Close Game postponed as Rhigos unable to raise a team.

Close A GLORIOUS afternoon alongside the river Ogmore was the setting for the first league game of the season for the Villagers in their new home of Division 5 Central.
The failure of Rhigos RFC to turn up the previous week meant a delayed start to the season and there was much anticipation as they disembarked the coach over an hour prior to kick off. The home side had lost away from home at Glyncoch the previous week and looked a well drilled highly motivated unit warming up.
The game started infuriatingly for the Villagers as young outside half Gafyn Cooper put the adrenaline stimulated kick off out on the full, to the disgust of coaches Vesey and Boyland.
This was however to be one of only two errors made by the copper-haired fly half who gave an otherwise accomplished display in the late summer sunshine.
The home side controlled the early exchanges as the visitors displayed a rustiness in all facets of play. This led to the first penalty as an enthusiastic defensive line was caught offside at a ruck. The penalty kick was successful and Ogmore Vale led by three points after five minutes of play.
The Villagers were struggling to gain possession and therefore were under sustained pressure and a further penalty was awarded but not converted for a further offside decision.
The first ten minutes were torrid for the visitors and a long afternoon, indeed a long season, loomed ahead for the youthful Villagers side.
The oldest player in the team, acting captain for the day Nick Veggas , pressed into action at hooker for the day, was to have an inspirational afternoon.
It took the Villagers a quarter of an hour to enter the opposition half following a driving charge from Veggas supported by second row John 'Marine' Baber which resulted in a penalty being awarded for hands in the ensuing ruck and, unbelievably, with nearly a quarter of the game played following the conversion of the penalty by Cooper , the match was all square at three points apiece.
The home side, stunned by this ignominy, were immediately on the attack and a series of rolling mauls from lineouts were stoutly defended by the Villagers, but as the danger seemed to have passed a loose clearing kick that failed to find touch was gathered by the Ogmore right wing who ran 40 metres through ineffective tackling to score under the posts.
The ball was in fact dislodged from his grasp in the act of scoring, but was not spotted by the referee and with the conversion added the home side led 10-3. This was a fair reflection of play and the Villagers needed to shake off their malaise if they were to prove competitive in the contest.
A high hanging restart from Cooper was knocked on by Ogmore and from the ensuing scrum the ball was moved through the hands to centre Kieron Driscoll who made a stunning break of 20 metres before feeding right wing Mark Goode on an angle to cross for the Villagers' first try of the season.
This try owed much to the huge effort of the front row of Veggas, Alex Smith and Tom Paterson ; the latter against a huge tight head prop made an immense effort in the scrum to allow the backs the high quality ball that makes rugby sometimes to appear such a simple game.
The conversion added by Cooper took the score after half an hour to 10-10.
This was now a real contest as the visitors settled and began to adjust to the pace of the game. The home side pressed hard from the restart but the back row of Lloyd Horwood , Tom Chapman and the imperious Morgan Williams held firm in defence, and turnover ball at the breakdown won by Williams in his own half was quickly passed to Veggas on the burst who transferred again to Williams who made a searing break, before passing to second row Jo Khan who drew the defender before passing to left wing James Smith who scampered the final 20 metres to evade the covering defence.
The conversion added by Cooper in a pair of borrowed boots as his own failed to make the journey took the score to 10-17.
This was the final meaningful action of the half and at the interval the visitors had worked their way back after a lacklustre start to lead at half time.
The home side kicked off the restart which allowed them field position as the restart was knocked on, and from the resulting scrum, flanker Morgan Williams was judged to have tackled the home outside half too robustly and was sent from the field for 10 minutes.
The penalty was kicked to touch and from the resulting lineout the inevitable rolling maul was created. The visitors prevented the score, but from the scrum the home number 8 drove from the base and with the support of his scrum half crashed over to score a try in the corner.
The conversion was an extremely difficult kick, but the fly half struck the ball beautifully to tie the score at 17-17.
The next eight minutes of the sin bin saw the Villagers play controlled rugby and deny the opposition any ball to take make use of their numerical advantage. Nick Veggas led from the front stealing a couple of opposition lineouts and driving the ball forwards forcefully.
This period saw the Villagers gain two penalties for offences at the breakdown which allowed Cooper to kick penalties from 35 metres and 50 metres, the latter drawing gasps from the crowd. The return of Williams from the sin bin saw the visitors lead 17-23.
The game was being played at a frantic pace and Ogmore Vale once again enjoyed a period of sustained pressure, however determined defence from John 'Evo' Evans and Driscoll in the centre prevented the home side from scoring a try.
The pressure was intense and then came a harsh yellow card for Villager second row Baber for kicking the ball at the base of a ruck. The home side opted for the scrum and coach Vesey had to gamble and put robust centre Driscoll into the scrum.
A formidable effort by the Dinas scrum held firm and the first attack was repulsed, a series of penalties led to a succession of scrums and eventually from one of these the home number 8 crashed over for his second try. The conversion was added and with 5 minutes remaining the home side led 24-23.
To win the match the Villagers would have to score again with a player short due to the loss of Baber to the sin bin.The final minutes were frantic as full back Sam Alderman and wing Mark Goode tried to outflank the home defence, an inside pass to centre Evans saw two players in support against two defenders, but the wrong option was taken and the chance went astray.
The home side were exhausted and frantically tried to clear their line by kicking long downfield. Alderman was to the fore running the ball back from deep and seeking the winning score.
A series of passes drew the home defence from side to side, eventually one of the passes went behind James Smith loitering on the right wing, the pacy winger set forth on a mazy run of 40 metres to score an amazing solo try under the posts.
Joy for the large Dinas support, and Cooper added the conversion on a day when his place kicking was impeccable, and the score advanced to 24-30.
The referee decided there was time for the restart and the Villagers, showing confidence, ran the ball from deep, with Driscoll making a telling break before feeding Morgan Williams who went deep into the Ogmore half. The ball was moved to second row Khan who raced down the left wing to within metres of the tryline.
The home side were penalised for an offence at the breakdown, and coach Vesey decided that his heart could not take any more excitement and told his charges to kick the ball to touch to bring the game to an end.
Next, Dinas Powys travel to unbeaten Porthcawl for what should be a difficult contest.

