League: Adran 1 Gogledd/League 1 North
Rhuthun v Nant Conwy
In the corresponding fixture last season, Rhuthun produced a great second-half come back, and could, and maybe should, have snatched at least a draw. Nant were in no mood to allow such a rally this time. Two tries from charge-downs in the first 5 minutes showed their determination. Two more tries secured the bonus point in the first half. The second half produced a further five tries for Nant with none against, despite being down to 13 men for almost 10 minutes.
Gwion Jones was the beneficiary of the two charge-downs. Deian Roberts got the first of his tries after 20 minutes. Rhuthun were able to pull a try back when some loose tackles in midfield allowed the centre to go through. This was followed by the home team’s best spell which saw Nant having to defend attack after attack. Just when it seemed Rhuthun would get some reward, an interception by Gruff Roberts saw him sprint 80 metres for the touchdown. This with three conversions by Jac Ellis gave Nant a lead of 26-7 at half-time.
The second half saw a number of replacements come on and their intensity seemed to knock the fight out of Rhuthun. The tone was set when, from the restart, Sam Hughes went on a 50 metre run which left several opposition players on the floor. Within ten minutesNant had added two further tries through Brychan Dafydd and Aron Jones. Deian Roberts then got his second try from the wing.
Sam Hughes, on another of his barrelling runs got his reward with a try under the posts. Most of the last 10 minutes saw Nant reduced to 13 players. This allowed Rhuthun to mount pressure in the hope of grabbing a consolation score. It was not to be as Deian Roberts left defenders clutching at air to go in for the final try. Two second-half conversions by Ellis gave the final scoreline of 55-7 to Nant.

Nant ConwyNant Conwy v COBRA
Roedd hon yn gêm a gymerodd ychydig o amser i bigo i fyny, ond yn y pen draw, yn un a gynhyrchodd naw cais, un ohonynt yn gais cosb. Roedd y cychwyn yn araf ond yn y diwedd, dylai staff hyfforddi Nant fod yn hapus, yn enwedig gyda’r ail hanner. Dau gais i Nant yn yr hanner cyntaf yn erbyn cais cosb a welodd y tîm cartref yn arwain 12 – 7 ar hanner amser, ond ar ddiwedd yr hanner, gwelwyd Cobra yn pwyso gyda Nant yn ymdrechu i gadw eu llinell rhag cael ei chroesi.
Yn yr ail hanner, gwelwyd perfformiad mwy cysurus gan Nant er bod y gêm o hyd yn agos iawn am y 15 munud cyntaf o’r hanner. Ychydig ar ôl yr eilyddio tactegol cyntaf (roedd Nant eisoes wedi gorfod gwneud newid oherwydd anaf yn yr hanner cyntaf) gwnaeth Nant gynhyrchu casgliad o geisiadau, tri mewn wyth munud i roi arweinyddiaeth o 31-7 iddynt. Tarodd Cobra yn ôl gyda chais gyda 10 munud yn weddill, ond rhoddodd dau gais arall yn y munudau olaf fuddugoliaeth i Nant o 45-12.
Ar gychwyn y gêm gwelwyd Nant dan bwysau yn y sgrymiau a chyflwynwyd dyfarniad o gais cosb I Cobra yn dilyn troseddau’n y sgrym yn agos at eu llinell. Bum munud yn ddiweddarach, dioddefodd sgrym Nant ymhellach gyda cholli Gwydion Ellis-Jones a gafodd niwed i’w ffȇr. Fodd bynnag, mae Nant yn hapusach pan fyddant yn symud y bêl ac fe wnaeth hyn gynhyrchu eu cais cyntaf, ar ôl 19 munud, pan bweroodd Carwyn Davies drosodd yn y gornel dde. O fewn pum munud, rhoddodd Gruff Roberts, oedd yn gwneud ei ymddangosiad cyntaf ar yr asgell chwith, Nant ar y blaen. Roedd trosiad Jac Ellis yn eig wneud yn 12 – 7: sgôr a gymrodd Nant i’r ail hanner.
Am y 15 munud cyntaf o’r hanner, roedd y gêm o hyd yn y glorian, tan i nifer o geisiau weld Nant yn mynd fwyfwy ar y blaen. Fe aeth Tomos Williams drosodd o ryc ac mewn dim, aeth y 2il rengwr, Aron Jones drosodd ar y ffin dde yn dilyn troi’r bȇl drosodd yn y canol. Yna, tiriodd Brychan Dafydd dros y llinell pan wnaeth wthio nifer o daclwyr posibl I ffwrdd. Rhoddodd dau drosiad pellach gan Ellis roi arweiniad o 31 – 12 i Nant.
Cafodd y flaenoriaeth ei thorri pan orfododd Cobra eu ffordd drosodd ar ôl nifer o gosbau yn ‘22’ Nant.
A bu raid i ni aros tan y ddau funud olaf am y ddau gais olaf. Aeth Deian Roberts drosodd ar ôl ennill llinell oedd yn agos at linell gais Cobra. Gwelodd symudiad olaf o’r gêm Roberts yn codi pêl rydd a sbrintio 80 metr i sgorio, gyda throsiad gan Ellis a roddodd y sgôr derfynol o 45 – 12.
Ar y cyfan, dechrau da gan Nant a oedd gyda nifer o aelodau o’u carfan yn absennol am wahanol resymau â chyda sawl aelod arall yn dychwelyd o anafiadau tymor hir.
This was a game that took a while to get going, but in the end produced nine tries, one a penalty try. It was a slow start but in the end the Nant coaching staff should be pleased, especially with the second half. Two tries to Nant in the first half against a penalty try saw the home side leading 12 – 7 at half-time, but the end of the half saw Cobra in the ascendancy with Nant struggling to keep their line from being crossed.
The second half saw a more composed display by Nant though the match was still very much in the balance for the first 15 minutes of the half. Shortly after the first tactical substitutions (Nant had already had to make an injury substitution in the first half) Nant produced a flurry of tries, three in eight minutes to give them a lead of 31- 7. Cobra pulled a try back with 10 minutes remaining but two more tries in the last few minutes gave Nant victory by 45 – 12.
The beginning of the game had seen Nant under pressure in the scrums and it was a scrum infringement near their line that resulted in the award of the penalty try to Cobra. Five minutes later Nant’s scrum suffered further with the loss of Gwydion Ellis-Jones who sustained an ankle injury. However, Nant are happier moving the ball and this produced their first try, after 19 minutes, when Carwyn Davies powered over on the right wing. Within five minutes Gruff Davies, making his debut on the left wing, put Nant ahead. Jac Ellis’s conversion making it 12 – 7, a score Nant took into the second half.
For the first 15 minutes of the half, the game was still very much in the balance, until a flurry of tries saw Nant pull away. Tomos Williams drove over from a ruck and soon after 2nd row Aron Jones went over on the right wing following a turnover in mid-field. Brychan Dafydd then touched down when he shrugged off several would-be tacklers. Two further conversions by Ellis gave Nant a lead of 31 – 12.
The lead was cut when Cobra forced their way over following a number of penalties in Nant’s 22.
We then had to wait until the final couple of minutes for the last two tries. Deian Roberts went over following a line-out close to Cobra’s try line. The last move of the game saw Roberts pick up a loose ball to sprint 80 metres for the score, The conversions by Ellis gave the final score of 45 – 12.
Overall, a good start by Nant who were missing several members of their squad and had several more returning from long-term injuries.
vs
Cobra RFC