Students top of the class after shock win over Pooler Local rugby
CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY produced one of the shocks of the National Championship campaign as they ended runaway leaders Pontypool’s 18-match unbeaten run with a hard-fought 30-22 victory.
Full-back Tyler Williams struck 13 points with his boot with Luke Northmore bagging a brace and Aled Evans also crossing the whitewash. George Simpson added a conversion to seal a much-needed win and the Students are aiming to use that victory to propel them to safety with only two games left of the Championship season.
And with games against already-relegated Dunvant and fellow strugglers Bedlinog to come, coach Neil Hennessey is optimistic that Met can retain their Championship status.
“Victory is in our grasp in those two games. Ideally we want at least eight points from those games, anything extra is a bonus,” he said.
“We don’t know what sort of teams the clubs will play. Dunvant are already down so will they give their youth players a chance?”
Met may be relying on other results in the final weeks but they are on a good run of form, boasting three wins from their last four games, including wins over Pontypool, Tata Steel and relegation rivals Newbridge.
And former Pontypool chairman Gavin Howells, who is now on the committee at Cardiff Met, reserved special praise for the Students’ pack after an outstanding display.
“I must admit that the pack worked superbly well, they held their own in every aspect of the game,” he said.
“The pack were the heroes, the front row were immense and they really held their own. The squad played their best game of the season by adopting an expansive game and they looked dangerous.”
Although delighted following the result, coach Hennessey was left bemused as to why the players haven’t been able to replicate that form all season.
“We’ve been playing Super BUCS rugby, and the level has been higher this season, and National Championship games. But it’s what we do every season,” explained Hennessey.
“Next year it will be the same again only the players will have 12 months of first-team rugby under their belts.”
However, Howells, who also played for Pooler in the centre and on the wing between 1966-1971, believes the nature of being a university side is also a factor to their form.
“People move on, they finish their courses and then we get the freshers coming in and then you’ve got to introduce the freshers and it takes some time for them to mold into a side,” he said.
“And Saturday it happened, they all seemed to play for each other, the defence was immense and the attack was very aware and took the majority of the right options.
“There was also a variety to their play with some chip kicks and trickery in the midfield, which caught Pontypool by surprise.”
Met are currently three points clear of the drop zone but Newbridge, who occupy the final relegation spot, have a game in hand. However, that is against Narberth on April 22, and Met will be hoping the high-fliers will be able to replicate the form that saw them beat bottom club Dunvant 73-17 over the weekend.