Match Report – Ebbw Vale RFC 24 Carmarthen Quins 7

Ebbw win again

Ebbw Vale eventually wore Carmarthen Quins down in the first round of the SRC cup, to claim six points in a game played in all different weather conditions.

The away side were quick out of the blocks, winning clean ball and piling on the pressure early on. However, they were unable to convert their early pressure into points, with flying half Osian Jones sending the ball wide of the posts.

With the Steelmen in possession of the ball on the half-way line, quick ball and a quick pass by number eight Lewis Young to number ten Evan Lloyd, saw the Ebbw outside half in space with an overlap. A lovely break by Lloyd, saw the fly half draw the covering defenders and throw an audacious out of the back of the hand pass to the supporting scrum half Gruff Tough. With no defenders in front of him Tough went over unopposed to score his first try for the club. Lloyd added the extra two points.

The only other points of the first half came through a Rhys Fawcett try for the Quins after a sustained amount of pressure. Replacement Elis Payne brought the score level at seven a piece.

On the stroke of half time a tackle into touch on Ebbw winger Ewan Bowden, saw the number fourteen be helped off at the interval.

Half-time: Ebbw Vale RFC 7 Carmarthen Quins RFC 7

The hosts were forced into a change at the beginning of the second half with winger Ryan Gardner replacing the unfortunate Bowden.

Further changes by stand in Ebbw Vale head coach Aaron Coundley saw props Morgan Davies and Adam Williams replace Adam Court and Luke Garrett. Number eight Lewis Young came off for Jacob Hopkins, second row Dylan Bartlett replaced Gethin Williams and Sion Parry came on for Ewan Mcintyre.

Carmarthen were reduced to fourteen men due to ill discipline when referee Matthew Leon showed Quins replacement Iestyn Wood a yellow card.

The hosts were to take advantage of the numerical advantage, when after applying pressure on the away sides line, saw replacement Jacob Hopkins use his strength to barge over the line out wide. Lloyd was unsuccessful with the conversion from out wide.

Ebbw Vale replaced scrum half Gruff Tough with Rory Harries midway through the half.

Further sustained pressure from the Steelmen forwards resulted in prop Morgan Davies picking up the ball from a ruck and powering over the line to score the home sides third try. Lloyd was unable to add the two points.

The final try of the game came in the closing moments. With the Ebbw forwards having the grit between their teeth, an all mity push at the scrum on the five-metre line, saw the Carmarthen pack go back at a rate of nots. With the ball at his feet replacement number eight Hopkins dived on the ball to score Ebbw’s bonus point try. Lloyd successfully kicked the conversion to bring the game to a close.

Full-time: Ebbw Vale RFC 24 Carmarthen Quins RFC 7

Ebbw Vale next travel to Pontypool Park to play Pontypool RFC in both teams second game of the group on Saturday 15^th February 2025, with kick off at 2:30pm.

Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans