Fixture

This was a friendly arranged against a young Machen side and gave Mount the opportunity to play all their squad, including some Under 16s that have been training.

The first half saw the big Machen forwards boss the Young Firm in the set piece. The visitors had most of the ball for the first 10 minutes and scored their first try. Mount got into the game, working their way down to the opposition 5m line but lost a lineout on their own throw which allowed Machen to take play straight back into the Mount half. Play was back and fore, but it was Machen, with some good moves, that got another try on the half hour mark. The half time score was 12-0 to the visitors.

Not by choice, Mount changed things around in the 2nd half. Their flyhalf had to go off and the other two players who normally play there were unavailable. So, winger Arfon Davies played 10 for the first time. Mount’s Welsh International, Kenzie Jenkins, came on and played in the backrow, which was his first game in a Mount shirt since October. On the other side, Machen had their own Wales Under 18 playing as well. To complete the changes, Steffan Calderbank, usually a No.8, played in the centre.

The Young Firm scored after 4 minutes, forward Kane Dix driving over from close range. Mount were able to match Machen up front, which gave them a bit more possession and territory. Outside half Davies took a nasty cut to the head and was then replaced at 10 by scrum half Ethan Davies, who also played his first game in the position. There was no more scoring until 5 minutes before the end when winger Jac Argyle finished off some good Mount play and dived over in the corner. It was down to Ethan Davies to take the conversion from the touchline. He sweetly struck the kick from the wrong side of the field for him, and although it looked like he pulled it just wide, it curved in perfectly to draw the match. For older supporters who remember Wales’ famous win at Murrayfield back in 1971, it was a similar kick to John Taylor’s famous conversion.

Tries: Kane Dix, Jac Argyle. Conversion: Ethan Davies.

This was the last home game of the season for the Young Firm. Disappointingly, the two clubs left to play in the League have confirmed that they won’t be playing Mount for various reasons. This leaves the Young Firm having won five games from five but it doesn’t guarantee they will win the league as the WRU have different rules in place and the Mount team probably won’t know one way or the other until May 31st.

Mount are also waiting to find out if youth rugby will stay at Under 18 or revert back to Under 19 for next season. With half the squad affected, this is a huge decision yet to be made by the WRU.

Mount’s next game is on tour, they play Wadebridge Camels at 1pm on Saturday May 7th – all support welcome!