DIVISION 1 EAST
RHYDYFELIN .............. 62 BLAENAVON ................. 5
IN the afternoon sunshine both sides took to the field in contrasting form, Rhydyfelin still unbeaten while Blaenavon sat just one position off the foot of the table.
It was the home side that started the brighter of the two and it wasn’t long before the score board started to tick over.
A lineout and resulting rolling maul marched toward the tryline with hooker Scott Pritchard the player to emerge with the ball and the try. The con- version was successfully kicked by full back David Gratton to give the home side an early 7-0 lead.
The visitors enjoyed a little possession but the home defence proved more than a match. When possession returned to The Village so did the try scoring.
A second rolling maul resulted in a second try for Scott Pritchard before a kick was charged down and expertly caught by second row Kevin Briggs who cantered over for the score.
Before the visitors could catch breath, centre Ross Lucas made a superb break through the defence and placed a neat kick through that was gathered by winger Mark Tyler who secured the bonus-point try with less than half hour on the clock (24-0).
As the half drew to a close a fifth try was converted out wide. Superb handling between the forwards and backs alike ended with a run-in out in the corner to complete a first-half hat-trick for hooker Scott Pritchard. A superb conversion by Gratton took the score to 31-0.
Credit to the visitors they came straight back at Rhydyfelin and enjoyed a period of territory and possession.
With the half time whistle looming Blaenavon made the most of the chance to get on the scoreboard with a try of their own.
The second half began with more sustained pressure but this time it was the home side making the breaks.
Shortly after the break full back David Gratton added a try to his conversions to push the lead up to 38-5.
A number of changes for the home side didn’t make much difference to the dominance on the field as a seventh try was scored soon after when a fantastic length-of-the- field break after a turnover in their own 22.
Prop Chris Phillips supplied the final pass to centre Ross Lucas for his first of the afternoon.
Scrum half Fforest Quirke made a superb break from a scrum and gifted a try to replacement flanker Rhys Phillips for try number eight before brother Kieron Phillips’ quick hands again set free scrum half Quirke who pulled in the last defender before offloading to replacement wing Chris Tottle for his first try following a season out with a cruciate knee ligament injury.
Gratton’s sixth conver- sion of the afternoon took the score to 57-5.
The visitors were well and truly against the ropes and one final mistake was punished just before the final whistle.
Weak tackling well inside the Rhydyfelin half was exploited by centre Luke Rees who broke free and ran the 70m to complete the try scoring for the afternoon.
Next weekend sees the league take a week off to be replaced by the second round of the WRU Plate competition.
Rhydyfelin travel to Carmarthen Athletic who currently play in Division 2 West.