Fixture

Success in sport can often come from a great collective effort from a team but when success comes in more adverse times, it is the collective effort of the few that makes the reward a little sweeter. With almost a quarter of their squad unavailable through injury and illness, the Sports Under Twelves had to work extremely hard against a tough Rumney team who were making their first visit to the Bandstand Field.

 Rumney were keen to show their ambition and appetite for the running game as they moved the ball wide from the kick off. The Sports were however keen to show the quality of their defence as they closed the attack down.  Having closed the attack down the Sports then won the early ruck and mounted an attack of their own to take play into the Twenty-Two. They worked their way through several phases before putting Mackenzie Dent into space. He powered over the line for the try.

 Rumney continued to play their expansive game but could not break the gain line as the home team contained the attacks and their forwards mastered the ruck area. Sports half backs Iestyn John and Cian John were up quick onto their opponents with Harri Williams and Ieuan Pilliner putting in some early tackles along with centres Dylan Morgan and Callum Lewis. When Rumney were forced to kick, the Sports used the counter attack through full back Callum Jones.

Mackenzie Dent scored his and the Sports second try  when he picked up from a five-metre scrum and despite some valiant tackles from the Rumney forwards, he stretched out to ground the ball to extend the lead to ten nil. 

Rumney showed their quality as they hit back mid-way through the half with a try. Their inside centre made a break after receiving a ball from a scrum. The conversion was added to bring them within three points.  It was now game on and both sides contested for everything. They produced some quality entertainment for the home and strong contingent of travelling support.

 Bridgend Sports scored again when forwards, Thomas Coles, Megan Lewis, Harri Williams, Mackenzie Dent then centre Callum Lewis on the crash set up a ruck a couple of metres out. Scrum half Iestyn John then saw a space to score on the blind.

Leading 15 – 7 at half time, the Sports controlled possession. Good work up front from Thomas Coles, Tyler Burton, Dylan Parry, Efan Dyer, Megan Lewis ably supported by  Abi Davies Jones now at scrum half, kept up the pressure.  Rumney refused to give up as both sides were competed for everything. With the adrenalin flowing, penalties were conceded by both teams which kept matters even.

 The Sports opted to kick one penalty to touch to take play five meters from the line. Mackenzie Dent drove over from the resultant lineout to score his hat trick and extend the lead to 20 points to 7. St Peters made a few changes and again mounted some attacks from deep in their half, but these were repelled.

Tyler Burton scored a try in consecutive games when he broke from a ruck close to the St Peters line to make the final score 25 – 7.  His try is a great testament of the Sports values as he continues to develop in a positive learning environment.

Another tough game awaits the Bridgend Sports Under Twelves next week when their depleted squad will make the short journey across the Bailey Bridge for a derby game against Bridgend Athletic.  Bridgend Sports Matchday Squad:  Abi Davies Jones; Callum Jones; Callum Lewis; Cian John; Dylan Morgan; Dylan Parry; Efan Dyer; Harri Williams; Iestyn John; Ieuan Pilliner; Mackenzie Dent; Megan Lewis; Morgan Edwards; Thomas Coles; Thomas Chick;  Tyler Burton.