Fixture

Saturday December 28^th 2019

Maesteg Quins 47 – 16 Tata Steel

Specsavers-WRU Championship

A wonderful decade for Maesteg Quins rugby was brought to a close with a spectacular seven tries victory over Tata Steel.

South Parade victories against Tata, Corus or British Steel have taken a long time coming. Twenty-three years to be exact. The manner of victory was very similar in both displays; a stifling pack performance underlined by some excellent tries. However, the quality of the 2019 showing was infinitely more superior to that of 1996.

The manner of Saturday’s display was far more dynamic. Certainly slicker and additionally, it was against a semi-professional outfit in Welsh rugby’s second tier of league rugby. Indeed, it was that thumping defeat in the last century that heralded British Steel’s entry into the world of financial inducement.

After a three matches losing streak, Quins wanted to get back to winning ways. Alternatively, having lost eleven players in the close season, Tata Steel desperately sought to get their campaign on track and ease relegation fears.The first forty was an even contest and this was reflected in the 16-all half-time score-line. Perhaps Tata were given some support from the referee, whose early penalty awards against a Quins scrum that was showing initial signs of taking control, were slightly ill-judged. Later in the match this dominance became abundantly clear, especially as Lewis Francis created something resembling a hostage situation rather than a scrum contest between himself and the opposing tight-head.

Another decisive aspect of Quins play was the quality of back-row foraging from skipper Williams, Tutt and Tidball. The Steel were forced to deploy extra resources at the breakdown to secure possession. This took away carrying options and made picking out possible attackers easier than it might have been.

Tata tried to get the ball into their Cardiff RFC dual registered players Josh Rogers and Walji’s hands and it was obvious why. Centres Songhurst and the returning Lee Ronan, along with Alex Griffiths and Rhys Costain had a difficult task to stall a potent three-quarter line, but they successfully achieved this after initial scares.

For the Steelmen, Lewis Humphries kicked three penalties and converted particularly elusive Amir Jiwa Walji’s try, during an early and isolated period of dominance. Gerant Evans’ stood firm. His gathering of kicks and returns were solid and varied. As were those from Tadgh McGuckin who found additional yardage kicking out of hand that was of great use to the forwards. Later, the out-half’s distribution proved excellent as was his elusive running.

Cameron Thomas usually has the bit between his teeth and in this one he seemed to have crunched through it. The cheers that accompanied him to the touch-line when replaced on the hour, underlined just how much the Llynfi faithful have taken to the pocket dynamo and all he brings to the team. It was his charge down that caused disarray among the Tata defence. Groans from the Quins crowd when they believed a chance had been lost quickly turned to raucous cheers, when Paul Songhurst salvaged the situation and spun over.

McGuckin kicked two penalties and with a minute of the half left to play and trailing by five, it seemed the Quins had lost a try scoring opportunity when Matthew Tidball was held up over the line. Yet there was still time for a scrum. Surging forward the referee was playing advantage before the ball was sent out to Rhys Costain, who scored in the corner to level right at the death.

In the second half the Quins blew away their guests with ferocious front five play and five fantastic tries. Players like Nathan Ace, Steve Williams and Lee Ronan are the unyielding anvils against which the hammer blows that shape matches rain. All three came to the fore after the interval. In tandem with Williams, Ace’s overall set-piece, breakdown and defensive work set the tone for the pack.

Kieran Griffiths raised the bar for his personal performances. Apart from his work in the tight and defensive work, he turned into a midfield wrecking ball. Smashing through the Tata defence thirty yards out, there was still a lot to do. At one point it seemed Griffiths could make the line himself, but he transferred perfectly to supporting Lewis Tutt who went under the posts. McGuckin converted.

Tata started the game with long bouts of high intensity recycling and they recreated this once more. Wave after wave of phases came at the Quins, until Griffiths’ bear-hug tackle on Lewis Humphries created a midfield mistiming. The Steelmen still attempted to complete their allegro movement to a larghissimo beat and a disjointed back-line, allowing Matthew Tidball to intercept. In his first start of the season, his eighty yards sprint for the line was reminiscent of his days on the wing. The rangy stride could not be stopped as he scored untouched by a single defensive hand.

Griffiths went on another stampede to create further chaos. A golden opportunity seemed lost when a miss-pass went woefully off target and hit the ground. Nathan Smith salvaged the situation by scooping the ball on the wing. His angled, swerving, side-stepping and straightened run was in true South Sea island fashion. Mindful of the attention he had brought on himself, before the final line of tacklers could make contact, he slipped the ball to shoulder holster Cameron Jones to score.

The finest of the afternoon’s seven tries started deep in the Quins twenty-five. Lee Ronan ripped possession and chose to run. The ball found its way to Rhys Costain, who’s scintillating burst up the touchline left the Tata defence flailing. Geraint Evans had been foundation stone solid then showed his wonderful eye for a supporting run. Continuing the carve up Evans too kept the momentum up with a transfer to McGuckin who drew the last line of defence to send Cameron Jones, another who has heightened his personal performance bar, on his way from thirty yards to register a brace of tries.

Jones’ passing was spot on throughout. His box-kicking very good but above all, his a support runs were the icing on the cake.

It was the pack who signed off the scoring. All the replacements made a seamless entry into the match, heaping yet more pressure on the visitors. Jay Ronan performed a waltz at the conclusion of a driving maul with dance partner Michael Owen, swirling their way over the Tata line with the former claiming the try. McGuckin kicked his twelfth point of a finely balanced display of running and kicking out of hand.

Quins remain in eighth spot even with the bonus point win but have amassed twenty-five points at the half-way point of the season. Tata drop to the bottom of the Championship, but like others have shown even a single win get lift a club several places in this tight league.

Next Saturday the second half of the season commences with a journey to another new pasture, the Memorial Ground Ely to face Glamorgan Wanderers. Will the Quins resurrect the old tradition of calling in at the Red Lion, Tresimwn on the return journey?

All that is left to say for 2019 is Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi gyd.