Close What a cracking competitive contest this match proved to be, two youthful sides intent on playing an expansive exciting style of rugby. The result remained in the balance until the final whistle and the Villagers will reflect on a lack of discipline and indifferent decision making at crucial stages during the game.
The Villagers kicked off the contest and within a minute gained a penalty in front of the posts, captain Nathan Williams took a quick tap rejecting the simple kick at goal and going for an early try. The scrum half was tackled without being allowed to run 10 metres but the referee allowed this transgression to go unpunished and the opportunity was lost. The Villagers however opened their account within two minutes as fly half Gafin Cooper kicked a penalty following an infringement by the home side at a scrum.
The scrum was to prove a controversial area of the game as both sides struggled to gain dominance in this area and both sides appeared to have the upper hand at various stages of the afternoon.
The home side affectionately known as the Seaweeders were on the attack immediately and their captain Matthew Owen at outside half proved a master at the role of playmaker switching play from side to side and testing the Villagers defence. The home side were dominant during this period and the Villagers could do little other than defend bravely, the back row of Morgan Williams, Lewys John and Nick Veggas were to the fore in this effort, and the home side were denied a score. The three-quarters were also involved defensively and a tackle by Cooper on home number 8 Lloyd Long saved a certain try and skipper Williams would have been encouraged by his side’s commitment.
The pressure was intense and long serving club secretary Cameron Mackay seemed concerned as he watched from the touchline, his fears seemed unfounded as the home side knocked the ball on close to the visitors try line and the Villagers were awarded the scrum. The scrum appeared comfortable as the ball was struck, however the ball rebounded off John Baber in the second row to allow the home side to win the scrum. The ball was picked up by Long at the base of the Porthcawl scrum and the powerful player drove low to cross for the opening try of the contest. The conversion was missed by Owen and the Villagers trailed by 5-3.
The enigmatic centre David Lloyd playing his first game of the season made a telling break following a solid scrum, slicing his way through the home defence and with support to his left a score seemed inevitable, however the pass was gathered by the retreating home wing and the chance was lost. The Villagers were now enjoying some territory and a powerful run by Lewys John gained 20 metres as he drove deep into the home 22 metre area, this forced the home defence to encroach offside and the penalty was converted by Cooper and the score progressed to 5-6 in favour of the visitors.
The home side were immediately on the attack and a penalty was gained as the superb Veggas was judged offside and after a frantic quarter of an hour the lead once again changed hands and the Seaweeders led by 8-6.
The restart was collected by left wing Mark Goode who ran strongly only to be pushed into touch. The muscular left wing was to have a fine performance and was a threat throughout the afternoon. The home side persisted in playing flowing rugby and centre Lloyd was deemed to have thrown a punch as he swung an arm in an attempt to dislodge the ball in a tackle. The centre looked bemused by the decision as he left the pitch for 10 minutes in the sin bin. The home side took advantage of this numerical advantage as their centre ran from deep inside his own half to score a fine individual try, and with Goode having done well in chasing the scorer and ensuring the conversion was difficult and not successful an the Villagers trailed by 13-6 with five minutes of the half remaining. The returning Lloyd made an immediate impact and made a searing break through the centre and fed left wing Goode who beat his opposite number and the covering full back to score a fine try in the left hand corner. The Villagers pressed for a further score and a fine kick to the corner by Cooper forced the home full back to take the ball out near the corner flag. The resulting lineout was won and a rolling maul ensued from which Lewys John peeled off and appeared certain to score only for the ball to be knocked from his grasp. Half time 13-11.
The second half was a thoroughly tense affair, the Villagers dominated the majority of proceedings, strong carries from Morgan Williams and Lewys John allowed the visitors’ good field positions .The home side conceded penalties that went narrowly wide and against the run of play scored a breakaway try to extend their lead 20-11.
Dinas Powys replied with right wing Tom Chapman finishing off a flowing move scoring in the right corner.
This meant that with ten minutes remaining the score stood at 20-16.The visitors threw everything at the home defence, props Mike Jones and Alex Smith drove into ruck and mauls and strong carries from new recruit James Walters allowed the three-quarters to seek the crucial score. Tension was increased as home captain Owen was sin binned for pulling back Nathan Williams and the home team had to see out the final minutes a man short. Breaks by centre John Evans and scrum half Williams were snuffed out by desperate home defence, and finally powerful running by left wing Goode saw him go agonisingly close to securing victory. The excitement was intense and the referee appeared to get caught up in the atmosphere and blew the final whistle with gusto to the delight of the home crowd.
Next week Dinas Powys RFC continue their season with a further away game at Hirwaun.

