Fixture

There were 10 tries and 7 conversions for the Old Firm in this Division 1 East Central game away to Rhiwbina. The hosts have had some very good sides in the past but are currently in rebuilding mode. The game was open and loose from the kick off, with both sides keeping the ball in hand for the most part, which made for a fast-paced, entertaining game.

The Rhiwbina line was under immediate pressure from Mount which resulted in the first try being scored by scrum half Ross Davies who took a quick penalty 5 metres out. Outside half Callum Hall kicked a superb conversion from near the touchline to make it 7-0 after 6 minutes.

Minutes later with play being midway in the Rhiwbina half, Mount flanker Daniel Phillips got hold of the ball among the forwards and burst through, showing power and pace to get away and score the second try near the posts, Hall converting to make it 14-0.

Rhiwbina were playing with spirit and hit back after 18 minutes when a scissors in midfield saw a home back slice through the Mount midfield and get away. Although he was tackled by full back Jayden Pugh, the ball was kept alive and taken up to the Mount line, where it was moved to the short side and a try scored. An excellent conversion from the touchline reduced the lead to 14-7.

The Old Firm regrouped quickly and got back on the front foot. A lineout take on halfway saw the ball taken through several phases and then moved wide where centre Cole Nash made an outside break and when he was tackled a metre out, handed on to fellow centre Steve Brittain who touched down. Hall again struck a fine conversion from wide out to take the lead up to 21-7.

A failure by the Mount forwards to secure the kick off led to Rhiwbina reducing the lead immediately as they put together a sustained attack to take play up to the Mount line and worked a man over to score a well-worked try which was also converted to make it 21-14.

An excellent catch of a high ball by wing Morgan James on the run started another attack which flanker Phillips carried on. From a lineout on the home 22, the ball was moved one way then the other and was finished off by all-action flanker Dai Richards who beat a defender and run in from 15 metres for the bonus point try, Hall converting to make it 28-14 after 35 minutes.

After the Rhiwbina restart failed to go 10 metres, the Old Firm scored one of the best team tries of the season with an attack which covered 50 metres from a scrum on halfway, showing good support play by forwards and backs, and the ball going through at least a dozen pairs of hands for centre Cole Nash to finish off an outstanding attack with a try in the corner to make it 33-14 at half time.

Mount went straight on the attack from the start of the second half. A diagonal kick and a good tackle by flanker Richards put the pressure immediately on Rhiwbina and was finished off by a try by wing Morgan James, which made it 38-14.

Minutes later, a long range attack by the Mount backs and a strong run by No.8 Cameron Davies who was tackled a metre out gave the Old Firm a 5 metre scrum. With the Mount scrum on top, No.8 Davies fed scrum half Ross Davies a metre out for him to touch down, Hall converting to increase the lead to 45-14 after 48 minutes. Centre Cole Nash finished off another bout of pressure to make it 50-14 five minutes later, but Rhiwbina, who competed for 80 minutes in attack and defence, got a try back with one wide out and an excellent conversion from near the touchline to make it 50-21. Wing Morgan James scored a try near the posts, Hall converting, and then a 50 metre sprint by athletic Rhiwbina second row Taine Baggot when he was put into space got the hosts a deserved bonus point try and made the score 57-26.

With the last attack of the game in injury time, hard-working No.8 Cameron Davies slipped a pass to outside half Callum Hall who run in unopposed from 30 metres to score the Old Firm’s 10^th try of the afternoon and kicked his 7^th conversion to take his personal points total up to 19.

The Old Firm will need another 80 minute performance this week when they welcome local rivals Abercwmboi to Duffryn Pennar Park for a local derby Division 1 East Central game, kick off 2:30pm.