Fixture

Monmouth RFC 1st XV v Abergavenny RFC

WRU Div 1 East

Saturday 17 Feb 2024

Monmouth 24 Abergavenny 17

The diagonal wind blowing fairly strongly from one corner to the opposing one during Abergavenny’s visit to the Sportsground last Saturday was likely to play a part in this season’s return game which indeed it did.

In the first half Abergavenny had employed the right tactic in using their strength at carrying thwarted only on most occasions by Monmouth ’s dogged defence which restricted the visitors to just one try on the quarter hour.

In the meantime Monmouth had played to their strength of moving the ball through the backs, backed up by the occasional long kick out of defence and on the wind.

Early pressure came from the home team and they would have been three points up immediately after the kick off when a player was illegally impeded but wing Tabb overcompensating for the wind, missed the penalty as a result.

Minutes later, feeding off a good carry by their forwards, some slick passing by Monmouth further out brought an excellent try by centre Williams which Tabb comfortably converted. And keeping up the pressure Monmouth were over again courtesy of No 8 Edwards supporting a move from the back of a line-out and just three passes before scoring. Tabb was again on hand to kick the extras. 

This, however, brought the Visitors to life. They drove upfield and from the penalty conceded at the ruck, they kicked to the corner, drove the maul, and after being halted several times just short of the line, eventually gained seven deserved points for their troubles.

Trying to manage the wind, Monmouth dropped out but straight to touch which kept the pressure on themselves which Abergavenny were keen to seize upon.

Incidents, good and bad were apparent. 2nd Row Woskett was intelligent rgavenny wasted some attacking drives by holding on after the tackle and a Monmouth drop out was seriously over- kicked whilst trying to use the wind and some words of dissent were rewarded with a penalty 10 metres back.

At this stage the pressure was all from Abergavenny helped in part by a poor clearing kick from full back Bates returned in kind but with Monmouth spared by the award of a five metre scrum although spectators were left unclear as to why that was not a goal-line drop-out.

And then a good penalty kick to the right hand corner brought a line-out and a move that almost brought another home try but when a tactical kick to the left wing failed and they were brought back for another penalty, this time when it was worked to the left again it was right wing Whelan who was on hand to clinch a try for a 19-7 lead soon to be narrowed by a 3 pointer to the visitors for handling in the ruck. In return the last play of the half was to be a penalty kick to touch but in the kicker’s eagerness to achieve distance, the ball was kicked dead depriving his team of one more go at a score from a line-out. 
 
Monmouth now had to play into a wind which only temporarily relented during the 2nd half just 19-10 ahead when kicking upfield for territory gain was not an option with reliance instead on traditional three-quarter play and also in particular by centre Dunmore with several lengthy and intelligent grubber kicks.

Play was very much to and fro and led well for Monmouth by their captain Dunmore. Bates made a strong break resulting in a penalty for holding on for lack of early support at the ruck and then Dunmore broke, kicked ahead steering his next fly hack cleverly to support on his left but Abergavenny held out until 2nd Row Hobbs was able to use his strength to crash over to extend the lead to 24-10 with nearly 25 minutes to play.

Abergavenny then gave their all and within minutes exploiting some missed tackles had stretched the home defence enough to put their left wing in untouched for a converted try.
 

The final quarter was absorbing for its intensity and the final minutes brought the forecast rain adding to their nail-biting nature with penalties available for the visitors to kick for touch in the corner and then rely on its well drilled pack to drive towards the line to at least level the score if not to pass it for the win they were trying so hard to achieve and which Monmouth were so bravely defending.

One final occasion of such a corner line-out looked very threatening but the visiting hooker threw the ball in not straight even though his catcher had claimed it from way over above the heads of his opponents and all that was left for Monmouth to do was win their scrum and kick the ball out for their 24-17 win and the double over the visitors.

More 6 Nations gaps now until their next league game away at Bedlinog on 2 March which will be as much or even tougher a challenge!