RGC 41 Ebbw Vale 39
Saturday 4th Jan 2025
RGC claimed a last gap win, in a game that will live long in the memories with a last-kick conversion from the boot of Billy McBryde to seal the victory against the SCR leaders.
Early penalties gave the Steelmen the platform to attack, along with a couple of RGC errors with the kick from hand. This enabled the visitors to take the lead with a penalty from Evan Lloyd.
It was a fairly lacklustre opening 10 minutes as far as rugby goes as the Gogs were unable to get much ball or build an attack.
RGC were looking to test Ebbw winger Hamish Anderson with the high ball, but he was coping with it under pressure.
Evan Lloyd extended the lead with another penalty on 20 minutes.
When RGC did regain some possession it ended with another kick out on the full.
As the clock struck 25 minutes Billy McBryde’s boot hit the ball between the posts with the penalty and the first score for RGC.
If the opening 25 minutes were pretty flat, the next 15 minutes were well worth the admission fee, with the Gogs grabbing 3 tries
Director of Rugby Josh Leach wanted his side to be more clinical when the chance arrived, and they did that on 30 minutes. After another good lineout they worked to the line, and went close on a number of occasions before Billy McBryde went over to score and convert.
His fly-half counterpart Loyd did similar 2 minutes later with a try and conversion to regain the lead.
It was a flurry of scores, as McBryde showed good feet to step outside and find a gap and again took the chance to cross the whitewash, with his conversion hitting the upright.
Try number 3 arrived when scrum-half Connor Dever crashed over the tackles to touchdown with McBryde on target with the extras.
Ebbw Vale got their attacking maul firing as the halftime whistle approached and as it rumbled to the line, RGC thwarted the pack and put them into touch.
The Steelmen struck back at the start of the 2nd half when the pack powered to the line and Lloyd again converted.
The visitors were down to 14 men when Curtis Gregory was given a yellow.
Minutes later the Gogs took full advantage of the extra man when they moved the ball right and Dion Jones grabbed the bonus point try. The conversion was successful from McBryde.
It was a massive defensive effort as the homeside chased down every Ebbw Vale attack, winning the turnovers.
As scrum for Ebbw Vale in their own 22 was driven back by the Gogs, they got the ball and went on the attack, with the power of Delwyn Jones crossing.
The league leaders answered back from the restart and grabbed another try, with the Lloyd conversion closing the lead to 7 points
RGC went down to 14 with Charlie Probert given a yellow card and the game then swung in Ebbw Vales's favour when winger Ryan Gardner grabbed two scores and with the Lloyd conversion had the 5-point lead.
RGC needed to create a chance to get anything from the game, and when it counted they kept the ball, went through the phases and stayed on the right side of the referee.
With the last play of the game after carrying to the line, they shifted the ball wide and Sam Stoddard collected to dive in at the corner to level the score.
That left Billy McBryde to have the clutch moment to nail the winning conversion from the touchline to send the crowd into bedlam and start the year with a big win.
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