Cardiff RFC scored five times to extend their perfect unbeaten start to five after a 35-12 win over Carmarthen Quins at Cardiff Arms Park, moving them to the top of the Super Rygbi Cymru (SRC) table.
The Blue and Blacks headed into the contest against the Quins with confidence. This followed a dominant second-half performance last Saturday against Ebbw Vale RFC, in which they claimed a memorable 59-14 win that lifted them to second in the SRC table.
Four weeks on from their last meeting with the Quins, Cardiff would have remembered their hard-fought bonus-point win at Carmarthen Park, which had kick-started their 150th season.
Hooker Tom Howe returned to the side after making his senior debut against Zebre Parma last Friday night in the United Rugby Championship. He was joined in the front-row by Ioan Emanuel and Louis Fletcher.
This was tight-head Fletcher’s first competitive start in a blue and black jersey, after coming off the bench in the first four matches of the SRC season. Tom Cottle and Sean Moore continued their second-row partnership.
Meanwhile, one change came in the back row, with Ben Fry returning for the first time since facing the Quins in West Wales. He joined captain Craig Hudd and Alfie Prygodzicz to complete the pack.
After scoring against the Steelmen last weekend, Sion Davies returned to the starting line-up alongside Lloyd Lucas in the half-back pairing.
Joe Goodchild, nearing a century of appearances for the Blue and Blacks, wore the thirteen jersey for the second time this season, joined in midfield by returning Tom Williams.
Iwan Pyrs-Jones made his first start since facing Swansea RFC in the Blue and Blacks’ first home game of the season, lining up on the wing alongside Dewi Cross. Ben Coomer started at full-back in place of Matty Young.
Nathan Hudd returned to the matchday squad for the first time since facing the Whites. He was joined among the replacements by Ethan Coombes, Harry Fry, Tom Harper, Tirion Bowen, Ethan Lloyd, Sonny Greenman and Jason Harries.
Speaking following the encounter, head coach Dan Fish said: “Happy with the result, but not the performance today.
“On the back of what we done in Ebbw Vale last week, and the week before against Pontypool, it wasn’t a crisp performance from us due to Carmarthen Quins.
“They fought for everything in that first-half, and we couldn’t put our stamp on the game. Then just after half-time I thought we were really good.
“Obviously we had a little talk at half-time, and I thought we reacted really well in the next ten, fifteen minutes.
“But if you turn up and your mindset is not right and the attitude is not there, any team in this league will beat you.
“It was important that we came away with the result in the end, but like I said, plenty to work on that performance.”
Story of the Game:
In front of one of the biggest and raucous crowds so far this season for the Blue and Blacks, Quins outside-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones got proceedings underway. The hosts’ start wasn’t the prettiest, as they attacked into the wind.
That said, after some handling mistakes and with the visitors on the front foot, Cardiff calmly absorbed the early pressure with brilliant breakdown work. Jayden Brown then put a testing kick in behind, earning the Quins great field position, but Player of the Match for his third consecutive match, Prygodzicz, regathered possession at the breakdown.
Frustratingly, the hosts couldn’t capitalise. Moments later, outside-half Lucas kicked upfield, followed by a catch-and-drive, and after a few phases, the opening points of the contest were scored. Wearing the 15-jersey, Coomer gathered and outstandingly raced over for his second of the season in the corner.
From an acute angle, Lucas added the extras, giving Cardiff a seven-point lead after 11 minutes. The Quins then kicked upfield again and regained possession after the Blue and Blacks were penalised. However, the visitors couldn’t build on their first real chance and fumbled possession.
Inside-centre Williams was then shown a yellow card at the start of the second quarter, and the Quins soon scored their first of the afternoon. With the numerical advantage, Iori Badham put the visitors metres from the whitewash, and after a few phases the winger crossed for a deserved score by the visitors.
Leggatt-Jones added the extras just before the 30-minute mark to level the contest. Once again, Prygodzicz turned the ball over after showing his strength and intelligence, putting Cardiff on the front foot. Despite showing positivity in attack, the hosts did not capitalise.
Before the break, loose-head Emanuel made a brilliant break inside and offloaded to Prygodzicz. Continuing on the front foot, scrum-half Davies received the ball next before Lucas gathered, and the Blue and Blacks found themselves inside the Quins’ 22.
However, the hosts were penalised around the breakdown, keeping the contest level at the break.
HT: Cardiff RFC 7-7 Carmarthen Quins
After making no changes at the break, the Blue and Blacks didn’t take long to score their second. With the wind from the River Taff end of the ground behind them, a delayed pass from Lucas to number eight, Fry, set up open-side Prygodzicz, who carried well up into the Quins’ 22.
Then, from a lineout moments later, winger Cross scored his fifth of the season in the corner. Once again, Lucas shone from distance to slot the extra two points, reclaiming Cardiff’s seven-point lead after 43 minutes.
The Quins were then penalised around the halfway line, and Cardiff kept the pressure on. After brilliant build-up play from Cross and Davies, the scrum-half scored his second of the season, and Lucas remained 100% from the tee to extend the hosts’ lead to 14 points.
Try-scorer Cross was again involved in building the Blue and Blacks’ bonus-point score after 50 minutes. The winger masterfully regathered possession around his own 22, breezed past the Quins defence, and then kicked upfield to create an expertly crafted 50-22.
From the resulting catch-and-drive, hooker Howe scored his third try of the season, as Lucas continued adding the extras. Despite conceding 21 points in a short period, scrum-half Alfie Luger showed brilliant pace and almost scored the visitors’ second of the afternoon, but Cardiff turned the ball over.
The Quins’ second then came after the hour mark. Badham showed his pace and footballing skills to cross the whitewash and claimed his brace. Leggatt-Jones added the extras, which reduced the deficit to 16 points.
In the final 10 minutes, replacement Harries showed incredible strength as he crossed the whitewash, but referee Lucas Yendle deemed it held up. However, in the closing exchanges, Cardiff scored their fifth of the afternoon.
After showing great attacking intent throughout the contest, winger Pyrs-Jones scored his first of the season after stepping back inside and cutting through the visitors’ defence. With Lucas replaced, Coomer added the extras to secure the Blue and Blacks’ fifth straight victory, winning 35-12 in Cardiff.
The Blue and Blacks remain the league’s only unbeaten team and have moved into pole position after Newport RFC suffered a thumping 65-28 defeat to Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC) in Colwyn Bay.
FT: Cardiff RFC 35-12 Carmarthen Quins
Up next for the Blue and Blacks is a quick five-day turnaround as they travel to St Helen’s for a highly anticipated clash against Swansea RFC next Thursday (KO: 19:30).
