Rugby Notes

Ebbw Vale's losing streak continued at Pontypridd with a 51-12 reversal. The last league win was back in December, and on Saturday’s showing it’s started to get to some of the team.

Poor Kristian Owen playing on the wing was terrorised by the Ponty backs, and probably half a dozen of their nine tries came from breaks down that side of the field.

The full match report is here. It doesn’t make pretty reading. To paraphrase the late, great Byron Denning, it would be best to cover the eyes of small children before clicking through.

Referee Colin Kirkhouse was doing his first game in the Premiership, and whilst he wasn’t perfect, he was far better than many I had the misfortune to see this season. And he ref’ed the game with a smile on his face. Oh, and it was nice to heckle Gareth Simmons running the line once again.

Aaron Bramwell has been in Hong Kong representing Wales in the Sevens, and he scored a try when Wales went down to England.

It doesn’t get any easier as next week Ebbw travel to Neath, a ‘tough ask’ for the fans right now. Easter weekend its Pontypool at home, which I’ll miss as I will be in Tresaith at the caravan.

Team: Andrew McLaughlan, Kristian Owen (capt), Peter Smith, Shaun Powell, Andrew Bevan, Dai Langdon, Llyr Lane; Anthony Lott, Richard Wilkes, Marc Jones; Jonathan Griffiths, Gavin Lucas; James Thomas, Rhys Jenkins, Rhys Williams. Subs: Aaron Coundley, Mathew WIlliams, Will Jones, Nick Eaves, Simon Pengelly, Andrew Williams, Ieuan Coombes.

Scorers: Tries for Richard Wilkes and sub (why was he a sub?) Simon Pengelly; one conversion for Wales U20 Dai Langdon.

My man of the match: Gavin Lucas, for getting some ball for Ebbw by consistenty robing Pontypridd’s lineout, despite the Ponty pack looking twice the size of our boys.