Cross Keys 24 RGC 82
Saturday 4th May 2019
RGC racked up a record point score with their biggest Principality Premiership win against Cross Keys.
14 tries were run in, with winger Sam Jones clinching 4 in the 2nd half alone.
Both sides went toe to toe in crossing the line in the opening 40 minutes, but the pace and attacking outlets of RGC were too much for Cross Keys in the 2nd half and they ended a 4 game losing streak in impressive style.
The Gogs took no time to cross the line with Beau Williams grabbing the opener with Billy McBryde adding the conversion.
Full-back Sam Rogers improved the score with a try soon after with a good line to take the ball and touchdown.
Credit to the homeside who answered back with a couple of tries to take the lead. Captain Damien Welch claimed the 1st, with Sam Withers adding the extras, before Garin Price raced down the wing run to score. Withers conversion gave his side the lead.
Beau Williams managed to cross the line for his second try of the game after Bailey Rae and Josh Leach combined to set the New Zealander up.
Both defence coaches will have taken plenty of notes, with each side running in tries from the first phase play, and Keys responded when Ieuan Jones broke the RGC tacklers to dab down for the try.
RGC added to the try-fest before halftime when Bailey Rae claimed his sides bonus point try, before Efan Jones raced under the posts for another score. The boot of McBryde converted both.
The Gogs tails were up and the confidence to attack at every opportunity was clear to see. The forwards were giving a good platform and the backs were taking full advantage
It was much of the same in the 2nd half, with Jordan Scott powering over before winger Rae made it a brace of tries. Again McBryde added the extras.
The next 11 minutes belonged to Sam Jones, with the winger showcasing his blistering pace, and ball control with a hatrick of tries. The game was opening up, and winger Jones was superb using the space to create the scores.
As the clock ticked down the scoreboard clicked on, with co-captain Josh Leach crossing the line from close range after some good build up.
Evan Yardley then gave one of his barnstorming runs before a clever pass to set Aron Evans on his way, and no one was going to catch him race to the line
It was Sam Jones who clinched the final score and his with his 4th as he ripped through the visitors' defence to race over the line to make it a game for the record books.
Head Coach Mark Jones watched his side return to winning ways with an emphatic win “Obviously I am delighted with the result, but we can’t read too much into the score as Cross Keys were having to pull in permitted players. That said we had some Academy players ourselves and it was great to see them get a win under their belt.
Over the season we have picked up 11/12 losing bonus points, and we can put some of that down to the experience levels in the squad, so again we are learning game to game. It is a steep learning curve for the players, as we don’t have the opportunity to give them Division 1 or Championship experience. As a young player you have to develop and step up quickly to the speed of the game in the Premiership.
We knew Cross Keys they would offer us some difficulties especially in the 1st half today, and it was the case but we came out 2nd half and took the chances we "