Super Gogs turn on style for the big Eirias crowd
AFTER a jittery opening 10 minutes RGC went on to produce another outstanding performance as they outclassed five-time champions Pontypridd 47-17 last Saturday.
Played in front of a record 2,814 crowd at Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, the Gogs won the try count 6-2 to ensure they finish fourth in the 16-team Principality Premiership in their very first season at this level.
Next comes the second phase of games with RGC in the elite eight battling for a top-four spot and participation in the end-of-season play-offs at the first attempt.
In a shaky start against Ponty, the hosts went 10-0 down, Dale Suckley capitalising on an Afon Bagshaw error to score a try converted by Lewis Williams, who also added a penalty.
The home team importantly hit back with a penalty via the reliable boot of Jacob Botica on 12 minutes.
From the restart, RGC moved the ball in their 22, and when Botica put in a sublime grubber, Bagshaw was able to regather, sprint away and feed ever alert Andy Williams, who ran in from 20 metres. Botica’s extras levelled the game.
When Ponty attacked, they got chopped down on the gain-line, often turned over or forced into touch. The South Walians were regularly penalised for holding on after a tackle, as the home back row and others showed an insatiable appetite for jackaling.
One such turnover allowed hooker Evan Yardley to race up the touchline. RGC drove a lineout into the red zone and Tiaan Loots and Bagshaw made line breaks.
When it seemed Ponty had weathered this storm, Botica put in the daintiest of dinks over the defence, which Bagshaw latched onto for a converted try.
The third home try was an absolute gem with Botica again to the fore. He picked up a pass off his bootlaces on his 10-metre line, sprinted into the outside channel where he fed Bagshaw, who released speedster Aron Evans to make it 22-10 at the break.
Just after the restart, a trademark Loots blindside break freed Sam Jones on a sprint into the 22. He seemed to be going all the way, but was thwarted by a last-ditch ankle tap.
However, RGC were not to be denied for long, and after a period of pressure Botica was able to find Tom Hughes with an inside pass and the centre cantered in near the posts, Botica’s boot stretching the lead to 29-10.
Ponty rallied briefly with a try from Dafydd Lockyer and Williams converted.
Any visions of a comeback Ponty may have harboured were soon obliterated. Firstly, Botica put over a 48-metre penalty, then he and Loots again combined to put Sam Jones through a midfield gap at speed.
Jones ended up passing behind Aron Evans, the latter doing very well to hold off would-be tacklers as he powered over at the flag for his brace. Botica added a cracking conversion and a penalty for 42-17 and a personal tally of 17 points.
RGC rounded off a wonderful display when man of the match Bagshaw set off on a side-stepping run and linked up with Josh Leach. After the ruck, the ball went to ground, Tom Hughes regathered and fed Danny Cross who strolled over in the corner.