Fixture

RGC | 1st Team 32 - 24 Aberavon RFC | 1st Team
Daniel Owen
Try 1
Jacob Nikkola Kenny Botica
Conversion 2
Penalty 6
Chris Banfield
1 Try
Benjamin Alexander Thomas
1 Try
Steffen Williams
2 Conversion
1 Penalty

Match Report
16 September 2017 / Team News

RGC Claim Hard Fought Win

RGC made it 3 wins on the trot with a 32-24 victory against a strong Aberavon side at Stadiwm Zip World.

Assistant Coach Phil John gave credit to the players in seeing out the win after Jacob Botica hit 3 second half penalties to give RGC the win “We didn’t have to get any messages onto to the players as they knew what to do to see the game out, which is great from a coaching perspective. We worked hard in the contact area and did the right things at the right times.

“Looking at the whole game, the key was our territory. We played most of the game in the Aberavon half and when we did give penalties away it wasn’t in the danger areas”

Aberavon had won both games against RGC last season, and they looked dangerous from the opening minutes in Colwyn Bay again. The crossed the whitewash but the play was called back for a knock on to the relief of the home-crowd. If that was a let off for RGC, then it didn’t last long as referee Gwyn Morris gave the Wizards a penalty try after some pressure from the pack.

Much of the play was scrappy from both sides, with scrums, knock ons and loose passing being a major feature of play.

RGC got some points on the board with 2 penalties from Botica, as RGC took control of the game midway through the 1st half.

The home side were starting to move the ball around, but on a few occasions the final pass let them down.

The RGC scrum was starting to cause some damage as well, and the strong platform was allowing Schwarz to feed the backline. Dion Jones was collecting a few kicks and making some good yards with ball in hand.

Much of the play deserved a try, and it came in the 36th minute after a well worked move man of the match Dan Owen went over for his 1st senior try. Botica added the extras.

Winger Iolo Evans was next to test the Wizards as he made a good 40 yard sprint but was edged into touch with the tryline in sight.

The 2nd score came soon after when another member of the forwards boiler room picked up the try. Andrew Williams got it and Botica made it 23-7 at the break.

If RGC were on top at the end of the 1st half, they failed to get going at the start of the 2nd period.

Aberavon were the ones playing the positive rugby and the chased down RGC’s lead with tries from Thomas and Banfield. The boot of Steff Williams claimed the conversions and a penalty to put the visitors a point in front.

Much to RGCs credit they didn’t panic, and in seasons past the game would have slipped away from them. They regrouped and began to win the battle around the contact area. That physicality earned RGC 3 key penalties and Botica slotted a hatrick of penalties in the space of 5 minutes to take the game away from Aberavon.

Harri Evans danced down the wing evading a number of tackles much to the delight of the crowd. Tiaan Loots was also making some yards, but in a more direct way crashing through the tackles.

Try-scorer Andrew Williams was shown a yellow in the 70th minute, but in the end it made no difference to the result with RGC seeing out the game by stifling the Wizards attack.

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