Close A sunny early autumn day provided a perfect day for playing rugby at the ‘Waun’ home of Hirwaun RFC. The game started as brightly as the weather for the ‘Villagers’ playing up the slope and into a marked breeze.

An early penalty kick was missed but within the first five minutes the first try was scored following a deft chip by fly half Gethin Cooper that allowed centre Dai Lloyd to collect and score under the posts. The home side with the elements in their favour were then encamped in the ‘Villagers’ half but fine defence by the back row of Morgan Williams, Nick Vagges and Lewys John ensured that the home side remained without a score. The home side drove forward with a series of rolling mauls, utilising their bulky forwards to maximum effect. The pressure was intense and the home side were awarded an attacking 5 metre scrum, the ‘Villagers’ pack put in a massive effort and drove the home side off the ball winning the ball against the head, ever alert scrum half Nathan Williams broke to the blind side and fed left wing James Smith who raced the length of the pitch to score the second try. The speedy wing was the first to appreciate the contribution of the formidable front row of Mike Jones, Lloyd Horwood and Tom Paterson in presenting him with his scoring opportunity. The conversion added by Cooper advanced the score to 0-14 and after a quarter of an hour, Andy Vesey, Richard ‘Chunky’ Boyland and Ian formed a happy group of coaches along the touchline.

The elements allowed the home side to once again dominate territory for the remainder of the first half and it was a formidable defensive effort marshalled by skipper Nathan Williams that prevented the home side from scoring. The home side were further frustrated by pack leader Vagges disrupting their lineout by continuously stealing their lineout throws. The strong breeze denied the ‘Villagers’ the option of kicking to relieve the pressure and it fell upon James Walters and Alex Smith to drive the ball forward away from danger.

There was no further scoring in the first half and with two tries scored and the slope and wind at their backs in the second half all appeared under control for the ‘Villagers’.

