Tenby United (0) 7 Rumney RFC (19) 31

Welcoming Rumney RFC from Cardiff to Heywood Lane for an intriguing cup match - as they last met each other way back on November 2nd 1996 in National League Division 3, when the visitors won 24-10.

Tenby’s team that day included Mike Evans, Gavin Scotcher, Dai Balkwell, Dominic Subbiani, Steve Hartland, Dean Hadley, Ben Childs and Tatty Trueman…all still living locally.

FBM sponsored Tenby United started proceedings by having the Swifts form a guard of honour for skipper Luke Dedman who was trotting out onto Heywood Lane for what was his 200th First XV appearance, becoming the 42nd Tenby United player to reach that milestone.

Having played his first senior game back in 2008 when he took the field as a replacement, away against Brynamman, as a raw 18 year old – while prior to that senior debut he had played for the Swifts from the Under 10’s progressing up through the age groups to the Youth side - a great club man and a great honour to celebrate his achievement.

Pre match proceeding over, Rumney kicked off toward the scoreboard end in damp blustery conditions and within seconds referee Ludgate had penalised the visitors allowing Tenby to take play back deep into the Rumney half.

With clean ball at the ensuing lineout the Tenby three kicked into action with wing Geraint Powell testing the visitor’s defence who survived the initial attack. Referee Ludgate spotted some infringement during that phase of play and he lectured Tenby for what seemed an age before awarding a penalty to Rumney.

The big Rumney pack had no trouble winning their ball at the lineout but as the ball was transferred along the backs centre Maton dropped the ball, a trend that luckily for Tenby the visitors unusually suffered from throughout the match, and the threat evaporated.

From a high up and under by Ben Pugh fullback Mahoney failed to catch the ball cleanly and the scrum that followed highlighted a major problem Tenby were to face for the remainder of the game as the heavy Rumney eight simply shoved the lighter Tenby eight off the ball on their put in and it took a scrambling Tenby defence, that had lined up deep to attack, to rather fortunately stop the first score of the game with the Rumney winger just about being forced into touch close to the corner flag.

Despite missing that scoring opportunity Rumney continued to apply the pressure and from the next scrum close to the Tenby line the retreating Tenby scrum stood no chance as number eight Matthew Way picked up the ball at the base of the scrum and crashed over under the posts. Outside half R Mahoney added the extras and Tenby were 0-7 down.

Although the try was awarded it was clear to the scoreboard crowd that the ball was dropped from about two feet in the air as Way dived for the line, and despite loudly advising the unsighted ref of what had actually happened all he did was to respond with a signal that there was no TV screen to reshow the incident – and the score stood.

A rampant Rumney side continued their attacking mode as they constantly secured ball from both scrum and lineout, despite who put the ball in and although they crossed the Tenby whitewash for a second try it was disallowed by referee Ludgate who surprisingly awarded a scrum which was demolished by the Rumney eight each time it attempted to engaged not surprisingly ending with a penalty try to Rumney - extending their lead to 0-14.

With the scrum under severe pressure the last thing Tenby wanted was a scrum and with the restart by Lewis Davies not going the necessary 10 metres that’s what they had to contend with next.

Adding to their woes Tenby also had to recover and organise their defence due to several wayward clearance kicks which the speedy Rumney back three exploited to the full and from a charge down of one of the hurried clearance kicks number eight Way went over for his second try and Rumney went into a comfortable and commanding 0-19 lead.

Tenby managed to put some attacking moves together but slow ball transfer and lobbed passes, and a solid series of tackles put in by Rumney, stifled the moves and prevented anything threatening from happening and despite the efforts of Moritz Neumann, Ben Pugh, Huw Evans and Jack Broadhurst nothing materialised. Tenby were rather fortunate when an intercepted pass was put to ground as Rumney tried to take full advantage of their good fortune.

No doubt spurred on by whatever was said at the halftime break Tenby went straight on the attack from the off with number 8 Jack Broadhurst putting in two barn storming runs but these petered out through lack of support and Rumney engineered an attacking platform via a scrum close to the Tenby line and it took some heroic defence to prevent number eight Matthew Way from scoring his third try of the afternoon. During this phase of play wing Geraint Powell was injured and that caused a reshuffle of the Tenby backs with Jack Tucker coming on at fullback, Aaron James moving to 10, Lewis Davies slotting in at centre and Max Brindley taking the vacated wing spot.

