Clwb Rygbi Nant Conwy

Recap

This match was played on a Thursday evening as the original fixture was called off due to a frozen pitch. Though the pitch was playable for this rescheduled fixture, the air temperature was still freezing. This probably accounted for the first half hour being played between Nant’s 10 metre line and Llangefni’s 22, with neither side able to work any try scoring chances. Was it a case of the forwards just trying to keep warm? However, the last ten minutes of the first half saw a remarkable turnaround, with 5 tries being scored. Three of these were by Nant, which along with two conversions, gave the home team a lead of 19 – 12, Llangefni having scored two tries and a conversion.

The second half was a complete contrast in which Nant scored a further four tries and stopped Llangefni adding to their score.

Llangefni began the game at a furious pace, pressing Nant, whether it be in attack or defence. Nant were able to contain this pressure, inasmuch as Llangefni did not gain any great territorial advantage, but they also prevented Nant from making any inroads past the visitors 22. This was the pattern for almost 30 minutes.

Near the half hour mark Nant were awarded a scrum inside and to the left of Llangefni’s 22. The ball was initially sent open but the switch inside saw Brychan Dafydd burst over for the opening try, converted by Caron Davies. This was to be the start of a ten minute tryfest.

From the restart Nant knocked on turning possession over to the visitors. After a few phases the ball was passed to Tom Owen on the left. He shrugged off 3 attempted tackles to score between  the posts. Ieuan Evans converted.

Next it was Llangefni’s turn to mess up the restart. From the subsequent scrum, Nant moved the ball right then back left and Deian Roberts forced his way over in the corner to make it 12 – 7.

From the next restart Nant this time conceded a penalty. A knock-on by Nant from the subsequent line-out gave Llangefni a scrum which saw Gwilym Thomas pick up and evade three would be tacklers to equalise.

This seemed to instil some much needed urgency into Nant’s play. Rhydian Jones was stopped short of the line and from the line-out that followed Carwyn Ellis went over. Davies’s second conversion gave Nant a half-time lead of 19 – 12.

The second half belonged to Nant. Deian Roberts got his second try following a break by Sam Hughes, who left several tacklers in his wake.

The next try on 50 minutes was unconventional, shall we say. A kick through by Llangefni was kicked back on the volley by Rhydian Jones. He followed up and again kicked ahead to the in-goal area where the bounce fooled the covering defender who only succeeded in kicking the ball into the air, only to see another defender knock the ball forward into the arms of Ifan Williams to score.

The last two tries were down to the speed of Sion Pringle. A dropped pass saw the ball fed to Roberts who passed to Pringle who ran in from his own 10 metre line. A similar scenario took place for the final try. Again Roberts passed out to Pringle to outpace the defence, but only from 30 metres this time.

A good night overall for Nant who now must prepare for the top of the table clash with Caernarfon.