Carmarthen Quins 19 RGC 10

SRC Round 7

Saturday 1st November

It was Quins that claimed the win, in a hard fought 80 minutes where the home side’s defence managed to keep RGC out, time and time again — damping the RGC attack when it fired.

Both sides were trying to get into their stride, but it failed to spark in the early stages. The Quins were testing with the boot, pinning the Gogs back into their 22 — but without quite lighting the blue touch paper.

Quins opened the score when the pack rolled over the line and hooker Isaac Young claimed the try. Carwyn Leggat-Jones added the extras.

When RGC visited the Carmarthen half, they left with 3 points after a Billy McBryde rocketed the penaltybetween the posts.

The rain came down, as the score lit up when quick passes opened up RGC, and Lewys Millin ran to the line. Leggat-Jones hit the conversion.

Handling was being tested for both sides, with the kicks proving challenging in the torrential downpour.

Full-back Dion Jones found some space and drove RGC into the attack, before scrum-half Tudur Jones darted from the ruck, but it ended with the Gogs being held up on the line.

Tudur Jones was adding tempo to the match, with Delwyn Jones and Billy McBryde looking to find that fuse to light up the attack.

It was a good spell of the game for the visitors, making yards, carrying with power, but once again a visit to the Quins' line, and they came away empty-handed.

The 2nd half started with the sun out, and the Gogs looking lively. Errors were costing RGC again, after they won a good lineout, the next pass didn't go to hand, and the chance again was gone.

Pinpoint penalty to the corner from McBryde, led to the attacking lineout, but multi-phases, working to the line, and it was the Quins defence that came out on top again — holding McBryde and the ball up.

Back on the attack, James Brown powering on, and the forwards edged forward,  another loose pass fizzed, but didnt find hands with the sight line.

Quins’ tackle count was racking up, as they kept the visitors out time and time again.

Credit to the Gogs, who kept the tempo high and played in the Quins’ half, and were finally rewarded when the maul powered to the line and Sam Williams got the ball down. McBryde struck the conversion between the posts.

The next score was going to be crucial, and that was seen on the pitch when both sides swapped kicks, 9 in total, looking for either a mistake or territory.

Quins were being penalised around the breakdown, giving the Gogs the platform, but they couldn't take full advantage.

Griff Llwyd charged down a kick, but Quins just managed to clear. He then went close in the corner, but the foot was just in touch.

Quins needed a way out of their half, and they got it after what looked like a forward pass, but this time it was RGC who put bodies on the line to keep the ball from the whitewash.

RGC were down to 14 men when Dion Jones was shown a yellow for a deliberate knock-on, trying to get his hands on the ball.

It did get the home side territory for the first time in the 2nd half, and when Iori Badham took a quick tap penalty, he evaded the tackles and managed to grab the crucial try, that took the game and momentum away from RGC.

The pace slowed, Quins were happy to take the fizz out of the game — and the points.