Old Firm Test Title Favourites
Although a defeat to the championship favourites at home, this was a far better performance from Mount. They were competitive throughout this extremely entertaining game and scored five tries against the visitors’ eight.
It was a windy, blustery day at Duffryn Pennar Park and it was the Old Firm who attacked first, taking play into Bedwas 22 where a pass 15 metres out rather than a kick through might have been the best option.
Bedwas went ahead in the 12th minute after a penalty for a high tackle was kicked to 15 metres out where a catch and drive resulted in a converted try to make it 7-0 to the visitors.
Mount responded immediately and after pressure in the Bedwas 22, a high clearance kick was blown back to 5 metres out where backrow forward Rhys Pullman was first on the ball to drive over and score. Outside half Callum Hall converted superbly from the corner to make it 7-7.
Bedwas pressure in the Mount 22 was absorbed by the Old Firm where the Mount forwards even had the visitors nudging backwards at two 5 metre scrums.
The visitors went in front in the 25th minute when quick ruck ball was moved into midfield where an attacker took the ball at pace and cut through a gap and linked with another player for a well-worked try which was converted to make it 14-7.
Once again the Old Firm responded in fine fashion. From an attack into the Bedwas 22, the ball was moved wide to full back Cushion who went for the outside break against the Bedwas wing, but although he was tackled 5 metres out, he managed to keep the ball alive with a bouncing pass to wing Steve Brittain who scored Mount’s second try. Hall again judged the wind superbly to convert from 10 metres in to make it 14-14.
With half time a minute or so away, the Old Firm took play into the Bedwas 22, but a breakout by the visitors in which their wing took play into the Mount 22 resulted in a try which went unconverted. From the restart, the Old Firm were awarded a penalty which Hall converted from 38 metres out to make it all to play for at half time as the visitors led 19-17.
The first 15 minutes of the second half were littered with tries. In the first minute a 50/22 to Bedwas followed by a catch and drive saw a penalty try awarded to put them 26-17 up.
Mount hit back valiantly a couple of minutes later. Scrum half Liam Jones passed to the narrow side to full back Cushion who broke through two tackles and got away, kicking on into the Bedwas 22 where outside half Hall won the race for the touchdown to the great delight of the Mount support to get his side back to 26-22 behind.
The visitors’ recycling and retention of the ball and support play was first class for most of the game. With their attacks seemingly going nowhere on the Mount 10 metre line, a break resulted in a try under the posts, with the conversion making it 33-22 after 47 minutes.
A quick penalty take by the Bedwas scrum half on the Mount 10 metre line ended in a try out wide with a well hit conversion making the score 40-22.
The Old Firm were far from finished as they hit back with a try from an attack after 53 minutes which saw centre Jamie Long run in from 15 metres out for a bonus point try to the delight of the Mount support, Hall converting to make it 40-29.
Then the game was turned on its head in the 62nd minute when, from a scrum on the Mount 10 metre line, Bedwas moved the ball to the narrow side where outside half Hall intercepted and run 50 metres unopposed to score under the posts and convert to make it 40- 36 and “game on” with 18 minutes of play left.
The visitors composed themselves and their ball retention and recycling stood them in good stead as they scored in the corner to make it 45-36 which gave them some breathing space.
Mount once again attacked and pressure in the Bedwas 22 where two Mount players were quickly onto the isolated full back came to nothing as the visitors were awarded a penalty for them to breathe a sigh of relief.
A defeat for the Old Firm but a bonus point gained and the hope of an upturn in performances. The Mount team are well capable of competing in this division. They are scoring tries and if their defence can be improved to make it harder for opposition teams to score, the wins will come.