Being awarded a penalty for offside Rumney had a chance to increase their lead but Mahoney’s attempt ricochet off the post and Tenby breathed a sigh of relief.

With Aaron James at 10, the visitors had to step up their defence as he probed for openings at every opportunity and from one tap and go penalty he breached the immediate line of defence and linked with Jason Ronowitz, who in turn set free the attack which involved Moritz Neumann, half backs Ben Pugh and James along with forwards Jason Ronowitz, Luke Dedman and Mike Davis only for Rumney to stray offside and rather than allow the advantage referee Ludgate awarded Tenby a penalty.

The alert James took full advantage of the situation and another tap and go freed number eight Jack Broadhurst to crash through the disorganised Rumney defence to dot the ball down between the sticks providing James with an easy conversion which narrowed the scores to 7-19.

Tenby rang the next round of player exchanges with hooker Wes Bonser (playing his 50th game for the first XV) replacing Ethan Morgan at prop and Dan Allen (also hitting the 50 mark) coming on as hooker but the changes had little effect as the Rumney eight saw it as an opportunity to show the rejigged Tenby eight who was in charge, as they shunted them of the ball on their put in at the scrum.

Despite constantly being on the back foot Tenby snatched every opportunity that came their way to attack and another tap and go by James released the powerful Neumann who was brought to ground but by a defender that was not the necessary 10 metres from the original penalty and as James exploited the situation again with this time Max Brindley and Moritz Neumann involved, Rumney had encroached again and this time referee Ludgate yellow carded the offender.

Ironically from the next Tenby attack Rumney infringed again but this time all they got was a lengthy chat from referee Ludgate, with no card shown.

Showing more determination, and keen to take full advantage of the extra man, Tenby strung together an attack involving Aaron James, Max Brindley, Moritz Neumann, Mike Davis, Wyndham Williams (who had come on for the injured Huw Evans) and Yanick Parker but a loose pass was scooped up by Rumney who cleared the ball up field.

From the next scrum the Rumney eight destroyed the Tenby eight and their replacement centre cantered though a stretched Tenby defence to cross under the sticks, and with Mahoney adding the extras the score extended out to 26-7 with Tenby now running on reserves and in damage limitation mode.

The final bench replacement saw Charlie Patching replacing the hard working Tom Barrass.

Missing touch with a penalty award Tenby presented the visitors with another chance to add to their lead and in an attempt to stop the score, replacement Wyndham Williams over stepped the mark and was sent to the naughty step by referee Ludgate.

With both replaced props unable to return to the field it was uncontested scrums for what remained of the game. Despite crossing the whitewash number 9 William’s effort was disallowed by the ref but the pressure was maintained as flanker Hill crossed following the next attack by Rumney and with Mahoney missing with the conversion the game ended 7-31 to Rumney

It was a hard day at the office for the forwards, both at lineout time and certainly in the scrum, against undoubtedly the largest set of forwards they are likely to encounter all season and slow or ball under pressure from the set piece put the threes on the back foot despite the valiant efforts by number eight Jack Broadhurst and scrum half Ben Pugh working miracles just to get the ball away from a retreating scrum.

Luckily, with the International break this weekend, the team can refresh their fitness and style of play on the training paddock before they face Felinfoel away on November 10 prior to the Wales v Australia game that kicks off at 5.20 pm.

With Kidwelly next on the schedule, also away on November 24, there will be no First XV rugby played at Heywood Lane all November.

Tenby team: Aaron James, Geraint Powell (Jack Tucker), Max Brindley, Moritz Neumann, Yanick Parker, Lewis Davies, Ben Pugh, Huw Evans, Wes Bonser (Wyndham Williams), Ethan Morgan (Dan Allen), Luke Dedman, Tom Barrass (Charlie Patching), Mike Davis (Harry Owen), Jason Ronowitz, Jack Broadhurst.