Monthly Archives: March 2022
Ebbw travel to the Talbot Athletic Ground this week, where they’ll face cup finalists Aberavon. Aberavon have been taken on once already this season, way back in the pre-season preparations, Ebbw nicking a 29-26 victory on the south coast.
The Wizards have proven tough opposition for everyone this season, winning 12 of their 14 games across both competitions. Avon are unbeaten in their previous three games, having rounded off wins against Carmarthen and Llanelli with a one-point victory in the cup against Llandovery.
Ebbw also enter on fairly good form having beaten both Swansea and Llandovery in recent weeks, with last weekend’s action against Bridgend called off due to a front row player shortage – the right call given we all want to see games played with no relegation this season.
The Steelmen will be refreshed having had a couple of weeks off heading into the final month of the season and Jason and the boys are hoping for a good turnout to support the lads, “Whenever you’ve got good support, the main part of that is the team needs to do that on the pitch. Ebbw Vale will always get good crowds, but that’s up to us to get the crowd back here and supporting, not up to them.”
You can still book a space on the supporters bus by giving Angharad a call 07815163355 and let’s make the Wizards #FEELTHESTEEL!!!
Bridgend Ravens Indigo Premiership clash with Ebbw Vale at Ciner Glass Community Stadium this Saturday has been postponed.
By mutual agreement of both clubs, the game has been postponed on health and safety grounds following front row unavailability at the Ravens. Bridgend have been left with no fit tighthead props, with all options exhausted with injuries and positive Covid cases hampering the Ravens’ selection.
Bridgend Ravens are thankful to our local partner clubs, the Ospreys and our fellow Premiership clubs for their efforts in sourcing permit players to help fulfil the fixture.
We’d like to thank Ebbw Vale for their understanding and we will announce a rearranged date for the fixture in due course.
Ebbw host Bridgend Ravens this Saturday as afternoon rugby returns to the CiNER GLASS Community Stadium. Both sides will be eager to get the win, the hosts aiming to make it three in a row for the first time this season whilst Bridgend will be hoping to make amends after a 50-point walloping last week at the hands of Pontypridd.
Bridgend have won just once this season, against a strong RGC side just a few weeks ago, and so Jason and the lads will be aware of the threats they bring and will want to utilise a strong crowd to boost them to victory.
“Whenever you’ve got good support, the main part of that is the team needs to do that on the pitch. Ebbw Vale will always get good crowds, but that’s up to us to get the crowd back here and supporting, not up to them,” said Jason.
The players will be rested and U20s will have returned from injury, so there will be a full squad to choose from barring a few names.
“Ten days recovery is needed by the players. We’ll have the weekend off and then back in Tuesday and Thursday. We just needed to get our process and attitude process; nothing is about the opposition at the moment,” added Chippy.
Ebbw currently sit ninth, but a win could see them climb as high as seventh. Bridgend sit at the foot of the table but need just two points to get off the bottom.
The last time the sides met was in December 2019, Bridgend taking the spoils at Eugene Cross Park that afternoon, 18-15. Let’s hope the result proves different this weekend and let’s make the Ravens #FEELTHESTEEL!!!!
Supporters can buy match tickets in advance here: https://www.evrfc.co.uk/product/indigo-welsh-premiership-saturday-26th-march-bridgend/
By Rob Rees
Ebbw claimed back-to-back victories for the first time since September as they coasted to a 27-15 victory over Cup semi-finalists Llandovery.
The Steelmen lived up to their name, putting the Drovers’ scrum to the sword immediately, with Matthew Flanagan darting over for a try, converted by Evan Lloyd.
Lloyd soon added three further points from the tee as the hosts pressure started to mount. The scrum being utilised as a platform for attack, a brilliant training park move came off when Evan Lloyd broke through midfield to set Joe Westwood up for a try on his return to the green, red and white strip.
The first half came to an end when both Ebbw’s Mike Powell and Llandovery’s Ricky Guest were shown red cards for an altercation.
17-0 at half time.
The second half started slower, both sides taking time to adjust to the extra space. Despite the pressure it was Rhodri Wall who scored next, getting the visitors on the scoresheet. Lloyd once again converted a penalty to keep them at bay, the bank sounding better than it has for some time.
Wall soon got his brace before Lewis Kinsella scored his first try for the Steelmen, Lloyd’s conversion seeing the game out.
