Bedwas 26 – 22 Llanelli
Saturday December 31, Bedwas
Bedwas put six tries past Llanelli to secure a place in the top-eight of the Principality Premiership with one match remaining before the division splits into two tiers.
Llanelli scored first with eight minutes on the clock as full-back Dion Jones gratefully snapped up a wayward pass to race away and touch down. Fly-half Billy McBryde’s conversion attempt went wide, keeping the difference at five.
The away side remained dominant in possession but couldn’t carve out any further scoring opportunities, and Bedwas hit back through their pack.
As the forwards edged their way to the try line, the ball was sent right for centre Mike Callow to cut through the Llanelli defence and score under the posts. Captain Richard Powell added the extras.
Three minutes later and Bedwas scored again, as some quick handling put winger Pat Lewis through to score in the corner. Powell’s conversion drifted wide.
The home side continued to dominate, and were rewarded with a third try when hooker Alun Rees burst through several tacklers to touch down from 25 metres. Powell missed his conversion, and the scores ticked over at 17-5.
The try-glut of the first half continued just five minutes later when Bedwas secured the bonus-point. Rees grabbed his second of the day as the beneficiary of a well-executed forward move.
From a lineout 35-metres out, the Bedwas pack drove all the way to the try-line and allowed Rees to touch down. Powell’s torrid afternoon from the tee continued, as he missed a third conversion.
Llanelli had the last word of the first half, as Jones burst through some suspect tackling to cross. McBryde added the extras to make the scoreline 22-12.
Bedwas started the second period at a blistering pace, and scored a comedic try just four minutes in. A Llanelli lineout five metres from their own try-line was thrown in before the line was set, and Rees reacted quickest to grab his hat-trick. Powell finally found his range, and added the conversion.
Winger Matthew John powered through a hole in the Llanelli defence to score Bedwas’s sixth try and a 24-point lead.
The home side took their foot off the gas with the game effectively won, and Llanelli took advantage with two late tries through replacements Ashley Evans and Rhodri Cole to clinch their own bonus point.
Bedwas face Cardiff at the Arms Park on Saturday January 7 safe in the knowledge that their position in the top eight is secure.
• Match report and photography by Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC.