Cardiff came back from the long trip to North Wales with a place in the last eight of the National Cup.
Choosing to play into the strong wind it was the Blue & Blacks who were first on the scoreboard. Having withstood the early RGC onslaught they were rewarded with a penalty that cleared their lines. From the lineout scrappy ball was mopped up by Gareth Thompson. The outside half managed to find a way through the crowd and draw the fullback before putting Joey Tomlinson clear. The hooker finished off the move and Thompson added the difficult conversion.
Back came RGC with a penalty of their own before the visitors extended their lead. The pack was starting to get on top in the set piece and from another lineout the catch and drive nearly took the ball all the way over, but when it was stopped there was space out wide that the Blue & Blacks exploited, Adam Jones going over. That looked like a healthy lead to take into half time, but RGC had other ideas. After a period of pressure, they were awarded a penalty and with advantage being played a cross field kick was superbly caught and touched down by Iolo Evans to send the home side in four point behind at the break.
Cardiff now had the wind at their backs and with Edd Howley launching the ball into the RGC half on regular occasions it was becoming increasingly hard for the home side to create anything. However, Cardiff mistake was to put RGC ahead. Having lost the ball in midfield Cardiff were forced to defend their line. RGC kept knocking but the Blue & Black defence held firm for nearly five minutes until eventually the line was breached and RGC took a three-point advantage, Iolo Evans again scoring the try, which this time was converted by McBride.
But the Blue & Blacks were still creating scoring chances and eventually they turned one of them into points. This time it was an RGC mistake that set it up. A loose kick landed in Howley’s hands, the fullback passed to Adam Jones and when the strong running centre got round the defenders his pass to LLywarch Ap Myrddin sent the winger in.
That lead was never to be surrendered and as the rain lashed into the faces of the home side they made more mistakes. Cardiff were attacking at every opportunity and when Max Llewellyn finished a sweeping move with a try in the corner the Blue & Blacks looked safe. Thompson added a penalty late in the game but for RGC there was no way back and the Blue & Blacks set off on the long journey home happy with the day’s work.
TD (Thomas Davies) made his 20th appearance of the season to earn his Cardiff cap.
Martin Roberts also won his cap when he made his 20th appearance of the season against RGC.