Fixture

Cardiff Met RFC | 1st Team 47 - 18 Maesteg Harlequins RFC | 1st Team
Callum Brayshaw
Try 3
Bradley Denty
Try 1
James Mattin
Conversion 3
Penalty 2
Max Cunnington
Try 2
Cameron King
Try 1
Tadhg Mcguckin
2 Penalty
Michael Owen
1 Try

Match Report
16 December 2019 / Team News

QUINS DEFEATED AS MET MOVE UP TO FOURTH IN TABLE

Following last weeks result at Tata, Cardiff Met came into this fixture looking for another win which could potentially move them up the Championship Table and see them occupying fourth position in the table going into Christmas.

The students started brightly, looking to move the ball at every opportunity and after ten miutes created a wonderful opportunity to open the scoring only to be thwarted by a knock on with the try line beckoning. The Met scrum looked to be under pressure and it was a scrum penalty awarded to the Quins which led to the opening score of the game giving them a 3-0 lead, very much against the run of play in the early stages. From the restart, the students immediately went back on the attack and very quickly created an opportunity for full back Callum Brayshaw to cross for the first try of the game, giving Cardiff Met a well deserved lead 5-3. Maesteg Quins restarted the game only to find themselves having to defend a series of Cardiff Met attacks. Wing Brad Denty collected the ball from the restart and made a terrific break only to be thwarted by a last ditch tackle by the Quins defence. The Met then chose to run a very kickable penalty and following some excellent interplay, number 8 Cam King crossed near the posts for a try, converted by James Mattin, giving the students a 12-3 lead after 20 minutes.

Maesteg Quins were able to use a penalty awarded against Cardiff Met to kick into the students 22 for a lineout. A strong maul by the Quins was held up over the try line and from the resulting 5m scrum a penalty try was awarded to the visitors, narrowing the scoreline to 12-10.  The students responded positively once again, and following some excellent phase play outside half James Mattin produced a well judged crossfield kick which was collected by wing Brad Denty who crossed for Cardiff Met's third try, again converted by James Mattin. The Quins continued to pressurise the Cardiff Met scrum, but it was often difficult to understand why the home scrum was being penalised simply for being pushed back. It was from a scrum penalty that the Quins got their next score, a second penalty for outside half Tadgh McGuckin taking the score to 19-13. Cardiff Met were awarded a penalty from the restart and James Mattin kicked the goal restoring the students nine point advantage 22-13. The final play of the half also resulted in a penalty being awarded to the home side and James Mattin took the opportunity to convert this giving the students a 25-13 lead at half-time.

There was a great start to the second half for Cardiff Met when, from the first lineout, centre Will Morris burst through the Quins defence and put wing Max Cunnington in for their bonus point score.  The Quins then produced an attack which resulted in a yellow card for Cardiff Met and a 5m scrum for the visitors. From this scrum, number 8 Michael Owen was able to crash over for a try.  The remainder of the game was dominated by the home team who developed wave after wave of attack and produced some excellent rugby, which resulted in tries for Max Cunnington and Callum Brayshaw(2), one of which was converted by James Mattin giving the students a well deserved 47-18 win. 

Once again, this group of players showed that they are developing into a very competitive team and will certainly have given the coaches food for thought ahead of their selection for the BUCS Super Rugby game versus Bath University on Wednesday. Cardiff Met find themselves sitting in fourth position in the National Championship going into the Christmas break and can be very satisfied with their efforts to date. They will now look to build on this during the second half of the season when a top six finish will be the target for this group.

 

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