Santa arrives early as Cardiff Met have the edge over city rivals
AS derbies go, the BUCS Super Rugby clash between Cardiff Met and Cardiff University just about had it all, including Santa Claus!
On the pitch the game lived up to all expectations, while off it the near 3,000 students turned the Arms Park into the most raucous of preChristmas parties.
It was the second time this season the two universities from the Welsh capital have met at the home of the Cardiff Blues and the passion both on and off the field made it a night to remember for everyone.
A last move of the match try from Luke Northmore gave the final scoreline a lop-sided look as Cardiff Met, last season’s beaten finalists, ran out 34-19 victors to move back to the top of the table with their bonus-point win. It was a different story for newly promoted Cardiff University, though, who left with nothing and dropped to last place after their nearest rivals both won.
“This is a crazy league. We were nervous coming into the game given the improvements Cardiff University have made since we last met them and they should have come away with more than they got from that game,” said Cardiff Met director of rugby, Danny Milton.
“They threw the kitchen sink at us in the second half and they really took it to us. We got away with a lucky one on Luke Northmore’s first try, but his second score was exceptional and allowed us to leave with a bonus point.”
The atmosphere on the terraces, where Cardiff City style songs were sung back and fore between the two rival sets of supports, along with some seasonal favourites like Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas,’ heightened the tension on the pitch and it took the cool head of Met No 8 and captain to steady the nerves with a 12th minute try off the back of a five mete scrum to calm things down.
Harry Johnston added the conversion and the Met outside half didn’t miss with a kick all night as he ended with 14 points to add to his side’s four tries. Having drawn first blood, many expected the more experienced Met team to take firm control of proceedings, but that wasn’t the case.
Cardiff University drew level with the try of the match from Thomas.
His centre partner, Rhodri Wall, made the initial running, Lewis supported him up the right touchline and then the front row man offloaded brilliantly in the tackle to the rapidly approaching Thomas, who veered inside to cross at the posts. Owen Williams converted.
Johnston edged his side ahead with a penalty before the lack of a TMO came into play as the referee awarded a try after consulting with his assistant, even though the TV pictures showed plainly that Northmore had ended his brilliant 40 metre run by knocking-on and
Ross Moriarty puts his back into it during Wales’ Swiss training camp in 2015
losing control of the ball before touching it down. To add insult to injury, Johnston add the extras off the touchline to make it 17-7 to Cardiff Met at the break.
“It was a great game, the fans really loved it and their back row played the break down really well. We could have tried to put some more width into our game at times because when we got to the edges we caused them problems,” said a disappointed Cardiff University director of rugby, Alun Wyn Davies.
If the second quarter of the game had belonged to Cardiff University, the third 20 minutes was a similar story - apart from the opening three minutes after the re-start. Met kicked two penalties into the corner and finally came up with a pickand-go try for tight head prop Harry Seward that helped to extend their lead to 17 points.
Back came Cardiff University and, after hammering away in the Met 22, they finally came up with their second try in the final play before lock Eduardo Balocco returned from the sin-bin. The try went to another of their Wales Under 19 caps, Ioan Davies, who somehow beat four men to score in the left corner.
That try came in the 66th minute and six minutes later the incessant pressure from Cardiff University saw them add a third try. Another quick tap and go at a penalty from livewire scrum half Owen Davies gave his wing Adam Sadbri the chance to charge up to the line and skipper and flanker Tom Wilson came up with the try.
The conversion cut the gap to five points with eight minutes to play. Everything became fast and furious once again and a penalty 40 metres out allowed Johnston to kick a penalty to stretch the lead to two scores.
Then came the final kick in the teeth for Cardiff University as replacement scrum half Ellis Bevan put Northmore through a gap 35 metres out and the centre made it all the way to the posts to clinch the bonus point.
Cue relief all round in the Cardiff Met camp – and more volume and mayhem on the terraces!