Fixture

Monmouth RFC 1st XV v Risca RFC

WRU Div 1 East

Saturday 4 Nov 2023

Monmouth 23 Risca 19

Highlights produced by The Bearded Analyst                                                                                                                                      

A reasonable crowd braved the weather at the Sportsground last Saturday and were rewarded with an almost totally rain free and closely fought bottom of the table clash between Monmouth and visitors Risca.

Monmouth have a long history of just missing out in close run games but this time it was Risca instead who ran them close with the 23-19 home win just about the right score given the ups and downs of play. The delight amongst the home fans and players when the final whistle blew said it all.

It is normally travelling sides who are ‘slow off the bus” but not in this case. Risca were quick out of the blocks as a much changed Monmouth side took time to click. Early pressure by the visitors nearly brought them a try down the left side but the home team were spared by a pass going into touch rather than to the potential try-scorer on the left wing but in no time Monmouth were offside in front of the posts and Risca were three points in the lead.

Despite the lack of wind as an excuse, both sides had occasions of kicking the ball dead as they pushed for territory but Monmouth perhaps kicked too often high and long to realistically put their opponents under pressure by good following up.

Early on Monmouth’s defence was suspect in missing tackles, and the scrums were susceptible to pressures in the front row although some of that could well have been to do with the refereeing failure to appreciate the boring in that seemed apparent to those who know these things from the touch line.

By near the end of the first quarter Risca had stretched their lead to nine points through the accurate boot of their kicker. But then Monmouth came to life and made their first deep incursion into the Risca half which the visitors defended illegally giving wing Tabb an easy penalty from in front of the posts.

Play continued with Risca remaining superior in the rucking stakes although 2nd Rows Hobbs and Woskett were trying their best to show the new bloods in the back row the way. They will have learned that stepping up from the three-quarters takes more than just enthusiasm and bravery.

By now though Monmouth were coming to life partly through the lead of fly half Howells. A sustained period in the Risca 22 was rattling the visitors and when Howells ran the ball back following a deep clearance kick he made gaps up the left and after a succession of rucks on the opposing line it was Howells who crashed over for a try which Tabb converted to take a 10-9 lead with half-time fast approaching.

But, not quickly enough, as Risca rallied despite picking up a general  warning as to the number of high tackles they were making and won another penalty of their own to enter half-time 9-12 in front.

Monmouth began the second half in a better frame of mind producing a dominant tackle and turnover almost immediately. Kicking was still over ambitious though as what seemed to be an excellent penalty kick for the right corner was overcooked and went into touch in goal resulting in a scrum some 60 metres back.

Play was more equal now than in the first half and a penalty was taken to the corner when a goal kick seemed preferable but it proved the right decision for soon full back Bates had scored and with the Tabb conversion the lead had now become Monmouth’s at 17-12 just 14 minutes into the half.

Monmouth were now putting phases and moves together and it was again Bates who made a half break but his clever offload inside went to nought.

Tabb next stepped up to the plate and his bold 55m penalty cleared the bar comfortably at the end of the third quarter to move to 20-12. Howells then again broke but hooker White, fresh from the bench, unfortunately knocked on.

Keeping up the pace, full back White took a quick penalty with a consequential high tackle allowing Tabb to kick Monmouth to a 23-12 lead.

But Risca did not roll over because with just five minutes of normal time left, Monmouth again kicked the ball dead from a distance. Play resumed with a penalty back and a kick to touch. The resultant maul brought a drive from which the Risca scrum half scampered over for a converted try which made the closing 3 or 4 minutes of injury time quite tense especially as Monmouth were by now down to 14 men thanks to a yellow card high tackle offence of their own.

Risca’s losing bonus point will help ensure the return game in 2024 is even more tasty but now thoughts must turn to next Saturday’s near neighbours away at Abergavenny.