Fixture

Abergavenny RFC v Monmouth RFC 1st XV

WRU Div 1 East

Saturday 11 Nov 2023

Abergavenny 15 Monmouth 40

Highlights produced by The Bearded Analyst                                                             

A Bumper Win for Monmouth

Although the weather was cool and calm last Saturday as was appropriate for the period of silence impeccably observed by all present, the finishing ten minutes of the game away in Abergavenny’s Bailey Park was anything but that as Monmouth ran in two late tries to convincingly seal their 15-40 win.

Playing up the slope to start, and having to defend early direct carries by the home team, centre Howells showed how he meant to continue with a forceful break on the left after five minutes to find fellow centre Dunmore in support to open the score with an unconverted try.

And Dunmore was to figure gain following a break out of defence by Wing Tabb whosei chip kick he followed up. Following the tackle the penalty kick to the corner gained nought due to a crooked throw in.

Abergavenny worked their way back to Monmouth’s 22 with their young heavier pack exploiting Monmouth’s frailty in the set piece scrums. But after regaining territory and a series of winning rucks at the Hereford Road end, Tabb stepped up for the first of several successful kicks at goal to widen the lead to 0-8 after ten minutes.

In just a short time, following a break from inside his own half, full back Bates outpaced the defence over some 70 yards for Monmouth’s second try of the game which Tabb this time converted.

The referee who generally had a good game questionably penalised a Monmouth forward within an easily kickable distance for not releasing after a tackle when he had not actually been the tackler but fortunately the kick went awry as was to be the case throughout the game.

Despite being pushed back down the slope at scrums, visiting scrum half Scriven was making sure he quickly passed, thus helping to negate this area of Abergavenny strength.

A poor attacking kick into the home half was fortunately knocked on and from the resulting scrum Bates was again on hand to support a narrow side move at about the same time as Monmouth had to make a blood substitution for flanker Holder who had been having, and later returned for, an all round robust performance supported well by the engine room forwards Woskett and Tyler who gave as good as they got throughout.

Abergavenny were now rallying after their earlier setbacks as half-time approached and the score crept up to 10-23 with two tries of their own compensated for a little by a further penalty from the boot of Tabb.

The second half commenced apace as both sides showed the benefit of the half-time ‘breather’ but it was Tabb again who stretched the divide to 16 points with another penalty. Mobbs Morgan was soon to join the back row and his legs tackling was proving more decisive in the necessary and continuing defence stakes.

Monmouth were only occasionally using the slope to their advantage and one lengthy clearance was kicked straight out for a ‘ball back’ decision. 

Holder once again figured after his bloody nose ‘rest’ by being yellow carded for a high tackle which the victim did appear to have dipped into the tackle but these split second decisions cannot be criticised in fairness to the match official although when his whistle later failed and he had to run to the club-house for a spare it did at least make for some ribald and entertaining comments amongst the crowd!

Prop Green had now joined the pack to provide some greater stability and the occasional strong rumble into and through the home defence. A further high tackle brought an Abergavenny quick penalty which saw them gain a further five points virtually untouched.

The home team were now playing with greater vigour and successfully defended a long series of rucks near their line as well as a particularly successful carry by Tyler on top off the earlier ability of Jordan to consistently make ground whenever he had the ball prior to his substitution.

From a 5m touch flanker Harper was driven over and Tabb converted well from far out  and with the game drawing to its close, a penalty for a tackle off the ball saw Tabb running across field to link with Bates on the loop to make good ground which centre Jeffs, eager and back from injury, completed for an easy convertion by Tabb and a final 15-40 effective drubbing.

Good preparation for next week’s mid-table visitors to the Sportsground Bedlinog!