Discussing the win Jason Strange said, “I’m really pleased with the result, the players worked hard for each other and lots of strong individual performances. We’d have taken that score pre-game, but disappointed not to take the bonus point in the end as I felt we deserved it.
“We’re focusing on the performance and we’re going in the right direction. The players who came in made a real impact. Aaron Coundley was physical, Joe Westwood also had a great first half.
“I’d give our first half 8 or 9 out of 10, second half the game lost its shape due to the red cards. The fight and the spirit were brilliant.
“Whenever you lose a wing, you’ve got two options. You either drop a forward off or replace the wing with another back, but due to the set piece dominance, we decided to keep the pack full which compromised other areas.
“Hopefully we can fit the Welsh U20s back into the team, and they’ll come into a settled team and add to the depth which is important.”
MOTM: Dave Whiting
By Rob Rees
Ebbw Vale Side To Play Llandovery
Your Steelmen side to take on Llandovery tomorrow evening 7:30pm at CiNER GLASS Community Stadium in the Indigo Welsh Premiership.
Follow updates of the game, follow our social media channels on Twitter @evrfc OR Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SteelmanRugby
Pre Purchase tickets for the game here https://bit.ly/3IfK1H5
Team:
15 Dafydd Howells
14 Jordan Thomas
13 Joe Westwood
12 Dom Franchi ©
11 Mike Powell
10 Evan Lloyd
9 Matthew Flanagan
8 Alex Grey
7 Joe Thomas
6 Dan Hill
5 Ethan Doyle
4 Lance Randall
3 Dave Whiting
2 Mikhail Blake
1 Arron Coundley
Replacements
16 Lewis Kinsella
17 Joel Harries
18 Rob Sevenoaks
19 Corey Talbot
20 Gethin Williams
21 Jonathan Evans
22 Oliver Andrews
23 Dan Haymond
Ebbw return to Thursday night action as they host cup semi-finalists Llandovery. The Steelmen will enter in good spirits after a hard-fought victory over Swansea last weekend, whilst the Drovers come off the back of a quarter-final win against Pontypridd in the cup.
Llandovery have always been notoriously difficult to beat up front, and Thursday will be no different, especially with a heavy pitch, slightly cut up following the weekend’s action.
The re-scheduled game will be the first meeting of the sides since January 2020, where the sides drew 10-10 at Church Bank, with Ebbw winning the first tie at home that season.
Llandovery site five points ahead of Ebbw in the table having played a game less and will be favourites topping their Indigo Group Premiership Cup West division by a point over Aberavon.
Incidentally, both sides’ last Premiership game this season has been a win, and Llandovery only enter the tie off the back of a couple of victories virtue of their outstanding cup tie versus Pontypridd.
Looking ahead to the tie Jason Strange was in a positive mood; “It’s a matter of learning from this game, understand what we can improve and enter Llandovery off one training session whilst focusing on ourselves.
“We need that desire to get better. They’re a team who like to throw the ball around, but on this field that could prove difficult, so for us we don’t want to focus too much on the opposition, we need to look at what we do well.”
By Rob Rees
Ebbw claimed victory over the All Whites as they eased out 14-5 victors at the CiNER GLASS Community Stadium. With the ground heavy underfoot and a northerly wind capable of launching a hot air balloon without assistance was never going to make for a flowing game.
Nevertheless, it was the hosts who got the scoreboard ticking after some heavy forward pressure told with Alex Grey going over, converted by Rhys Jones. Not to be outdone, Swansea soon retaliated with a try of their own, but minus the conversion.
Most of the action took place in the middle third of the park, with plenty of rugby tennis seeing out the minutes. It wasn’t until Ebbw had a succession of scrums in the clubhouse corner that anyone looked like scoring. It wasn’t to be, the visitors held out and Ebbw went in 7-5 up.
It took 20 minutes before the next, and final score would follow. The field fatiguing the forwards and limiting back play. Ebbw also hindered with Dan Haymond, Ethan Phillips and Rhys Jones all leaving the field with injuries.
Daf Howells bagged himself another Ebbw try when he clattered over at the cricket end, Evan Lloyd’s conversion taking it to a two-score game. The host held out for a win that sees them leapfrog Llanelli and Swansea in the table.
Speaking after the game, Head Coach Jason Strange said, “pleased with the result, we had a lot of disruption in the backline losing Dan and Ethan within half an hour, which always takes some adapting, then losing Rhys just after half time. Overall, it was a good performance, we controlled the game and looked a lot more assured and is all part of a longer journey.
