Bedwas RFC 29 Ystrad Rhondda RFC 48.
WRU Admiral Championship, Saturday 13 May 2023.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
Three tries in the last ten minutes swung the game in Ystrad’s favour after a brave effort from a patched up Bedwas side who gave their all against a physically larger forward pack who were dominant at scrum time throughout the contest.
On a sunny, breezy afternoon Bedwas took the lead in the first minute as Harry Oliver charged down an Ystrad clearing kick and then gather the ball to cross for a try. Kicker for the afternoon Iwan Burgwin missed the conversion.
Ystrad struck back quickly, and their pack power showed immediately as Bedwas were deemed to have pulled down a driving maul and a penalty try was awarded. Evan Wood on permit from Merthyr, making his debut in Senior rugby was sinbinned.
Bedwas retook the lead after sixteen minutes as Adam Williams intercepted a Ystrad pass and ran in from seventy metres to touch down under the posts, Burgwin’s conversion ensured the extras.
Burgwin missed a penalty chance before Ystrad found themselves down to fourteen men following the sinbinning of scrum half Callum Phillips for a no-arms tackle.
Bedwas took advantage of the extra man almost immediately. Adam Williams stole a stray Ystrad pass to set Ben Sier through his pass to the supporting Aaron Billingham putting the wingman in for a try. Burgwin’s conversion was unsuccessful.
Two tries from backrower Morgan Burgess both unconverted by Rhys Truelove levelled up the score but from virtually the last play of the half Tommy Chapman squeezed over for an unconverted try to give Bedwas a five-point lead going into the break.
Adam Williams’s second try of the afternoon increased the Bedwas lead five minutes into the second half as he shrugged would be tacklers in midfield to cross the line. Burgwin’s conversion gave his side a twelve-point cushion.
Ystrad responded with a try from a catch and drive, Nathan Hughes being awarded the score, Rhys Truelove converted to reduce the arrears to five points.
The Ystrad scrummage continued to give Bedwas problems but following three close range scrums the ball was moved across the backline, but a knock-on ended the attack.
Ystrad continued to dominate in the tight and after Bedwas made a few changes to tired legs took the lead with eight minutes to play as replacement Callum Green crossed for a try converted by Truelove.
From the restart the visitors extended their lead as prop forward Callum Dawe crossed for a try, Truelove’s conversion hit an upright and went wide.
It was all Ystrad at this stage as Nathan Hughes added his second try of the afternoon with two minutes left to play and although the conversion went wide Bedwas’s hopes of a second bonus point for finishing within seven points evaporated.
Ystrad weren’t finished and in the last minute of the game Number 8 Tom Jevons crossed for a try, converted by Truelove to seal the result.
Bedwas host Tata Steel in the last game of the season next Saturday which given our current injury list will be a huge relief.
The Bedwas Man of the Match sponsored by Casa Mia Restaurant of Caerphilly was awarded to Adam Williams.
Images from todays game can be found at: Bedwas RFC’s albums | Flickr