Saturday afternoon’s clash with Rygbi Gogledd Cymru 1404 felt like the biggest game so far this season for Cardiff RFC, and this comes after suffering back-to-back defeats.
However, it’s yet more frustration for the Blue and Blacks as they suffered their third home defeat of the season ahead of testing fixtures against Carmarthen Quins and Bridgend Ravens in the coming weeks.
Tries from Joe Goodchild, Alun Rees, Gavin Parry and seven points from the tee by Steff Crimp wasn’t enough as the Gogs recorded a hard-fought 28-22 victory at a windy and sodden Cardiff Arms Park.
Story of the Game
On an afternoon when several Cardiff RFC players faced Stade Français in the EPCR Challenge Cup in Paris, Dan Fish’s Blue and Blacks played their first Saturday Super Rygbi Cymru (SRC) game since November 1st against Llandovery.
As the rain swept at an angle due to the strong wind from the River Taff end of the ground, Billy McBryde got proceedings underway as the Blue and Blacks attacked into the wind for the first half.
It showed how much of a challenge playing into the wind was, with Ethan Lloyd’s box kick coming straight back to him in the opening exchanges.
Then, Dion Jones impressively intercepted and kicked upfield with Dewi Cross and Caio Parry chasing, but the ball was taken over the line for a five-metre scrum for the visitors.
McBryde then, from the scrum, offloaded to fullback Jones, who broke the deadlock after eight minutes. The hosts then responded accordingly moments later.
Hooker Rees broke upfield and brought the hosts to just outside the 22 as Cardiff were on the front foot for the first time in the encounter.
From several offloads and switching the direction of attack, winger Joe Goodchild scored his seventh of the season.
Crimp, who was starting his first game for the Arms Park side, expertly added the extras, which brought proceedings back level after 15 minutes.
McBryde then had a chance to put the Gogs back in front from a penalty around the halfway, but his shot went low and wide.
Following turning the ball over from a scrum on 21 minutes, Crimp kicked into the corner as the Blue and Blacks went hunting for their second.
From the catch and drive, Rees crossed for his sixth try of the season, with Crimp unable to add the extras as the hosts led 12-7 after the opening quarter.
The hosts then had back-to-back penalties into the corner, but the visitors regained possession as they halted the Blue and Blacks’ maul. With the resulting scrum, the visitors were then awarded a penalty.
McBryde missed touch as Goodchild gathered, but after working upfield, they were unable to capitalise as the hosts led 12-7 at the interval.
Cardiff 12-7 Rygbi Gogledd Cymru 1404
Now with the wind blowing behind them, Cardiff started the second half strongly. This came after a turnover from Craig Hudd with Crimp kicking into the corner.
RGC replacement Sam Williams was then penalised at the breakdown with Crimp kicking to the corner again. But, for the second time in the contest, the visitors turned the ball over.
Crimp slotted a penalty kick on 47 minutes, which saw the hosts’ lead grow to eight.
Williams then crossed the whitewash for the visitors from close range, with McBryde adding the extras to make it a one-point game after 50 minutes.
Following a break by replacement loosehead Gareth Parry, who eventually offloaded to McBryde, who finished off a brilliant segment of play for the visitors, as RGC were back in front before the hour mark.
Winger Sam Jones was shown a yellow card, as the hosts were metres from the whitewash. After yet another catch and drive, Parry, who was only on for a matter of minutes, scored his third of the season.
Crimp added the extras with the hosts in front 22-21 in the closing moments. This was soon followed by the visitors crossing for their fourth of the contest as replacement scrum half, Conor Dever, scored.
As the clock then went into the red, Cardiff had one last chance to score their fourth after claiming a penalty from a scrum around halfway.
Crimp once again put a brilliant kick into the corner, which found the Blue and Blacks five metres out.
In a nervy ending for both, tensions high, James Brown regained possession for RGC at the lineout as the Gogs claimed their first league win at the Arms Park since 2018.
FT: Cardiff 22-28 Rygbi Gogledd Cymru 1404