The first half hour of the second half was to prove a frustrating period as the youthful set of three quarters over elaborated their play and failed to maximise the potential of the elements in their favour. The home side were to convert three penalty kicks in this period and were to claw their way back into the contest and with ten minutes remaining the score stood at 9-14. Thoughts of gaining a bonus point for scoring had evaporated and securing the win now became the priority, Vesey utilised his bench and sent on Gareth ‘Gazza’ Williams in the second row and Nick Coles for Sam Alderman at full back and Kyle Foat for the indomitable Lewys John in the back row. The stress levels mounted as Coles made a searing break through the home defence before unselfishly feeding right wing Mark ‘Frame’ Goode allowing him to cross in the corner only for the score to be disallowed as the touch judge raised his flag to negate the score. This galvanised the ‘Villagers’ into playing ten minutes of near perfect rugby. A brave fall and gather by Horwood secured the ball and allowed a further break by Coles down the left wing which allowed him to pass inside to centre John ‘Evo’ Evans to score the try.

The restart was gathered by Vagges who made a powerful break tearing through the home defence, the bronze haired number 8 charged into the opponents 22 area and looked certain to score, but opted to pass to Morgan Williams in support, alas the quality of the pass did not match the break and the chance like the pass went astray. The home side cleared their lines the ball was gathered by Foat who drove on powerfully before slipping the ball to Evans who passed inside to Horwood who crashed over for the bonus point gaining fourth try. The conversion added by Cooper advanced the score to a healthier looking 9-26. The forwards were winning a plethora of possession and the backs were revelling in it as they combined with a flowing move that saw Evans cross the try line for a further disallowed try, the scoring pass from Smith judged forward. The forwards felt aggrieved and produced a dynamic scrum that pushed the home pack off the ball the ball was fed from Vagges to scrum half Williams who scampered to score the try, with Cooper adding the conversion the ‘Villagers’ extended their lead to 9-33.

The restart was gathered by Walters who bullocked his way forward, the ball beautifully presented was passed along the backline to the mercurial Dai Lloyd, who produced a classic outside break. The classy centre had tormented the opponents all game with his mesmerising runs and on this occasion they were penalised for not releasing the elusive centre after the tackle and the ever alert skipper Nathan Williams again took the penalty quickly before feeding Coles to score the ‘Villagers’ sixth try of the afternoon.

The post match analysis allowed the players to maintain that they enjoyed tormenting the elderly committee members and that they never considered victory and the bonus point in doubt.

The clubhouse by the Common bounded with joy to the celebration of the style of the victory and also to the celebration of the wedding of club member Lee Parsons. The wedding reception at the clubhouse was the reason that the fixture was switched and many a ‘Villager’ supporter would be grateful to have played the match at the head of the valleys in September rather than in January as was scheduled.

Dinas Powys RFC continue on their travels away from the Common as they travel to Llantwit Major for a SWALEC Bowl encounter.

Close The ‘Villagers’ made the relatively short journey to the historic village of Llantwit Major for this SWALEC bowl cup encounter. The Welsh Rugby Union in their wisdom have placed Dinas Powys RFC in a South Central league which ensures that the players spend longer on the coach to and from the match than they do playing the game. Therefore this season coach Andy Vesey had decided that that the league would be the priority and accordingly made nine changes to the side that gained victory the previous week.

The home side had the benefit of the slope and a strong breeze in the first half and it took a committed defensive effort from the ‘Villagers‘ to keep the half time score to 6-0 . The magnificent back row of Andrew Knibbs, Gareth ‘Banjo’ Williams and Morgan Williams tackled tirelessly and with scrum half Kieron Spear controlling the game from scrum half it was the ‘Villagers’ that finished the first half pressing for the games first try.

A delighted set of coaches at half time now encouraged their charges to maximise the benefits of the elements now in their favour. It was however the home side that scored first in the second half through a penalty which was soon nullified by a penalty of their own converted by fly half Garvyn Cooper. The ‘Villagers ‘however were not to score again, even though exciting breaks by centre Dai Lloyd, and wings James Smith and the powerful Mark Goode offered hope a well drilled home side were to hold firm with resolute defence. The home side familiar the conditions that they encounter for every home game utilised their forwards to carry the ball powerfully and combined for rolling maul after rolling maul. The result of one of these was a penalty for dragging it to the floor and another led to the first try of the contest which allowed the home side to lead by 17-3. The ‘Villagers’ responded with attacks of their own, and a searing break from centre John ‘Evo’ Evans freed pacey wing Smith to round his opposite number and run 50 metres, with the cover defence coming across the wing chipped ahead, the ball bounce kindly for the home full back who passed to his left wing who made good ground before passing inside to allow the supporting player to score an excellent team try in the left corner. The difficult conversion was added and the score advance with ten minutes of the game remaining to what proved to be the final score of 24-3. The highlight of this period was the sight of head coach Vesey entering the fray as a replacement, adding another season to his long list of seasonal appearances.

