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After lasts week show of attacking flair, this week, defence and discipline were the key deciding factors as Llantwit Major RFC won away at Treherbert 5-17. A great result for the Llantonians as the home side,The Red Devil’s are the form team in the league, sitting at the top of the table unbeaten and averaging an impressive 34 points in each of their games so far.

Llantwit then were under no illusions that they were in for nothing but a tough game and were questioned by their coaches in the run up to the game as to whether they were good enough to cope with the pressure of such a big game. Well each and everyone of the twenty man squad answered the call as they literally put their bodies on the line in a typical hard game of rugby by two teams who would not budge an inch in a real blood and guts clash. Such was the intensity of the game the play hardly entered either 22 as the centre of the pitch became a battleground as the teams threw everything at each other in a fight for supremacy.
Llantwit got off to a good start as within minutes of the kick-off as a penalty just inside the Treherbert half allowed cool fullback Chris Jones to launch a huge kick through the uprights to settle any visitors nerves and put out an early marker to the home side that any illegal play would be punished ruthlessly.
The home side though were quick to respond as a deep kick put pressure on Llantwit but they couldn’t replicate the subsequent penalty. The game returning once again to an arm wrestle in the middle of the park until Llantwit slowly began to form some ascendency as their superior forward power told in the loose and scrum. This allowed the visitors to put themselves in kicking range and by grinding out the plays and keeping their discipline the penalties soon came, firstly from a scrum then from repeated tackle infringements. Jones only too happy to slot over three penalty kicks to keep the scoreboard ticking over and give Llantwit just reward for their hard work. The score going into the break 0-12.
The second half mirrored the first as the arm wrestle continued in what was becoming a gladiatorial arena such was the intensity of the power plays being dished out. Treherbert for the first period were in command but just couldn’t find a way through the visitors stout defence and then tellingly becoming frustrated and were soon down to fourteen players courtesy of a yellow card. To their credit though they still threw everything they could at the visitors legally or illegally as they constantly tried to reel them in.
And going into the last quarter with a full complement of players they did have some respite as a well worked try from a scrummage close to the Llantwit line saw them scramble over for a converted try.
The try for a short period did reignite Treherbert’s hopes but as Llantwit again put up a wall of defenders they once again resorted to far too many illegal tactics for the referee’s liking, and when two further players were sent for an early shower any hopes of a revival were thankfully extinguished. The last hurrah going to the trusty boot of the magnificent Jones as his last successful penalty put the game in no doubt and denied the home side a losing bonus point.
A great performance then for the Llantonians, Man of the Match was a tough call for the coaches as every player from 1-20 gave their all. The decision after length deliberation going to young scrum half Connor Morgan who had an assured display with his stable passing and cool relieving box kicks. Morgan hails from Gilfach Goch but has settled in well with the Recreation Ground team, not surprisingly really as his grandfather and great grandfather also proudly wore the Llantwit jersey in times gone by.
This week Llantwit return home to the Recreation Ground after two weeks on the road as they once again renew acquaintances with Hirwaun this time in the league, kick off at 2:30pm.

AH