Pontypool 40 pts. Narberth 6

The Otters travelled to Pontypool Park with optimism, having beaten Premier League club Neath 22-19 in a pre-season fixture the previous Saturday with an acknowledged convincing display.

The weather conditions throughout South Wales last Saturday were abysmal, with a continuous downpour of rain throughout the game. However, the famous Pontypool Park ground surface looked good at kick-off, but particularly in the second half the ball was as slippery as soap and physical strength took over.

On the day, the Otters were forced to make changes to their threequarters due to player unavailability and during the game this was to play a part. It was intended that coach Liam Gadd was to add much experience to cover the problem at number 12, but was injured in training and fly-half Ianto Griffiths stepped into the role.

The game was delayed for 15 minutes due to the extreme traffic conditions along the M4 corridor and its feeder roads. Pooler kicked off and in the initial exchanges, the young Otters coped well and looked very competent and well-organised.

After eight minutes, Narberth were awarded a penalty, taken by Nick Gale, who perhaps was a bit ambitious kicking from halfway in the conditions, the ball failing to reach Pooler’s posts.

However, the Otters continued to press, gaining much ruck ball and when needed showed good organisation in defence to contain Pooler.

The Otters were also obtaining good ball from the lineouts, with captain Alex Jenkins majestic, and continued good rucking at the breakdown, with newcomer James Bain quick to form the ruck.

Unfortunately, the threes failed to breakdown the Pooler defence and during this period of Otters domination, the half-backs attempted high kicks which was unfortunately kicking away possession.

Slowly Pooler began to cross the halfway line, resorting to the rolling maul.

On 20 minutes, the first score came, with fly-half Mathew Jones finding the target with a 45-metre kick when the Otters were penalised at the ruck.

Against the run of play, five minutes later from midfield, Jones set Pooler up with a diagonal kick down the stand side, Narberth fumbled the ball and 22-year-old fullback Keiron Meek picked up and sprinted to the corner flag, touching down with a defender clinging to his legs. Mathew Jones failed to convert.

A minute late, on 26 minutes, Narberth kicked into the Pooler half. Gaining possession, Jones replied, but this time down the opposite side of the ground, where winger Josh Hurley, following up, was able to dribble the ball forward and win the race for the touchdown for a further unconverted try.

Suddenly, through two soft tries, Pontypool had turned the game on its head and their confidence soared.

On 30 minutes, Narberth made a substitution, with new centre Jack Parkinson replacing Ianto Griffiths at inside centre. Then, just before half-time, the Otters were penalised and Mathew Jones landed a 43-metre kick to give Pooler a 16 points to three lead.

Whilst the young Otters had shown they were capable of challenging Pooler at times, they failed to to break down their defence and were outwitted by the two clever angled kicks from the experienced Mathew Jones, who last season was a regular with the Gwent Dragons.

Within two minutes of the restart, the Otters gained a penalty and Nick Gale had no problems putting the ball over in front of the posts.

Narberth supporters’ hopes were raised, but conditions had worsened, with the rain increasing in intensity and the ball was just like a bar of soap, making it almost impossible to play a handling game.

The stronger Pooler pack began to put the Otters on the backfoot. On 50 minutes, from a lineout in the Otters’ 22, Pooler gained possession and using the rolling maul forced their way over the line for flanker Robert Nash to score another unconverted try, making the score 21-6.

Narberth regained possession and winger Liam Hutchings made significant ground and was able to release speed merchant Nick Gale, who almost broke clear. Unfortunately, he had outrun the support, enabling Pooler to reclaim the initiative.

In the next 10 minutes, Narberth were forced to change their front row, with Ryan Rees being injured, ending up with youngsters Aaron Maine and Bradley Davies, both fresh from last season’s youth squad, supporting veteran Dan Smith in the front row. In the second row, Ryan Banner replaced Jake Sims.

In the conditions, the lighter Otters pack were now having problems coping with the strength of the Pooler pack in the scrums and mauls.

On 66 minutes, Pooler were awarded a penalty and kicked into touch in the Otters’ 22 on the stand side. They outjumped the Otters and, gaining possession, attempted to walk the ball over the line, but knocked the ball on, allowing the Otters to clear the danger.

At the scrum, whilst struggling to hold their possession, the Otters heeled for the replacement number eight to manage to break clear. Pooler infringed and the Otters were able to get back into the Pooler half.

On 72 minutes, Pooler again made ground and from a lineout they took possession and, forming a maul, were able to move the lighter Otters pack back towards their line, before releasing the ball for flanker Gareth Rusby Davies to stride over in the corner for Mathew Jones to convert.

A few minutes later, from a penalty kick, Pooler gained touch in the Otters’ half. Again at the lineout they took possession and, spreading the ball wide, outfoxed the Otters’ defence for winger Josh Hurley to score an unconverted try.

The score was now 33-6 and the young Otters’ heads were down when substitute Ben Sparks scored another try for Pooler, which Keiron Meek converted to make the final score 40-6.

Pontypool is always a difficult place for the Otters and unfortunately the deteriorating conditions enabled the home side’s heavier pack to gain the upper hand in the second half. In such conditions, defensive work was difficult and the first half organised performance by the Otters was undone. On another day, in better conditions, with a full strength team, the Otters would have given Pontypool a real test.

Afterwards their head coach commented: “It was a really tough game, the boys stuck in there for the first 50 minutes and it was quite close; first half they gained two tries from our poor kicking game. We could have gone in at half-time with an even score. Second half we kicked well, but fell off a couple of tackles. Our scrum suffered a little bit and their pressure told in the end.

“It was against a very good side. We are a very young side and last week against Neath we played with a lot of enthusiasm. Pontypool were strong and it was one of the best Pontypool sides I have seen.

“Our young players had a big experience in front of a huge crowd and they can only get better. We have the best Pembrokeshire players and they are going to learn and learn quickly.”

Narberth fielded: James Stephenson, Nick Gale (Jake Jennings), Joe Hutchings, Ianto Griffiths (Jack Parkinson), Liam Hutchings, Jonathon Rogers, Rhys Lane Lewis Wood (Joe Powell), James Bain, Pat Roberts, Jake Simms (Ryan Banner), Alex Jenkins (capt.) Ryan Rees (Aaron Maine), Dan Smith, Bradley Davies.