“We all want to be winning comfortably, but it’s small steps for now. Our front five looked good, Ethan Doyle was awesome. In conditions like this your forwards win or lose you the game and full credit to the pack, they went well. Our lineout improved massively from last week.
“Winning gives us confidence, Swansea stuck in there and are a young team who made it difficult for us.
“It’s still early yet, but Ethan’s injury looked nasty, Dan was just a dead leg and some of the forwards were fatigued.”
By Rob Rees
The Steelmen welcome Swansea to the CiNER GLASS Community Stadium on Saturday for a much welcomed 2.30pm kick-off. Supporters are reminded that the hospitality session with Dai Llewellyn, Nick Wakeley and Lenny Woodard starts at midday and food will be served from 12:45 for those who have bought tickets.
The All Whites last made the trip to Ebbw Vale back in 2019, resulting in a 13-10 victory for the visitors. Jason Strange’s men will be hoping for a different result this time round. Swansea sit 9th, just one point ahead of Ebbw. As such a win is crucial for both sides to gather some momentum heading into the second half Premiership games.
There may be no relegation this season but turning wins into momentum ahead of next season will be a major goal.
Ebbw enter the game following a disappointing result up north, but performances have increased in quality since the turn of the year, with a win against Llanelli, before pushing Newport all the way on TV.
Let’s make sure to pack the bank and let Swansea #FEELTHESTEEL!!!
You can purchase your match tickets ahead of time here; Indigo Welsh Premiership – Saturday 12th March – Swansea | EVRFC
By Rob Rees
Ebbw Vale Side To Play Swansea
Your Steelmen side to take on Swansea this Saturday 12th March 14:30pm at CiNER Glass community stadium in the Indigo Welsh Premiership.
Pre purchase tickets here https://www.evrfc.co.uk/product/indigo-welsh-premiership-saturday-12th-march-swansea/
The Side:
15 Dan Haymond
14 Carrick McDonough
13 Dom Franchi ©
12 Ethan Phillips
11 Dafydd Howells
10 Rhys Jones
9 Jonathan Evans
8 Alex Grey
7 Joe Thomas
6 Dan Hill
5 Ethan Doyle
4 Lance Randall
3 Dave Whiting
2 Mikhail Blake
1 Joel Harries
Replacements
16 Lewis Kinsella
17 Ross Jones
18 Rob Sevenoaks
19 Corey Talbot
20 Gethin Williams
21 Matthew Flanagan
22 Evan Lloyd
23 Ryan Evans
On Saturday for our home game against Swansea we are hosting our sponsors event at the club before the game. There will be a Q&A with former Ebbw Vale favourites scrum half David Llewellyn, Winger Lenny Woodard and former player and coach Nick Wakley! There will also be a guess the score competition and a one course meal before the game.
Arrival for the event will be from midday with food served from 12:45.
We have a couple of tables available for supporters to book, for just £10 per person (excludes match day ticket for supporters) you could be part of this enjoyable event! Individual places or group bookings can be made by contacting Gareth on the detail below. Bookings need to be made by Wednesday evening 6pm.
To book email marketing@evrfc.co.uk or call 07974873683
Ebbw Vale Side To Play RGC
Your Steelmen side to take on RGC this Saturday 14:30pm at Parc Eirias in the Indigo Welsh Premiership.
Follow updates of the game, follow our social media channels on Twitter @evrfc and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SteelmanRugby
The side:
15 Dan Haymond
14 Carrick McDonough
13 Ryan Evans
12 Ethan Phillips
11 Dafydd Howells
10 Evan Lloyd
9 Jonathan Evans ©
8 Alex Howes
7 Joe Thomas
6 Dan Hill
5 Ethan Doyle
4 Lance Randall
3 Dave Whiting
2 Harry Bee
1 Joel Harries
Replacements
16 Liam Lewis
17 Ross Jones
18 Rob Sevenoaks
19 Corey Talbot
20 Alex Grey
21 Matthew Flanagan
22 Rhys Jones
23 Mike Powell
Travelling reserves:
Lewis Kinsella & Oliver Andrews
The performance was much better and you can start to see the side developing under Chippy and Co, Jason said “I thought we were really good value in the second half and nobody would have had any complaints if we had won or drew.