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27 March 2018 / Club News

PORTHCAWL 55 GLAIS 5

Porthcawl warmed up for their WRU Bowl semi-final next Saturday against Abercwmboi, with a convincing win over Glais, in a match that will be remembered as much for the abrupt ending as for the outstanding Rugby played by the home side.

The match, played with passive scrums from the outset due to Glais’ lack of a full front row, was barely two minutes old when lock Will Robinson nabbed the first try with good support play, Josh White’s conversion sailing just wide and 5-nil.

Seaweeds chief playmaker Jon Phillips was next on the score sheet, as he finished off a fine piece of back play, pirouetting through two tackles to cross at the posts, White converting for 12-0.

With the Porthcawl pack rampant and providing a steady stream of possession, Phillips’ centre partner Aled Davies stayed out wide to take a superb long miss pass from White, to canter in untouched for a try goaled by White and 17-nil after 30 minutes.

Glais seemed to have a limited game plan behind the scrum and failed to make any real headway until their committed pack got reward for pressure near the Porthcawl line, flanker Dai Evans crashing over for the try that brought it to 17-5 at the break.

The second half soon saw the home side extend their lead as a sustained attack saw Aled Davies chip over the approaching Glais defence, his deft kick being snapped up by Phillips to cross wide out, with White’s huge conversion off touch improving the margin to 24-5.

The pick of the Porthcawl pack was No.8 Leon McNally whose outstanding effort in attack allied to his 22 tackle count in the match, saw him make a superb 60 metre break through midfield, with his support runners inter-passing then McNally himself finishing the move to cross for a glorious try, converted by White with another towering kick and at 31-5, there would be no way back for Glais.

White, who was having a good day with the boot, showed his accomplished skills, as he made a searing break through the midfield, the ball eventually ending in the hands of wing Jack Power, who flew over for the try from 35 metres out, White’s conversion just wide and the score now at 43-5, with Glais struggling to cope, as injuries set in.

With Porthcawl ringing the changes, Nick Nutman on at lock for Robinson, latched onto a break by Skipper and fellow lock Richard Hnyda, to put scrum half Morgan Heylock, effective behind his pack throughout the match, in for a deserved try, White’s conversion hitting the post, the score now 48-5.

It was Nutman himself who nabbed the final try at the posts, following good work between Hnyda and Jake Furness, White converting for 55-5 before the match came to an abrupt end, Referee Anthony Price calling a halt to proceedings with fully 15 minutes seemingly left on the clock, to howls of protests from Porthcawl players and supporters alike. With try count possibly being be crucial if promotion places are tight, come the end of the season,  Porthcawl will ask the WRU to investigate.   

It’s onto a neutral venue for Porthcawl on Saturday as they strive to reach the Bowl Final at the Principality Stadium for the very first time, the WRU to confirm the venue at the time of writing. Coach Rhys James will keep his team’s feet securely on the ground in preparation, whilst Porthcawl supporters will come out in droves for what could be a momentous day in the Club’s history.   

 

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