Caldicot RFC under 15’s match report: Sunday 11/09/2011

Cast your mind back 12 months to a barmy mid-September week. The sun was shining (for a change), much like today, expect there was not wind, unlike today. Caldicot’s opponents were like to days visitors, Cwmbran; expect that the game is home today and not away. Caldicot then, were not expected to beat Cwmbran, history as now told us different and they were victorious, which start-up a magnificent season for the boys, coaches and parents alike.

The question is: could the same feat be repeated today? Sadly it was not to be, but they went down fighting.

During the close season, several players have moved on to pastures new, but new blood has joined the ranks. So, the team was a mixture of old and new, with some players moving to different positions for this game.

The team was as follows: Forwards (the boiler room) 1) Benjamin Mckeon-Willimas, 2) Jack Herbert, 3) Lewis Jones, 4)Steve Allsop, 5) Jordan Fuller, 6)Adam Davies, 7)Jo Ross, 8)Jack Kedwood (capt.) The backs (The Glamour boys): 9) Nick Weaving, 10)Liam Spencer, 11)Billy Roberts,12)Calcum Lewis,13)Barney Nightingale, 14)Karl Bradshaw, and 15) Will Francies.

The conditions were favourable to running rugby, with the sun shining down on the stadio to Caldicot ground. However, there was a strong wind blowing from the west.

Caldicot chose to play into the wind in the first half. Cwmbran kicked off with the wind behind them, and Will takes the ball and attempts to run out of the 22, and is tackle. Rack forms and the Caldicot forwards take the ball, still in the 22. Whistle blows – penalty to Caldicot. Cwmbran infringes at the ruck. Caldicot take a quick tap penalty, however, there is knock-on and the ball is picked up by Cwmbran who kick through into the Caldicot 22 and gather, press the attack, but is robustly repulsed by Caldicot and the attack is pushed into touch. Line out in Caldicot 22, and throw to Caldicot. Caldicot take the ball at the resulting line out and Liam kicks to touch and moves play slightly up the pitch. Again Caldicot take the resulting line out and form a maul which Caldicot win; the ball is moved wide and Barney makes a break but is tackle by Cwmbran, and a ruck forms. Unfortunately, Caldicot lose the ball at the ruck, but the ball is not coming to Cwmbran. So the referee awards the scrum to Cwmbran in Caldicot 22. Cwmbran press the attack, but are well tackle by the Caldicot defenders.  At the ruck Caldicot win the ball, and kick the ball through, and try to gather but knock-on. Scrum to Cwmbran, play pauses as there is an injury to a Cwmbran player. After a quick rub down and a drink the Cwmbran player is back on his feet. Play continues, and Cwmbran press the attack through there number 12, but a great tackle by Barney and a ruck forms which Caldicot win and Liam chips neatly through to relive the pressure. Ball lands into touch, Cwmbran line out, they gather the ball and kick through, Caldicot gather the ball and ruck forms only to be penalised for hanging onto the ball. From the tap penalty, Cwmbran keep the ball in-hand and keep the pressure on Caldicot. Again, excellent defence by Caldicot keep Cwmbran out and from the ruck, one of there players is injured, and both teams take a well earned break.

For the first twenty minutes, Caldicot have not ventured much of there own half, with Cwmbran piling the pressure on.

Scrum to Caldicot, who again through the backs try to run the ball out of there own 22, but the tackling by Cwmbran is strong and they win the resulting penalty when Caldicot infringe at the ruck. Cwmbran take a quick penalty, but Caldicot are not back 10 yards, so they win a second penalty. This time Cwmbran’s number 12 opts for goal as they look to turn the pressure into points on the board. However, the windy conditions are not helping the kickers and the kick goes wide.

Drop out 22 to Caldicot who kick out but Cwmbran gather and again press the attack as they are looking for that elusive try. Again stout tackling and defence from Caldicot keeps them out and the attack is stop and pushed into touch. At the resulting line out, Caldicot gathered poorly and Cwmbran pour through, but Will takes the ball and is tackled into touch. This time the line out is within touching distance of the Caldicot try line. Cwmbran take the line and form a good maul. Unfortunately, Caldicot defence can’t keep them out, and they score a well worked forwards try. 5-nil to Cwmbran, and that’s the way the score remained as there number 12 misses the conversion.

Caldicot kick off from the re-start, however, Cwmbran fail to gather and knock-on. Scum to Caldicot, just in the Cwmbran half, a place Caldicot haven’t visited for a while. From the scrum, Caldicot attack and make good use of the blind-side and Karl goes on a good run only to be tackled into touch. Cwmbran line out, which they win and kick down field. With the wind being so strong, the ball goes beyond the Caldicot dead ball line. Scrum to Caldicot back in the Cwmbran half, again Caldicot press the attack through there backs with some good handling and movement, only to meet stiff Cwmbran defence, and sadly at the resulting ruck Caldicot infringe and give away a penalty which takes the steam of Caldicot’s attack. Cwmbran using the wind kick down field and gather the ball only for very good defence by Caldicot to thwart the attack push them into touch. At this point, end to end stuff, with both sides trying to play running rugby.  From the line out the Caldicot forwards try to maul there way up the pitch a few yards, but turns into a ruck. Whistle blows as there’s another injury to a Cwmbran player. Everybody takes a breath including the referee! From the resulting scrum, Caldicot again try to attack from the 22 and Liam kicks through, only for Cwmbran to gather the ball and kick into touch. Whistle blows and half time arrives.

