the posts. Scrum-half Rhodri Cole converted.
The game swung in RGCs favour momentum-wise with Dion Jones hitting the post with a penalty before a minute later the fly-half stepped and went into space then Theo Mayell collected the ball, took the tackles and managed to keep in the pitch to score in the corner. The boot of Jones hit the extras for the 24-23 lead.
It was frantic stuff with RGC back on the front foot, Dan Owen driving forward before Rhys Tudor and Harri Evans combined to cause panic in the Aberavon defence.
RGC extended the lead with the pack drove over and Mayell grabbed his 2nd of the game and his sided bonus point, before Dion Jones kicked over the extras.
Wizards weren’t out of the game and Cole hit another penalty to give his side some hope in the last 5 minutes.
That hope was dashed when the on-form boot of Dion Jones sealed the win with a final whistle penalty.
Ceri Jones postgame
“We put ourselves under pressure 2nd half but we found a way to win. It was good to see us deliver what we talked about during the week – physicality, kicking at the right times, chop tackles and getting over the ball.
“I thought Bryn Jones was outstanding, Aberavon normally come up and physically dominated but Bryn was the aggressor today and Dan Owen was standout again as captain.
The backrow were a constant nuisance and we really made a statement today.
We now have that run of home games and its about finding that consistency, the curse of the coach is that as soon the whistle goes on this win we then it's onto the next game. We have the Ebbw Vale game next and that chance of a cup semi-final.”
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