Rumney RFC v Llanharan RFC – Gareth Morgan.
Rumney RFC v Llanharan RFC – Match Report
Saturday 12th September 2026.
Having secured a nail-biting home victory over St Peters, on their long-awaited return to Championship rugby, the second weekend of the season saw the Dairymen facing an away fixture. Llanharan travelled to the capitol’s eastern suburbs to face a Rumney RFC team coached by their former player and coach Matthew Lloyd. There was an early setback when loose head prop Joe Melhuish suffered a split webbing to his hand during the warmup, which meant that Gethin Cashmore got promoted from the bench, with travelling reserve Tom Davies taking his place amongst the replacements.
The first fifteen minutes was a scrappy affair with both sides making numerous unforced errors. However, on the quarter-of-an-hour mark, a speculative chip ahead by scrum half Leon Burton, was collected by last week’s hattrick hero Sam Alexander, who’s pace saw him cross the whitewash to put the dairymen five points up. Unfortunately, Scott Jones was wide of the mark with the conversion. Within five minutes, the Dairymen secured an attacking line out, and a trademark catch and drive, saw second row Joe Buckle crown his fiftieth appearance for Llanharan with a try, which Scott Jones duly converted, to put the visitors twelve points to nil ahead, halfway through the first period. However, following the restart the Dairymen conceded an unnecessary penalty in their own half, which gifted Rumney an attacking line of their own, from which they struck back with a well-executed catch and drive. Rumney’s first try also went unconverted, which made the score five points to twelve. Llanharan were able to extend their lead, when from a good attacking position, Scott Jones chipped over the home defence, collected his own kick, and crossed under the posts. The outside half converted his own try, to extend the visitor’s lead to nineteen points to five. Left wing Ryan Griffiths was the next to get in on the scoring action, crossing following a well worked move, and in doing so he secured the bonus point for the Dairymen. Scott Jones’ conversion made the score twenty-six points to five. As the first half embers were dying, Llanharan again put themselves under pressure, by conceding an unnecessary penalty, which resulted in a well taken try, by Rumney’s dangerous right wing, making the half time score twenty-six points to twelve, to the Dairymen.
The home side started the second half on the front foot, and crossed for the first try of the half, to reduce the visitor’s lead to twenty-six points to nineteen. Llanharan were then able to mount some pressure, and another catch and drive from an attacking line out saw dynamic hooker Jack Walker score. The try was converted, to give the Dairymen some breathing space, extending their lead to thirty-three points to nineteen. Rumney were far from finished however, and struck back, with a converted try of their own, as the second period neared the halfway mark, making the score thirty-three to twenty-six.
Both sides had further chances, but were unable to add to their totals, until Scott Jones landed a straightforward penalty, as the game approached its final ten minutes, extending the visitor’s lead beyond a single score. During the latter stages, the hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and pressure, but a stalwart black and blue defence meant that they were unable to add to their tally. With three minutes to play, Scott Jones was shown a yellow card, for an infringement in the tackle area, but still the hosts were unable to cross the whitewash. With the last kick of the game, Rumney landed a penalty, to secure second bonus point, which in all honesty their tenacity probably deserved.
Llanharan’s bonus point victory meant that their return to the championship has started with ten points from a possible ten. There will be some things for the coaching team to focus on in training, as all of Rumney’s points resulted from unforced Dairymen errors. However, there were also numerous positives, with notable performances, not least player of the match Gethin Cashmore, who excelled following his late promotion from the bench. Front row colleagues Troy Johnson and Jack Walker also gave strong displays, and Josh Walsh was full of energy in fairness the young pack scrummaged well against an experienced Rumney unit. Centre Martin De Torres carried well on his first start, whilst both wingers looked dangerous with ball in hand.
Next week sees the Dairymen travel to Blaina, deep in the Gwent Valleys. Whilst they are likely to face a stern test, they will be determined to keep up the early season momentum.
Comments