RGC 1404 v Dragons

RGC 1404 U18’s travelled to Machen RFC in Caerphilly for their first Regional fixture of the season, against the Dragons.
It was a disappointing start to the season for the management and the girls who turned out that 5 players expected to be there had withdrawn at the last minute.
Elin Royle captained the 15 girls who took to the field. Elin, and Kumari Tilakawardane, who is unable to play at present through injury but was present as part of the coaching team, are the two most senior players of the regional squad.

The long travel and the disorganisation resulting from the absence of key players might have led to the first minute try scored by the Dragons. The ball was won at the kick off and passed quickly down the line for Dragons to score in the corner.

The RGC girls however rallied and slowly began to get into their rhythm. The scrums felt the pressure of the heavier Dragons. The absence of key players hurt the RGC forwards who in their recent outings had held their own up front. However, Becca Broadway, in her first game as a Regional player, who was thrown in at the deep end after only one training session, proved that she was more than equal to the task, holding her own despite the scrum going back. Kaya Harding showed that she is blossoming into a fine 9, managing to extricate the ball quickly and efficiently from the withdrawing scrum and passing it to safety. Gwen Harries, playing at 10, time and again took the ball past the gain line. She sidestepped time and again, leaving the melee of Dragons in front of her clutching the wind blowing across the Machen RFC grounds. Eventually Gwen found herself clear of the fire of the Dragons and roared in under the post to score the first try for RGC 1404 this season.

A quick penalty taken by Rhian Owen in the RGC 22 saw her run past the defence taking play to the opposition 22. The pressure created resulted in a penalty, which was taken by Iona Evans.

The forwards too started finding their rhythm. Cara Hope, the forward’s captain, led by example, carrying the ball well into the opposition, breaking past the gain line. She was ably assisted by Eloise Dorey, playing her first season in competitive age level rugby, who was equal to the task of taking the ball past the feisty Dragons.
However, these forays did not result in the cohesive patterns of play that the RGC girls are capable of. This was in equal measure due to the dour defence of the Dragons as much as to the lack of organisation within the RGC ranks. The RGC backs did not find any rhythms throughout the game. However, superb individual efforts from Gwen Harries, Kaya Harding and Rhian Owen kept the hopes alive. The girls did not organise themselves well in defence also. The Dragons used this to advantage sending the ball out wide to lead by 18 points to 10 at the half time.

The RGC girls restarted with better mentality and played much better in the second half. The forwards carried the ball better, creating problems for the Dragons. Again, Cara Hope and Eloise Dorey were in the thick carrying the ball forward and setting the platform for attack. They had the support of Megan Parry and Non Owen amongst the forwards but still did not dominate the phases, allowing themselves to be stopped by the Dragons. The backs failed to find any cohesion. It was left to the individual efforts of Cara, Eloise, Gwen, Kaya and Eurgain Llwyd to take the ball forward. The continued enthusiastic onslaught by the RGC girls did bring them two more tries, another for Gwen and one for Sara Williams, also playing in her first regional match and showing that she is a player who has put a marker down to senior players that she is here to stay. One of the tries was converted by Cara Hope.

The RGC girls did front up in defence better in the second half. However this was more individual effort rather than a well organised defence. Alaw Hughes and Iona Evans tackled with aggression to stop the experienced Dragons centres from making headway and passing the ball down the line. The diminutive Eurgain at full back was equal to the task of both the long ball and the foraging heavier Dragons backs and played an excellent game in defence clearing the ball to safety may times. The backs were fortified in the second half as Captain Elin Royle reverted to her normal place in the back three having served her time as flank forward, making up for the missing players. She changed as the Dragons had to lose a forward due to injury and RGC dropped a forward to match numbers. She showed that she did belong in the backs and the back three, as she was deft under the high ball, fleet of foot and agile in attack taking the ball to safety.

The defence was better organised towards the end of the game and the RGC girls withstood a final onslaught from the Dragons who were unable to breach the defence in the last passage of play. The heroism in defence was highlighted by a try saving tackle from Eloise Dorey at the corner flag, comprehensively bundling a Dragon, ball and all, way past the touchline. She was rewarded for her efforts by a punch on her face and a Dragon player sent off with a red card.

The RGC girls tried to push the advantage to score and overturn the score but the effort was too little too late.

The final score Dragons - 27 RGC1404 – 20

The squad for this match:

Becca Broadway
Eloise Dorey
Megan Parry
Catrin Roberts
Non Owen
Elin Royle (captain)
Cara Hope
Kaya Harding
Gwen Harries
Rhian Owen
Iona Evans
Alaw Hughes
Rachael Edwards
Eurgain Llwyd
Sara Williams


Head Coach: Louis Tilakawardane
Coach: Tom Rogers
Coach: Kumari Tilakawardane
Manager: Ann Tilakawardane


RGC1404 Player of the Match had many contenders. Gwen with her running play and two tries, Cara with her fabulous ball carrying, Eloise and Becca who played beyond their maturity. However the Player of the Match is Kaya Harding, who played with tremendous skill and confidence in defence and attack.