Cardiff gained a bonus point win at the Arms Park in an entertaining game with Aberavon.
Before the game the coaching staff had said that this would be a tough challenge and that was certainly the case straight from the kick off. The Wizards sent a short ball up, recovered it and from a short range lineout Andrew Waite powered over, Aled Thomas added the extras.
That woke Cardiff up and they were back within a point a few minutes later after two Jacob Beetham penalties. The Blue & Blacks went in front a few minutes later. A lineout drive in the visitors twenty-two was moved into midfield and when Dan Fish fizzed the ball across the line Beetham was in a gap. A little juggle and the fullback was under the posts for a try that he converted. A second try followed shortly after. Another lineout near the line was driven towards the Aberavon line and Alun Rees was at the back to crash over for a converted score.
Aberavon had their own weapon, however. The scrum was regularly going forward and when they got near the Cardiff line it yielded a penalty, but playing advantage allowed them to get Chris Banfield over for a score just on half time.
It was the scrum that was to put the Wizards ahead early in the second half. A series of scrums and a yellow card for Cardiff meant referee Adam Jones had no option other than to go under the posts for a penalty try.
Then came Cardiff’s purple patch three tries that could all be contenders for try of the season. Fish started the first deep in his own half, setting James Beal away. The winger ran hard and beat several defenders. As he got towards the line the cover was coming but his superbly timed pass allowed Ethan Lloyd to score Cardiff’s third.
The bonus point try was an individual effort. Again, Cardiff were in their own half but Ellis Bevan spotted space and when Theo Cabango latched onto the ball in his own half, he used his searing pace to beat three players to score. The fifth try came a few minutes later. This time Beetham showed what he can do given time on the ball. Receiving the ball on half way his beautifully judged grubber kick was behind the defence and when he was able to gather it and outpace the last defender the try line was at his mercy. The conversion from wide out drifted just wide.
Aberavon did have the last say as Joe Thomas scored late on but it was Cardiff and Beetham’s day as the full back picked up the man of the match award in a 41-28 win.
Post-Match Interviews
Alex Everett and Rhys Anstey
Jacob Beetham