Cardiff RFC silenced the boisterous away support in their first Super Rygbi Cymru game of 2026, as they recorded a convincing six-point bonus point win at the Cardiff Arms Park.
Joe Goodchild scored on his 80th appearance as a Blue and Black and was accompanied by tries from Alun Rees, Evan Rees, Elijah Evans, Dewi Cross, and Gwilym Bradley, and seven points from the tee by Player of the Match Harri Wilde secured a 37-19 win.
Speaking after the encounter, head coach Dan Fish said: “Outstanding.
“I challenged the boys before the game; we had to be on top of our game today against a very good Ebbw Vale side.
“We knew what the challenges they were going to possess, but I thought the boys stood up when it mattered today and delivered an outstanding performance.”
Story of the Game
Following last Friday’s meeting with Wales U20s, Fish made nine changes to his starting XV with Craig Hudd returning to captain the side. As the rain eased off from the early morning/afternoon downpour in the Welsh capital, outside half Wilde got proceedings underway in Cardiff.
Ill discipline cost the visitors in the opening exchanges, as referee Keith David awarded a penalty to the Blue and Blacks around the halfway, which Wilde kicked up into the 22. Then, following yet another penalty after pressurising the Steelmen’s defence, Alun Rees, from a catch and drive, crossed after four minutes.
Ebbw Vale then had their first real attack of the match minutes later, and this came from the hosts being penalised at a scrum just outside their own 22. From the resulting drive after the kick into the corner, captain Craig Hudd expertly turned the ball over, which relieved pressure on the Blue and Blacks.
Then, following some smartness from Sean Moore after the visitors called a mark inside their own 22, Cardiff had a scrum. Following more ill discipline by the visitors, Evan Rees scored his first try of the season on the 12-minute mark.
Shortly later in the first half, after regathering possession outside centre, Evans showed his speed and great footwork to race over for his third of the season brilliantly.
This time around, Wilde slotted the extras as the Blue and Blacks went into a healthy 17-point lead. Before the half-hour mark, Joseff Jones created yet another attacking threat for the hosts, but the winger was unable to regather possession following a kick in behind.
Prior to halftime, Ebbw Vale eventually crossed over the whitewash to reduce the deficit to five points heading into the interval. Morgan Richards and Sion Parry both scored, with Evan Lloyd adding just one of the extras.
HT: Cardiff 17-12 Ebbw Vale
In an evenly exchanged opening to the third quarter, with both sides sharing possession equally, it wasn’t until the 59-minute mark that there was a score. Cross brilliantly scored his tenth of the season in the corner after continuous pressure and some good handling from the Blue and Blacks.
Following a kick in behind, Goodchild then gathered and scored his eighth of the season on his 80th appearance as a Blue and Black. Wilde, who earlier in the second half was unable to slot a penalty, added the extras as Cardiff reclaimed their 17-point lead after the hour mark.
Outside half Wilde then slotted a further three points from the tee before the final ten minutes. After kicking into the 22, with a matter of minutes left on the clock, the Blue and Blacks scored their sixth of the contest.
This came following a brilliant build-up play from hooker Rees, who broke up the touchline from the lineout, and he eventually offloaded back inside for Bradley to score his first try since 2022 for Cardiff RFC.
Replacement Joe Williams then found himself sent off for ten minutes, and this was followed by Dylan Edwards scoring the visitors’ third of the afternoon. This proved insufficient, as the Blue and Blacks recorded their fourth consecutive SRC triumph.
The Blue and Blacks make the long journey up north next week as they take on Rygbi Gogledd Cymru as they begin their SRC cup campaign.
FT: Cardiff 37-19 Ebbw Vale