Rugby Union: Ruthin so close in Welsh Cup clash

Oct 29 2008 by Dave Jones, Denbigh Visitor

RUTHIN 10 BRITON FERRY 15

SWALEC WELSH CUP ROUND TWO

UNLUCKY Ruthin would surely have won this Welsh Cup tie at Cae Ddol had visitors Briton Ferry not lost both their props in the first 20 minutes which meant the rest of the game having to be played with uncontested scrums.

Before the injuries the Vale club led their higher ranked division three south west opponents 10-3, but the change in emphasis of the match affected their domination.

This was the first home tie Ruthin had played in the Swalec Cup for many years and the first time Briton Ferry had competed in North Wales.

A strong wind was blowing down the pitch and Ruthin started playing into the breeze.

The hosts were moving the ball around well and fly-half James Stokes scored the first try within five minutes of the start.

The conversion attempt was missed and Briton Ferry replied with a penalty after 10 minutes.

Most of the play was in the South Walians’ half, however, and Ruthin went further ahead with a well-worked try by hooker John Meldrum.

The hosts were scrummaging well but the Ferry injuries signified a turning point in the match with Ruthin losing their advantage from the scrums and handling errors creeping into their game.

The visitors reduced the arrears with an unconverted try after 30 minutes and shortly afterwards home flanker Lee Pope was sin-binned.

Ruthin kept up the pressure despite being one down but even though one of Ferry’s second rows was also given a yellow card the hosts could not make any further headway and the score at half time was 10-8 to the Vale side.

It was hard to believe Ruthin could lose, such was their superiority, but following a Ferry scrum in their own half their outside centre picked up the ball, avoided a number of tackles and ran three quarters the length of the field to score beneath the posts, the conversion making it 15-10 to the South Wales outfit.

Ruthin spent virtually the whole of the rest of the match in Briton’s half but although there were occasional flashes of good play their moves either broke down or infringements occurred.

Despite sustained pressure towards the end the Ferry defence held and the score was unchanged when the whistle blew for full time.

Ruthin will now play in the Plate competition with others who went out in the first or second rounds. This Saturday the Cae Ddol side truly have their hands full when they visit unbeaten champions Caernarfon.