Cardiff 34 RGC 26
Saturday 8th February 2025 – SRC
It was a 2nd trip to Cardiff in a row, this time in the league but this time it was the homeside that claimed the victory.
Cardiff were on the front foot from kick off with quick ball down both wings as they looked for the early score.
They did score when Evan Lloyd finished a strong backline run and Josh Thomas converted.
Possession, territory and penalty count were all in the homesides favour as the Gogs dug deep.
Similar to last week, Cardiff got another score on the board with a driving maul which crossed the whitewash with hooker Rees claiming it. 15 minutes in and the Gogs found themselves 12 -Nil down.
RGC did get some phases and edged to the line with Pedr Jones and Delwyn Jones carrying hard, but Cardiff were able to claim the ball and clear the line.
When they got back into the 22, they knocked on and crucially kept the scoreboard empty when the pressure was on the homesides defence.
The danger was clear for RGC, as Lloyd managed to find some space with quick feet and bring winger Goodchild into the game.
On the 30th minute McBryde put points on the board for RGC with a penalty and momentum started to shift.
Cardiff’s early game speed dropped, and the Gogs began to win both collisions and penalties, with Sam Stoddard and Pedr Jones taking the ball over the gainline on occasions.
They took the opportunity to kick for points again, and halved the lead with another McBryde penalty.
Minutes later RGC were in the lead, after some solid phase play with Jessie Williams and Pedr Jones again causing a threat before Rhys Tudor picked up the ball and ran through the gap to score, McBryde added the conversion.
Cardiff were awarded a kickable penalty, and Thomas selected to kick to touch but it went out on the full when clearly they backed themselves for the driving maul attack.
As the half drew to a close, RGC were on the Cardiff line but knocked on at the whitewash much to the homesides relief.
RGC continued to create opportunities, but couldn’t make the most of an attacking maul in the corner. Plus a couple of needless penalties gave Cardiff an exit at key times when they were on their own line.
It was an arm wrestle around the breakdown, as both sides looked to create a chance or force an error.
Cardiff did find that space when the ball went wide and Goodchild collected to score and they regained the lead.
It wasn’t the most fluent of games, with errors from both sides breaking any spells of possession.
At times RGC forced the quick pass and ended with a turnover. It was after one of those moments that the Blue and Blacks raced down the wing before Harries finished with a try and Young converted.
Cardiff were able to soak up much of the Gogs attacks, with the visitors looking to punch a hole in that defensive line.
RGC did find a way, and opened up after a lineout move off the top before the ball found Delwyn Jones who finished. McBryde hit the conversion.
The Gogs sparked back into action and it was a 1 point game when McBryde closed the gap with a penalty from distance.
Discipline in defence was key at times for RGC, when Cardiff did attack it was the Gogs that won at the breakdown.
The lineout was strong again in the game, with the platform for Dever to bring the backs into the game
Danny Cross ran close, with a break out of nowhere but was held yards from the line. They did get back in the lead with a McBryde penalty.
That lead was short lived when De La Ru ran in for Cardiff and Young added the extras.
It was frantic stuff as RGC threw the ball, Tudur Jones put a boot to it to clear but then was chased down by Cardiff before they knocked on.
The boot of Thomas made it more comfortable with a penalty with a minute left on the clock.
Assistant Coach Afon Bagshaw “The game was there for us to win today, but we couldn’t put it together for the whole game. We started slow but came into the match after 10 minutes and had a good spell in that 1st half. Some lapses in concentration, silly penalties cost us. At one point we were on there line, gave a penalty away and a minute later the are down the field at our posts.
For us we need to take these learnings and keep progressing. If we do that, then with a home crowd against Llandovery we can look forward to next Saturday in the cup”
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