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Wizards Claim Win

30 Nov 2024

Aberavon 34 RGC 18
Saturday 30th November 2024

RGC will look back on the first half, when they closed the scoreboard to 1 point and had the momentum to build into the second half, but they gave Aberavon an opportunity to score and extend the lead just at the break.


Conditions mean that the wet ball needed good hands and accurate passing in the opening spell of the match.
The boot-to-ball was a tactic from both sides early on, waiting on a player to open up the game with the ball in hand,


It was the home side that had the territory and possession with full-back Scott Delnevo finding a gap to break through.


RGC were disciplined with the defence line, pushing up at speed and forcing errors from the Wizards when they were on the attack 
A couple of pena

lties and a driving maul took Aberavon to the line, as RGC scrambled to stop them.
Numbers were committed around the breakdown so when Aberavon shifted the ball to the middle, Scott Delnevo stepped inside Dion Jones to cross for the opening score. The conversion was added by Ed Dunford.

There was limited ball in hand from the Gogs, and any time they did have any possession it was in their own half – so they exited with the clearance, giving Aberavon the chance to collect and attack again.


If rugby is built on momentum, then RGC was swimming against the tide in the opening 25 minutes
Aberavon Scrum-Half Elis Horgan was next to go close after his quick feet took him to the line but was held up
A minute later, from the lineout, the maul was set up, and it delivered a try. Luke Davies claimed it, and Dunford added the extras.


The one positive was the Gogs were still in the game, as territory and possession was not with them at any stage.


RGC got some points on the board with a Billy McBryde penalty and still hadn’t entered the home-sides 22-meter line after 25 minutes.


When they did make a dent into the Aberavon half they came back with some points, after a break from halfway and scrum-half Dan Rodrick grabbing the try and suddenly the game looked on
The late November sun broke out and the game opened up, with both sides loose around the ball leading to some turnovers with big yards made.


A clever dink over the top of the Aberavon defence found the ball bounce to a chasing Sam Stoddard, who duly collected to touchdown. The boot of McBryde couldn’t add the conversion and it was a 1 point game.


Disappointingly from an RGC perspective, they conceded from the restart and they knocked on, when the Wizards worked the ball from right to left and winger Cori Lewis-Jenkins was able to score in the corner and give his side a 6-point lead at the break, making it a more comfortable score to head into the changing rooms with.


It was a frantic start to the 2nd half, with both sides looking for that opening in the defence but both sides not finding hands with the passes at crucial times.


Aberavon backed themselves upfront choosing scrums and line-outs to attack from, but the RGC pack stood tall to the challenge and dealt well.


On a couple of occasions, the Gogs were working their way into good positions but just failed to look after the ball, giving it away and giving Aberavon a chance to exit.

Both sides traded multiple kicks, as the ball spent much of the time in the air – with both sides hoping to create an opportunity from an opposing player's error.  When it came to accuracy and results the homeside won the kicking battle and were rewarded.


One of the kicks landed in the Wizard's hands and the pass went to centre Frankie Jones who sprinted in for the bonus point try, with Dunford again on target with the conversion.


Dunford kept the scoreboard ticking over with a penalty on 63 minutes to extend his sides lead
RGC looked to build back into the game and moved the ball through hands, but couldn’t make that crucial inroad past the Wizards defence, leading to a knock-on or turnover with the home side again ending up back in the RGC half.


When it came to space, fly-half Dunford found it with a cross-field kick that dropped into the hands of Aberavon winger Felix Gilbert who was able to dive over for the try on 72 minutes.


RGC finally got the ball in hand and looked to attack from deep, with Dion Jones and Tudur Jones both making good yards, and the space created the chance for Rhys Tudor to run in on the wing for the Gogs 3rd try of the game.


The Gogs were in the hunt for a bonus point try, but couldn’t find the composure or accuracy in those final minutes to create any opportunity to get it.