A brave performance against a well drilled team who remain unbeaten at home for the season.
The ‘Villagers’ return to league action next Saturday with another away game at Tonna.

Close In this dismal period of weather that we are suffering it is ironic that yet another Saturday was blessed with sunshine. The hosts who are celebrating their 125th anniversary this season defended the kick off from Gaffyn Cooper and an enthralling encounter was set to unfold before the gathered crowd.

The ‘Villagers’ were rampant and the home side had hardly touched the ball in this opening period. However the men in red were to gather themselves together and were dominant in the remainder of the half. There were no obvious reasons for this as the elements appeared to favour either side but the hosts were to finish the first 40 minutes three tries to one, keeping the ‘Villagers’ pinned in their own half unable to free themselves from the siege.

Right wing James Smith cleanly collected a high ball prior to setting off on a scintillating run of 50 metres across the heavy muddy pitch before passing back inside. The ball passed through the hands at speed, finally reaching left wing Mark Goode who was frustratingly hauled down just short of the try line. The tempo was set and the ‘Villagers’ pressed for the opening score, a kick to the corner by fly half Cooper drawing a groan from the travelling spectators but the fiery red head had the final laugh as right wing Smith gathered the kick and outpaced the defence with blistering speed to score in the corner.

Tonna, who are blessed with a bulky pack, drove forwards remorselessly through a series of rolling mauls before releasing their three quarters. Poor tackling by the visitors combined with the greasy surface saw the home centre crash over under the posts, and with the try converted the home side led 7-5. The lead was increased by a further 8 points when the home team successfully converted a penalty before the left wing grounded the ball for a second try, just reward for a series of 5 metre scrums and after a quarter of an hour Tonna had a healthy 15-5 lead.

The restart following the try saw energetic flanker Morgan Williams gather the ball and drive deep into the oppositions 22 metre area, drawing a penalty from the defenders. A successful kick by Cooper saw the ‘Villagers’ edge back into the contest and they now trailed by 15-8. The remaining 20 minutes of the half was dominated by the home side with only the occasional respite such as when centre Dai Lloyd ripped the ball from an opponent in the tackle and set forth on a mesmeric 50 metre run downfield. The half was drawing to a close and the defensive blue line still held firm against the onslaught of the home side. It was therefore a huge disappointment for the ‘Villagers’ of Dinas Powys that they were to concede a try with the final play of the first half. The home team won a lineout deep in ‘Villagers’ half and the ensuing and now obligatory driving maul allowed them to slide over in the corner, and with a difficult conversion added the half time score stood at 22-8.

Coach Andy Vesey made a number of tactical changes at half time, switching the position of three of the players already on the field and changed the tactics to better compete with the oppositions dominant lineouts. The enforced withdrawal of the excellent second row Alex Smith through injury allowed Gareth "Banjo" Williams to step into the fray. The result of these inspired decisions was to have an unimaginable effect as the home side were to be deprived a score in the second half.

The remainder of the game was dominated by the visitors and a tense pulsating contest unfolded which was to test the well being of the ‘senior’ members of the travelling committee. It was a matter of whether the men from the Vale could score the necessary points against a committed and well drilled home side. The ‘Villager’ scrum gained the upper hand during this period and the gnarly front row of Mike Jones, Lloyd Horwood and Tom Paterson were to have a crucial impact as they disrupted the opposition scrum. The back row were now first to the loose ball and the defensive lineout work of pack leader and number eight Nick Veggas was to prove decisive in the second half transformation. Powerful breaks from, Smith and Goode supported by Kieron Spear allowed the visitors to gain vital field position. An attacking scrum allowed inspirational captain Nathan Williams to pick up from the base and score the try that was to start the comeback. The pressure on the home defence was intense and a series of offences allowed Cooper to kick a penalty that reduced the deficit to 22-16.

