Fixture

The Old Firm moved into 2^nd place in the Division 1 East Central table with this bonus point away win at Cardiff Quins. From the kick off, Mount set about attacking the home team from close in and out wide. Early on, some driving forward play by prop James Cowdry, hooker Jack James and No.8 and Captain Kriss Sanders took play into the Quins 22 and after the kick at goal from a penalty 15 metres out was turned down and kicked to touch, a lineout take by second row Luke Brennan and drive on by the Mount forwards saw prop James Cowdry get the first touchdown of the afternoon. Wing Will Holley converted to make it 7-0 after just 10 minutes of play. After 18 minutes, an attack started from a turnover by second row Brennan – who had his best game for Mount - covered 50 metres and saw the Old Firm move the ball wide, taking advantage of an overlap to take play into the Quins’ 22. The quick ruck ball was moved to wing Holley whose chip on was just too far. A superb 40 metre diagonal kick by outside half Kieron Olden took play to 15 metres out from the Quins line and from an overthrown home lineout, flanker Chris Edmunds took the ball and after drawing the last defender passed to second row David Richards who dived over for his second successive try, which was well converted by Holley from wide out to make it 14-0. A 20 metre penalty after 30 minutes reduced the Old Firm’s lead to 14-3, but the half ended with intense Old Firm pressure on the Quins’ line which saw centre Adrian Owen, prop James Cowdry, and scrum half Ross Davies somehow held up on the line by the home side with some desperate defending.

From a scrum on halfway at the start of the second half, the ball was moved to full back Liam Jones, who took play up to the Quins’ 22. The ball was moved quickly again across field where outside half Kieron Olden foxed the Quins defence with a dummy and a burst from 15 metres out to finish off an excellent move and get Mount’s third try of the day, which increased the lead to 19-3 after 45 minutes. The Old Firm were well on top but the game changed a few minutes later when a 40 metre penalty against the wind by Holley fell short and was run out of defence by the home full back and taken on by the Quins right wing who kicked long into the Mount 22. The Old Firm had kept most of the ball in hand all afternoon, but an attack from so close-in was a bit too ambitious and after a Mount attacker was tackled, the ball was turned over by the home side and thrown wide for the home wing to canter over unopposed for the Quins’ first try of the day, which was converted to make it 19-10. The score put a spring in the Quins’ step and led to some determined defending from the Old Firm, Holley saving a try wide out. After 65 minutes, a 15 metre penalty reduced the Mount lead to 19-13 and led to a forward being yellow carded. Unphased and showing resilience and determination, the Old Firm dug in and took play upfield where a superbly placed penalty to touch by Holley took play to just 5 metres out from the Quins line, but frustratingly the lineout was lost and the home team cleared. Backchat to the referee led to a Quins player being yellow carded after 70 minutes. Although the penalty against the wind went wide, the Old Firm put together a promising attack up the touchline involving centre Adrian Owen and second row David Richards. Then, with just five minutes left, a quick penalty take by scrum half Ross Davies midway in the home half saw him take play into the Quins 22 where the ball was quickly moved to the blindside for Holley to put Thomas Harper into space, which the prop took full advantage of to take a last Quins defender over the try line with him and get the bonus point 4^th try in the 75^th minute, which extended the Old Firm’s lead to 24-13. The Quins kept going and from an attack down the touchline in injury time, a superb try saving tackle by the ever competitive Ross Davies, which typified the Old Firm’s desire all game, brought to an end the home team’s last chance of a bonus point score and sealed the Old Firm’s victory and 5 League points.