Caldicot kicked off the 2nd half with the wind behind them. The kick goes well into the Cwmbran half and they gather the ball. Caldicot chase hard and tackle the catcher to the ground and form a ruck. However, the ball comes out Cwmbran side and they decide to counter attack from inside there 22 through there superb number 12 who takes play up to the half way point. Again some sterling tacking by Caldicot halts the move. A ruck forms, but the ball is not coming back and the whistle blows for a Cwmbran scrum. This time two of Cwmbran players go down injured and early break for both sets of players. Cwmbran attack the blind-side and some nice hands from there number 8 sends the ball wide, but excellent defence from Caldicot’s backs push the attack into touch. From the line out a ruck forms and again Caldicot give away another penalty. The penalty count is now amounting against Caldicot. This time Cwmbran decide to go for touch. However, Caldicot’s line out is very good and they steal the ball – excellent work by new boy Jo Ross, and set-up a good driving maul, which moves Caldicot a few yards up the pitch. Cwmbran counter drive and push the maul into touch just in between there 22 and the half way line. Again good work by the forwards steals the Cwmbran line out and from the resulting ruck win a penalty, which is quickly taken, but Cwmbran are not back 10 yards and a second penalty is given. This time Liam decides to go for touch and Caldicot are now in the Cwmbran 22, the try line now begging. Caldicot win the resulting line out and push towards the line but are repulsed by Cwmbran who clears there lines with a relieving kick. However, Caldicot gather the ball and counter attack with some good handling by the backs puts Barney into space who is tackled short of the line by some very good Cwmbran defence, and drops the ball just short of the try line. A well deserved try goes surely begging for Caldicot. Another injury to a Cwmbran player who takes leave of the pitch, and as Cwmbran do not have any replacements, both teams drop down to 13-a-side, meaning there are no flankers on either side.

Scrum to Cwmbran for the knock-on. From the scrum, Cwmbran opt to counter attack from deep within the 22, and swift hands through there back sends there number 12 on a length of the pitch run. Caldicot chases reach out stretch arms, but to no avail and the number 12 scores a stunning individual try in the corner. After pressurising the Cwmbran line and both forwards and backs working well, it seems a bit unfair for Caldicot to concede a try at this point in the game. 10 nil to Cwmbran, but unfortunately, the Cwmbran number 12 fails to covert its own effort, and the score remains at 10 nil.

At this point, Jordan Fuller goes off in the second row to replace by Jo Ross, and Jack Herbert goes off to be replaced by Adam Davies. Caldicot restart and excellent hanging ball is put up into the air by Liam for the Caldicot forwards to run onto, but again Caldicot infringe at the resulting ruck and penalty award to Cwmbran who put it to touch. Again the forwards steal the ball and push into the Cwmbran half, only for Cwmbran to steal the ball and counter attack from inside there own half. The attack is gaining momentum but is stifled out by good solid tackling from Caldicot.

The game is being played at a high tempo, with play moving back and forth from one side of the pitch to the other with Caldicot looking to get some points on the board for there efforts. Sadly it’s not to be as yes, you’ve guessed, they give away another penalty at the ruck and another promising attack fizzles out. At this point there’s another injury to a Cwmbran player and the warm sun shine is taken its toll, with players taking on much needed water.

From the resulting tap penalty, Cwmbran attack down the left hand side, but again sterling defensive work by Caldicot halts the move. Benjamin Mckeon-Williams takes a well deserve break and is replaced by Jordan Fuller. Attacking ball to Cwmbran at the Scrum and they press towards the Caldicot line looking for a third try. Again excellent tackling stops the move, but the ball is not coming back from the ruck. Scrum to Cwmbran who attack using the blind-side, but the defence is well up and stop the attack. However, this time at the ruck Caldicot are given the penalty when Cwmbran infringe.

With time now running short, Caldicot opt to run the ball and through swift hands get the backs moving into the Cwmbran half, but sadly the attack is stop and Cwmbran push play into touch. The whistle blows and its full time. Final score Caldicot nil – Cwmbran 10.

Cwmbran gain revenge for losing both fixtures last season and Caldicot fail to get there season off to a winning start. All in all a good effort both from forwards and backs alike considering this was there first game together; the new recruits did well, and with more effort and a greater team sprit can move on from this match and use this experience of losing as a valuable lesson for the forth coming season.

Man of Match (and the author is not baise here!): Benjamin Mckeon-Williams! Well done –keep up the excellent work!!!

Report by Mike Mckeon-Williams