Rugby Notes

A convincing 28-13 win for Ebbw Vale over Maesteg on Saturday. Four tries ensured a bonus point, and with other results going in our favour we have returned to the top of the Principality Premiership table.

Realising that the best way to beat Ebbw is to try to rough us up and hope the ref lets you get away with it, Maesteg set off with bully-boy tactics. Ref Neil Ballard was having none of it though (unlike refs at Glamorgan Wanderers and Cross Keys) and the first yellow was issued in the first 10 minutes. Another two yellows followed in the first half before Maesteg settled down and actually dominated a big chunk of the second half.

Ebbw’s young Aussie outside-half Mike Delore showed his skill in making a few line breaks, one of which started the best move of the game which led to a 75 yard try for Ebbw, but some of his distribution was wayward and so the backs had very little rhythm. Ebbw mostly played the tight game that has served them so well this season, and Neil Edwards, Will Thomas and student Will Jones were a handful in the line-out.

Maesteg’s best player was sub No. 8 Karl Hocking, who showed some great handling skills and set up their only try before being rather harshly yellow-carded (a grand total of 4 yellows for the day) in the dying minutes.

Match reports on the Ebbw Vale RFC website and the Western Mail (whose reporter was watching a different game). The reporter thought that Maesteg were “down to 13 men for seven minutes and 33 minutes with 14”. By my reckoning that’s 47 minutes of yellow cards, not 40. Obviously an ability to add up isn’t required in order to be the voice of the nation.

Next match is away at Bridgend on Saturday.

Scorers: Two first half tries for Ian George at the heart of a couple of rolling mauls, one for Bryan Shelbourne to cap a wonderful move, and the other 13 points from Aaron Bramwell through a try, a conversion and two penalties.

Man of the match: Ian George (pictured) – he terrorised the Maesteg scrum and was always in the thick of the action.