Fixture

With the weather finally playing ball, the U14 Tigers took to the heavy, but playable, Youth pitch for a home fixture against Llantrisant RFC this weekend for their first game since the middle of October.

The coaching team were looking forward to the fixture, as based on recent results it suggested a good match up with the visitors being in a similar position to the Tigers with limited player numbers. In fact, the 13-players of Llantrisant still outnumbered the home team, which was reduced to just 11-players before kick off due to illness.  

With both teams determined to play, irrespective of numbers, and with the rain finally holding off, the game kicked off in good but slippery conditions with 11 a side.  The Tigers playing the first half up the infamous slope of the Youth team pitch.

Within minutes the conditions had played a part with a handling error by Llantrisant presenting the Tigers with a scrum just outside the visitors 22.  The scrum was to prove problematic all game, but on this occasion the ball found it’s way to number 8, Jakub Jeziorski who took full advantage of the lack of back row defenders to storm down the blindside and dive over the line unopposed.  

After a bright start the Tigers spent the next period of the game on defence, repelling countless attacks by the determined Llantrisant pack, with full back Dexter Milburn yet again contributing hugely as the last line of defence.  Eventually however, Llantrisant were able to get on the scoreboard after a slip in midfield created space on the outside for an easy run in.  With conversions missed for both tries, the teams ended the first half level.

Things looked ominous for the Tigers in the second half as the visitors again made use of space on the outside to break clear and score under the posts.  The Tigers however responded superbly, and were unlucky not to score on two occasions following bursts from captain Kelyn Joseph and Dexter Milburn.  The pressure being applied did eventually tell and it was Dexter Milburn who profited from a clearance kick to slice through the visitor’s defence and touch down for his first try of the season.  Outside half James Wharfe’s successful conversion brought the teams level again.

Against the run of play, and with time running out, the Llantrisant number 9 took advantage of some uncharacteristically sloppy defence by the home team to wriggle through a gap and sprint clear and score beneath the posts to take the lead once again.  A strength of the Tigers this season has been their ability to keep going against adversity, and that attitude was demonstrated in the last play of the game.  With Llantrisant threatening to force their way over the try line underneath the Tiger’s posts, home scrum half Tom Jones pounced in true Sam Warburton style and forced a penalty for not releasing.  The obvious option would have been to make territory with a clearance kick, but with the line out not up to its normally high standards the decision was taken to run.  And what a run it turned out to be.

Taking the ball on his own try line, number 8, Jakub Jeziorski showed incredible strength, speed and determination to hand off 3 players for a length of the field try.  The Tigers still needed the conversion to bring the scores level, so showing great composure, number 10 and eventual man of the match James Wharfe stepped up and slotted the 2-points with the last kick of the game to seal a well earned draw.

All round, a great game of rugby and the start of what is hoped will be a friendly rivalry in the coming seasons.  Well done to both teams!