11 Nov 2023
RGC 38 Carmarthen Quins 12
Saturday 11th November 2024
RGC were clinical in possession and quick in defence and that combination led to the best performance of the season.
It was a scrappy opening from both sides, with turnovers and penalties featuring highly.
Quins were looking to shift the ball wide and create an opportunity, but RGC's work around the breakdown was working well.
The Gogs fired into action after 20 minutes when Bagshaw broke down the wing and after making good yards was put into touch. Quins lost the lineout and RGC took advantage, with Christian Hone finishing an attacking move. Sam Earl-Jones converted.
Quins went on the attack and Rhodri Davies took a good pass to run through but RGC won the turnover and clear the ball. Quins were on the chase back and somehow couldn't collect, out of nothing Daf Williams got a boot to the ball and raced to collect and score a try from nothing. Sam Earl-Jones again on point with the extras.
RGC were 14 points up without having much of the ball.
Efan Jones was looking to spark Quins into action against his former side, but on a couple of occasions found himself chased down, including a great tap tackle from winger Daf Williams which resulted in an RGC penalty.
Clinical summed up RGC in the 1st half, as once again when they got to the whitewash they came up with the try, this time Patrick Nelson crashing over and Earl-Jones booting the conversion over.
The visitors were reduced to 14 men when Josh Batcup was shown the yellow.
Matters were made worse when full-back Sam Earl-Jones got the ball and opened up, took a couple of tackles and ran in for the bonus point. He converted to add to his points tally.
Carmarthen started the 2nd half looking for that try to get them back in the game, and RGC again stood tall in defence and Quins coughed up possession.
Sam Earl-Jones kept the scoreboard ticking over with a penalty from distance.
Harri Ford and Harri Hughes both showed good feet and made breaks as RGC pushed for the 5th try.
As much as Quins showed some attacking play, RGC snuffed out the danger with some chasing and tackles.
The game struggled to match the heights of the first half, and wasn’t helped by a couple of scuffles.
Dan Owen was shown a yellow card, and minutes later the visitors got their try.
RGC then found themselves down to 13 men when hooker Jordon Liney was sent off for a dangerous tackle.
It became pretty loose from the Gogs, as the looked for the offload at times putting themselves under pressure.
The game was one, but as a spectacle, it wasn’t the best of 2nd halves.
Quins grabbed a 2nd try from winger Iestyn Gwilliam and Jac Wilson converted.
The crowd spurred the Gogs on as they wanted a final try, and again Harri Hughes went close.
As the clock ticked down, another yellow was shown as Setaro was off for the visitors.
The home support were rewarded with that 5th score when Ollie Wynn darted over to score and Sam Earl Jones converted to give him 18 points on the day.
Head Coach Ceri Jones saw his side put in their best performance of the season in the 5-try win against Carmarthen Quins.
“Full credit to the boys in the 1st half, with the 4 tries and to nil them – I thought that was the best we have played this season. Afon talked during the week on focusing on our own roles, and what we can control rather than the opposition. Those aspects were seen – we stuck to our systems, we weren’t massively exciting – it was pragmatic and structured and it delivered the tries.
We were fast in our defensive sets, making the tackles forcing the errors from Quins.
2nd half it was more frustrating, and perhaps we made too many changes and that’s on me. We came out and got the penalty and went close a couple of times but didn’t come away with the try, which I think meant we strayed away from the structure, went more off the cuff and it put pressure on us.
The group continues to learn, wants to improve and that’s really exciting for us as coaching staff. The ambition of the players to keep moving forward, play at a higher level is there and as a young team we can see the benefit and improvement week after week.
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