Cardiff RFC made it three wins from three after a scintillating first-half display against Pontypool RFC, winning 43-5 at the Cardiff Arms Park in Super Rygbi Cymru.
It was the first time since the 2022/23 season that the Blue and Blacks recorded a third successive victory at the start of the season; that time around it was against Pontypridd, Merthyr, and Newport RFC.
Cardiff headed into the contest after a thrilling 49-35 victory over Swansea RFC last Saturday, while Friday night’s visitors arrived in the Welsh capital after a 50-38 defeat against Bridgend Ravens.
Dan Fish made six changes to the starting XV, including two further positional switches from last weekend’s victory over the Whites, as youngster Alfie Prygodzicz made his Cardiff RFC debut.
The open-side was joined in the back-row by Lucas de la Rua and Gethyn Cannon. The front-row saw no changes, with Ioan Emanuel, Tom Howe and Tom Harper retaining their places, while captain Sean Moore moved back into the second-row alongside Tom Cottle.
Making his first start since facing Esher RFC in pre-season last August, Sion Davies started at scrum-half and formed a new starting half-back pairing with Ben Coomer.
Isaac Marsh, who scored in his first league appearance of the season, was joined by Tom Williams, who returned to the side after representing the Barbarians at the London City 7s competition.
Joe Goodchild moved back onto the wing to join Dewi Cross and Sonny Greenman in the back three. Alun Rees, Harry Fry and Louis Fletcher were named among the replacements, alongside Kobi Rees.
Kian Lloyd, who featured in both of Cardiff’s pre-season matches in August, was also included on the bench alongside Ethan Lloyd, Jason Harries and Iwan Pyrs-Jones.
Speaking after the encounter, head coach Fish said: “It was a tale of two halves.
“The first 40 minutes we delivered everything that we spoke about last night in training, and to be fair, in some of the phases in that first-half we were untouchable.
“It’s a big credit to the boys. But then we look at that second-half; it was 0-0. Obviously, when we play with our tempo and our speed, we get everything on the money; it shows what we can do in the first-half.
“Then in the second-half, if we get ground out and get into that dogfight, it obviously shows the other side of us as well.
“Great to get the win, Pontypool are a tough team, but extremely pleased with the first-half, and a little bit disappointed in that second-half.”
Story of the Game
With the sesquicentennial season celebrations well and truly underway for the Blue and Blacks, Kieran Meek got proceedings underway under the lights at the Cardiff Arms Park.
The hosts got off to a flying start, scoring in the opening minutes. Emanuel made a darting break, and after offloading to scrum-half Davies, the loose-head regathered and scored his second of the season.
Coomer, who was 100% from the tee last weekend, added the extras, and minutes later the Blue and Blacks scored their second. Following a brilliant break by inside-centre Marsh, who put the Blue and Blacks on the front foot, winger Goodchild then crossed for his first of the season.
Coomer couldn’t slot the extras, but after seven minutes, the hosts led 12-0. This start would have been particularly pleasing for head coach Fish, after their opening two matches of the season where they had to come from behind after both Carmarthen Quins (14) and Swansea (12) took early leads.
With that said, Cardiff then looked to score their third of the evening. After back-to-back penalties, hooker Howe almost crossed for his second of the season.
Then, after more ill-discipline from the visitors, Coomer kicked to the corner, Moore gathered, and this time Howe scored from the catch-and-drive, as Coomer slotted the extras.
Once again Pooler found themselves on the back foot, and this came from a brilliant break by winger Cross who almost dived over in the corner. From the resulting Pooler lineout, tight-head Harper gathered and scored his first of the season.
Coomer this time sent his shot wide, but the bonus point came within an impressive 16 minutes. However, before the opening quarter concluded, the Blue and Blacks scored their fifth of the game.
Blind-side Cannon crossed over to score, and Coomer kicked the extras, as the Blue and Blacks led 31-0 after 20 minutes. After the one-sided opening quarter, the visitors scored their first points of the evening, with Ben Williams scoring from close range.
This came after the visitors lost their captain Connor Edwards at the start of the second quarter. Referee Ben Whitehouse then reversed a Pooler penalty, and Coomer kicked upfield.
Scrum-half Davies broke away from the breakdown, as the hosts were once again on the front foot. De la Rua then expertly won a turnover penalty inside the visitors’ 22.
Despite being so clinical for large parts of the first-half, the Blue and Blacks were unable to capitalise further. That changed when Cross broke upfield again and kept the attack alive by offloading back inside for outside-centre Williams to gather, which eventually led to the Blue and Blacks’ sixth of the evening.
Coomer gathered and showed great skill to score his first try of the season, and he added the extras as Cardiff extended their lead to 33 points.
Player of the Match Prygodzicz then brilliantly gathered a well-crafted cross-field kick by Coomer, which was followed by Emanuel claiming his brace as Cardiff led by 38 points at the break after Coomer’s shot went wide.
HT: Cardiff RFC 43-5 Pontypool RFC
If there was a definition of what a game of two halves looks like, then the final 40 minutes in the Welsh capital is perhaps one of the clearest examples.
After Coomer got the second-half underway, the Blues and Blacks continued on the front foot but, frustratingly, could not find a way through. Then Fish made a number of changes after 50 minutes as the try-less third quarter neared its conclusion.
Pooler then found themselves with a lineout just outside the hosts’ 22, and after a few phases in what was frankly a rare attacking opportunity for the visitors, they lost possession as Cardiff regained it.
In the final quarter, Pontypool continued on the front foot, but, pleasingly for defence coach Craig Everett, they were unable to add to their solitary first-half score. This passage of play also included a powerful break by replacement Tiann Hall.
Within the closing exchanges, replacement Pyrs-Jones made a brilliant covering tackle after Pooler broke into the hosts’ 22. Prygodzicz shone around the breakdown with a turnover, and Coomer kicked to relieve pressure.
Cardiff continued to be strong in defence, and after a brilliant first-half showing, claimed a 43-5 victory, the first time since the 2022/23 season that they have started a season with three consecutive wins.
FT: Cardiff RFC 43-5 Pontypool RFC
Up next, the Blue and Blacks make the journey to the CiNER Glass Community Stadium to face Ebbw Vale RFC next Saturday (KO: 14:30).
