DIVISION TWO EAST CENTRAL
PONTYCLUN ............... 32 ST PETERS ................... 11
THIS was the best performance of the season by Pontyclun who completely outclassed the thirdplaced visitors with a second-half five-try blitz highlighted by a hat-trick from right wing Jacob Dennis.
Once the Badgers’ forwards began to dominate the Rocks pack, with the front row of Bosanko, Barclay and Court simply outstanding, the Clun three-quarters were able to produce some scintillating runs against which the visitors had no answer.
Yet, it didn’t start that way. For the first 30 minutes St Peters were very much in the ascendency and their half backs, Luke O’Brien and Alex Lloyd, tested the Clun defence on several occasions. An exchange of penalties for offside infringements in the first 15 minutes were supplemented by a second for St Peters taken by full back Ed Poynter.
Near the half-time mark St Peters forwards took play into the home 10m area and from a lineout near the corner the ball was slipped to impressive prop Jack Cook who barged over for a try. O’Brien’s conversion failed but the visitors took a 3-11 lead into the break.
With a slight wind at their back Pontyclun restarted at some pace but immediately lost lock Andrew Yates through injury who was replaced by Rhys Williams. Their momentum continued and from one crossfield movement full back Gavin Pascoe came into the line at pace and swatted the visiting centres aside to find Clun centre Huw Probyn on his left. A neat pass and Probyn was away to score under the posts. The conversion by scrum half Nicky Theaker took the score to 10-11.
The Pascoe break seemed to have stunned St Peters and a few minutes later Theaker took advantage of their daze to break through the midfield and score towards the touchline. His conversion hit the post but the Badgers were now leading by 15-11 and clearly increasing in confidence.
The back row of Hemmens, Rose and Christopher were like hawks on any loose ball and the long accurate passing from outside half Rhys Morgan allowed his threequarters time and space to create running angles and problems for the Rocks.
It was the experienced Rose, having another influential game, who started the next move from a turnover and managed to get the ball out to Dennis on the right wing. He simply exploded down the touchline breaking a defensive tackle to score. Theaker converted and Clun were comfortably ahead 22-11.
Team captain and centre Joe Williams could have opted for a tight defensive last 20 minutes but he wanted none of that. From a midfield scramble it was Williams who broke and the ball was neatly finger tip passed by prop Court on to Dennis who went on a copy run of his first try to score near the corner. This time the conversion failed but despite the touchline encouragement for his players by celebrated coach Mark Ring their supporters knew the game was very much up for the visitors.
However, it was by no means over for Pontyclun and Williams and fellow centre Probyn started a final inter-passing movement which had the St Peter’s defence in all sorts of trouble. Once again the ball was spun out to Dennis, who in his first season of senior rugby must have thought it was his birthday. He had beaten his opposite marker twice and now set off yet again on a blistering run down the touchline to score. The try was unconverted but at the following whistle Pontyclun ran out winners 32-11 and collected a valued bonus point for their efforts.
Pontyclun now look forward to a derby clash with Llantrisant on Saturday.