Clwb Rygbi Nant Conwy

Recap

Pwllheli 8 – 15 Nant Conwy

Wedi bron a threchu Nant yn gynharach yn y tymor, ac wedi bod yn fuddugol yn y gêm Cwpan Cenedlaethol rhwng y ddau dîm, heb os nac oni bai, roedd Pwllheli yn mynd i’r gêm hon yn hyderus o gyflawni eu buddugoliaeth gyntaf yn y gynghrair yn erbyn yr arweinwyr presennol mewn mwy na 4 blynedd. Fodd bynnag, Nant yn unig a brofodd i fod y tîm mwyaf penderfynol, ac yn y pen draw, yn fuddugol.

Dau gais, trosiad a chic gosb, i gyd wedi’u sgorio yn y hanner amser cyntaf, oedd yn ddigon i Nant yn y gêm hon oedd gyda sgôr cymharol isel sydd wedi dod i nodweddu canlyniadau gemau diweddar rhwng y ddau dîm hyn.

Mwynhaodd Nant diriogaeth a mwy o feddiant drwy’r gêm gyda chyflymder eu llinell yn gosod y tîm cartref dan bwysau cyson. Yn enwedig yn yr hanner cyntaf, gwelwyd ychydig iawn o ymosodiadau i hanner Nant gan Pwllheli a dim ond ychydig o ennill tir a gafwyd o’r mwyafrif ohonynt.

Roedd Nant, gan fanteisio ar eu symudedd cyffredinol, yn benderfynol o symud y bêl gymaint ac mor gyflym â phosibl. Er i Caron Davies lwyddo gyda chicio cosb ar 10 munud, nid tan y degfed munud ar hugain y sgoriodd Nant eucais cyntaf. Bu cic gosb a gymerwyd yn gyflym ar y llinell hanner ffordd arwain at ail gosb am beidio â symud yn ôl. Rhoddodd y cicio linell taflu i fewn i Nant ar y llinell pump metr. Ar ôl sawl ryc, cafodd y bêl ei symud at gefnwr Nant, Gruff Roberts (15) ar y chwith, a dorrodd y tu mewn i’r amddiffynnwyr i fynd drosodd.

O’r ail gychwyn, daeth camdrafod i’r amlwg a gwnaeth Pwllheli sicrhau’r fantais a’r cyfle i roi Nant dan bwysau. Fodd bynnag, bu i gamdrafod ganddynt hwy arwain at  Nant dorri’n rhydd. Ar ôl sawl cam o fynd un ffordd ac yn ôl ar hyd y llall, aeth y bêl i’r chwith I’r canolwr, Gwion Jones (13), roddodd bas i roi Deian Roberts mewn gofod cyn i Jones gymryd y pas ddychwelyd i fynd drosodd o dan y pyst. Rhoddodd trosiad  Davies arweiniad o 15 o bwyntiau i Nant.

Unwaith eto, o’r ailgychwyn, camdrafododd Nant y bêl gan arwain at drosedd a chosb am gam sefyllian. Y tro hwn, gwnaeth Pwllheli fanteisio ar y pwysau, gan fynd drosodd ar eu hasgell dde i roi sgôr o 5 – 10 ar hanner amser.

Yn yr ail hanner, gwelwyd gêm fwy cytbwys o ran perchenogaeth a thiroedd. Treuliodd Pwllheli fwy o amser yn hanner Nant ar y dechrau ond dechreuodd yr ymwelwyr symud mwy i hanner y tîm cartref yn fuan, er nad oedd un ochr na’r llall yn bygwth llinell y ceisiadau’n ddifrifol chwaith. Roedd yn achos lle roedd y amddiffynfeydd yn dominyddu’r gêm.

Yn y pen draw, ar 60 munud, cafodd Pwllheli yr unig sgôr yn yr ail hanner trwy gic gosb a droswyd.

Collodd Nant y cyfle i adsefydlu’r arweiniad deng pwynt ond nhw oedd y rhai a orffennodd yn gryfach, gan greu ychydig o hanner-cyfleon sgorio a ddaeth i’r amlwg.

Ennilliad gwych i Nant i gynyddu eu blaenoriaeth ar ben y tabl ond mae dal llawer o ffordd i fynd.

Having narrowly missed out beating Nant earlier in the season, and being victorious in the National Cup match between the two, Pwllheli surely entered this game confident of achieving their first league win against the current leaders in over 4 years. However, it was Nant who proved to be the more determined, and ultimately triumphant, team.

Two tries, a conversion and a penalty, all scored in the first half, proved enough for Nant in this relatively low-scoring game that has come to typify the results of the recent games between these two teams.

Nant enjoyed greater territory and possession throughout the game with their line speed putting the home team under constant pressure. The first half in particular saw few forays into the Nant half by Pwllheli and most of these gained little ground.

Nant, making use of their all-round mobility, were determined to move the ball as much and as quickly as possible. Although Caron Davies was successful with a penalty kick on 10 minutes, it was not until the thirtieth minute that Nant scored their first try. A quickly taken penalty on the halfway line resulted in a second penalty for not retreating. The kick gave Nant a lineout on the five metre line. Following several rucks, the ball was moved to full-back Gruff Roberts on the left, who cut inside the covering defenders to go over.

From the restart, a fumble saw Pwllheli gain the initiative and the chance to put Nant under pressure. However, a fumble by them resulted in a Nant breakaway. After several phases of going one way then the other, the ball went left to centre, Gwion Jones, whose pass put Deian Roberts into space before Jones took the return pass to go over under the posts. Davies’ conversion gave Nant a 15 point lead.

Again, from the restart, Nant fumbled the ball resulting in a penalty for off-side. This time Pwllheli made the pressure tell, going over on their right wing to give a score line of 5 – 10 at half time.

The second half was a more even game in terms of possession and territory. Pwllheli spent more time in the Nant half at the beginning but the visitors soon began moving more into the home team’s half, though neither side seriously threatened the others try line. It was a case of defences dominating the game.

Eventually, on 60 minutes, Pwllheli got the one score of the second half through a converted penalty.

Nant missed the chance of re-establishing the ten point lead but it was they who finished the stronger, creating the few half-chances that came along.

A great win for Nant to increase their lead at the top of the table but there is still a long way to go.