The Game

Tough one to write this week but we can’t just bask in the glow of victory but must face up to a defeat...

The Cowboys travelled up the Gwent valley to play Aberbeeg RFC in a game played in almost biblical conditions. It was bitingly cold and there was driving rain, conditions that are ill suited to the expansive, offloading game Cathays RFC like to play. The game started and the no side could really get a handle on the game, as neither side could string many phases together. It was Aberbeeg who got on the board first with two penalties from the big boot of their impressive fly half. Finding themselves 6-0 down seemed to spark some life into the Cowboys who started playing in the Aberbeeg half of the field; after winning a scrum, outside half Aki “CJ” Davies linked up in midfield with Simon “Mr Glass” Fry before deftly slipping a pass to the supporting Rhodri “Doddie” Lucas who ran in to score by the posts. Shortly after the set piece descending into chaos as a result of the wet ball, the Aberbeeg pack pounced on a loose ball on halfway line and fed their fly half whose cross kick landed in the arms of their 13 who got between the Cathays covering defence to score. Aberbeeg did start to turn the screw a bit at this point particularly in the scrum but the Cathays defence from 1 to 15 held firm and it was 11-7 to Aberbeeg at the half.

The Cowboys came out for the second half determined to put things right and confident they hadn’t played but were still in the game. However credit to Aberbeeg, it was they who struck first; after a couple of strong catch and drives in the lineout got them into Cathays territory they won a scrum on the 5 metre line. After Cathays popped up twice, you sensed the ref was going to reward Aberbeeg’s dominance in the scrum, and although the next scrum went down as a result of slip, the referee gave a penalty try and Aberbeeg was 18-7 to the good. Cathays did wilfully stick to their task, even though staring down the barrel at this point, and after a yellow card to the Aberbeeg number 8 for a late hit on Aki (probably jealous of his beautiful hair, I know I am, it looked particularly luscious in the wet conditions) they got themselves back in the game. After Dan “Louis Spence” White dropped a ball 5 yards out with the line at his mercy (more on this later) Aki spared his blushes; after good driving work by the forwards, Aki glided through the onrushing defence to score under the posts with 10 minutes left. The Cowboys had the momentum at this point and found themselves back in opposition territory, and after a few phases looked like they might make the breakthrough, however after a failed chip over the top Aberbeeg were able to clear their lines. And to their credit they saw out the remaining time by effectively mauling and keeping the ball, to run out deserved winners. Full credit to Abebeeg they played the conditions better and were first to the loose ball at crucial times so congratulations to them, we’ll see you in a couple of weeks for the return fixture.

As for us, next week is huge, let’s get back out there and put things right and win this league.

The Good

In what was a disappointing day overall, the side did stick manfully to their task and didn’t let their heads drop even when up against at the start of the second half. There was no moaning or bitching even though we were struggling at times, which I think says a lot for the team spirit in the club at the moment.

The Bad

What else - wing Louis Spence butchering a try when it was easier to score. No excuses, not good enough, fine margins are the difference between winning and losing and it was costly.

The Ugly

Alex “The Nose” Bowder constantly talking about @missharritaylor during the warm up today. Give it a rest mate, we’ve heard how big her breasts are enough now!?

The Beast Award

He’s 6 feet 4, 17 stone ish (this fluctuates if he’s single or not), he has a serious problem with time keeping, he has a huge nose which he’s broken more times than he’s seen pussy, yes he’s smoked the odd dobbie, yes he’s hit the odd copper, he loves doing his walks for MENCAP, on nights out he buys bottles of vodka and walks round like he’s P Diddy, he is like a salmon at the front of the lineout, he puts some good weight into the scrum, he’ll dog it out on a torn calf, everyone has got a funny story about him, his diet consists of a snickers dunked in a pot of nutella, he has serious issues with time keeping He is the man, the legend. His name is Richard “The Trig” Jones. And HE IS A BEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSTTTTTT!!!!!!!!

Will Scarlet

“Sports do not build character, they reveal it” – Haywood Hale Broun

Team – Ostrich, Mad-dog, Seinfeld, Mr Kiwis, Spence, CJ, Honey Badger, Doddie, Jeeves, Oscar, Trig, @missharritaylor, Alan Carr, Fishy (ambulance boy), Tank (Cully) – Subs not used: Fivehead, Owain, Stef

Cathays Rugby Football Club

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