Abergavenny RFC - 36

Abercarn RFC - 24

ABERGAVENNY have began their new season in Division 3 East with a confident home performance against a newly promoted Abercarn outfit.

The front row of Owen Staphnill and Brian Wright (props) and Gareth Williams (hooker) were joined in the tight five by two fire fighters Rhys Willard and Josh Hitchman at lock. The back row saw Paul Cornock at number eight, Sean Buck at blindside and Rudi Lewis at openside.

Lewis Evans at scrum half joined half back partner and new signing for the club, Rhodri Webster at outside half. Rhodri, 24, is an experienced outside half having already represented Rumney (Cardiff), UWIC and latterly Aylesbury who he played for in the Buckinghamshire league as well as having represented the County side.

Stuart Davies and Jack Flower who previously filled in at outside half admirably, returned to their preferred positions at centre. Ryan Williams at full back was supported by Will Williams and Ian Davies on the wings.

It was the visitors who took the lead following a penalty awarded for a late tackle (0-3). This was followed by an exchange of penalties which saw Abercarn lead 3-6.

After 13 minutes Aber put their first meaningful phases together with forwards driving up, field coach Mark Fleet was screaming from the touchline to let the ball go along the backs sensing space out wide.  

The ball was recycled 10 yards out under the visitor's posts. Outside half Webster dummied and went for the gap but was caught on the line and released an audacious back flip to Sean Buck on the charge but the ball hit a defender's head and he headed it over his goal line for Jack Flower to ground it for Aber's first try converted by Webster (10-6).

Rarely do early season games have fluency and this was no different with a succession of penalties and scrums awarded to each side following technical fouls and basic handling errors. Never the less one sensed that given a sniff of a gap Aber's backs would take advantage.

This was the case when a spilled ball on half way by the visitors fell to the feet of Will Williams who chipped ahead, gathered, drew the full back and released Stuart Davies in support to score under the posts, converted by Webster (17-6).

Rhys Willard was a giant at kick offs comfortably commanding the ball and equally so in the line outs where he secured a steady stream of ball.

Abercarn reduced the deficit with another penalty (17-9) before Aber returned fire with a simply worked try following a failed touch finder from the visitors.

Full back Ryan Williams gathered, released Cornock who fed Stuart Davies. With a three on two in favour of Abercarn, Davies split the defence with his pace drew the full back and fed Ian Davies in support for a text book attacking try to take the half time score to 22-9 for the home side.

With the backs taking all the glory the forwards got in on the act in the shape of prop Owen Staphnill. From a scrum on half way Stuart Davies took the crash ball and kept the ball alive as he was tackled flipping it to Will Williams who carries to the 22. The back row arrived to support with Sean Buck driving it on before it was released again to Stuart Davies who beat his man and Staphnill found himself in support to receive the scoring pass as he galloped round the posts to score a try converted by Webster (29-9).

Abercarn with another long range penalty brought the score to 29-12.

Aber's final try was the product of both opportunism and support. A wild pass from the visitors at the case of a ruck deep in Aber's half was seized upon by the alert Will Williams who hacked the ball up field. He gathered the bobbling ball on the visitors 22, turned and the only player in support was prop Owen Staphnill, now hungry to become the season's top try scorer (if only briefly). He burst onto the ball, cheekily dummied the winger and ran across the line for the biggest cheer of the afternoon. The try was converted by Webster for a 36-12 score line.

The visitors could have understandably bowed out at this stage but showed great determination in scoring two tries towards the close of the game, although Aber were reduced to 14 with the loss of Stuart Davies through a yellow card.

Aber will now prepare for a tough away fixture next Saturday at Abertillery. Kick off is at 2.30pm.