The final quarter was a tense affair with the ‘Villager’ pressing for the victory, the heavy pitch and greasy ball did not suit their expansive intent but again and again they tried to weave their way through the admirable Tonna defence. A massive tackle from indomitable flanker Lewys John dislodged the ball from an opponent’s grip, fellow flanker Morgan Williams was on the loose ball like a flash and passed the ball to centre Lloyd who darted through the defence, ball in two hands, before drawing the defender and passing to co-centre Evans who outpaced the defence to score in the left corner. The difficult conversion was just wide and a frenetic final ten minutes ensued as the ‘Villagers’ tried to overturn the home sides 22-21 lead. The Dinas forwards gathered the restart and were off again into opposition territory, sniping runs by Nathan Williams, Smith and Lloyd were just short of the crucial score. The waves of blue smashed at the Tonna line and with minutes remaining the home side had to offend to stop Lloyd scoring a certain try. Many a travelling supporter could hardly watch as Copper stepped forward to attempt the testing kick but their fears were groundless as he coolly slotted the decisive score.

The final whistle blew soon afterwards and another away victory was gained by this exciting youthful side.

Close Another sunny Saturday greeted the ‘Villagers’ to the Recreation Ground at, Blaengarw for this Division 5 South Central fixture.

Before the game commenced a minutes silence was observed for the recent passing away of three Dinas Powys Athletic club members, Terry Nolan the father in law of long serving club secretary Cameron Mackay, Heather Skyrme wife of Athletic club chairman Mike Skyrme and Warwick "Woggie" Pemberton former Athletic club steward and rugby club stalwart. Therefore it was a sombre start to proceedings as the game kicked off with the ‘Villagers’ shirts bearing three bands of black tape.

The game had a disjointed scrappy start and the first quarter of an hour saw little quality rugby and Blaengarw took the lead at this stage with a successful penalty on their first visit to the ‘Villagers’ 22 metre area. The restart was gathered by flanker Morgan Williams who drove on powerfully drawing the penalty that was kicked to the corner by fly half Gethin Cooper, the resulting lineout was won and driven over with Morgan Williams scoring the try, with Cooper converting from the touchline the ‘Villagers’ the lead 3-7.The game now sprang into life as the men in blue and gold began to dominate every aspect of the contest. The front row of Mike Jones, Nick Veggas and Tom Paterson took control at the scrum and a series of wins against the head were to result in quality possession for the exciting three quarters to display their attacking prowess. The second try resulted from an outside break from captain Nathan Williams, playing in the centre, before feeding right wing Sam Alderman who squeezed over in the corner, with Cooper again converting the score moved on after a quarter of the contest to 3-14. The third try followed within five minutes as the maturing Cooper released his backline again and John "Evo" Evans passed left to co-centre Williams who fed left wing James Smith who dummied to full back Nick Coles before straightening and scampering 40 metres for the try and with Cooper again adding the extra points the score moved on to 3-21. The remainder of the first half saw a brave and spirited Blaengarw side defend bravely against a constant blue wave that pounded their try line.

Coach Andy Vesey introduced Mathew Brown for the ever impressive Kieron Spear at scrum half during the interval, and the second half started as the first had finished with the visitors pack dominating the forward battle. Second row Alex Smith and the magnificent number 8 Gareth Williams were now winning a plethora of possession at the lineout and the game moved further in the ‘Villagers’ favour as captain Nathan Williams crossed for the bonus point winning try. The brave home team were wilting under the constant pressure and bulky second row James Walters crashed over from close range to score his first try for the ‘Villagers’ advancing the score to 3-31.The pressure on the home line was intense and the second half was interrupted constantly as the brave home defenders suffered constant injuries and were forced to offend consistently to prevent further scores, one such penalty saw Cooper take a quick tap penalty racing forty metres to near the try line before unselfishly passing to half back partner Brown to score the try that Cooper converted to extend the lead to 3-38 The restart was caught by Morgan Williams who drove on powerfully, the ball was recycled and passed along the three quarters to left wing Smith who outpaced the defence and ran 80 metres to score a thrilling try extending the lead with the conversion added to 3-45. Inspired by his earlier score Walters was soon found out wide on the right wing favouring to trust his pace to outflank the defence rather than trusting Coles outside him. The pressure on the home side was intense and even when they had possession the ‘Villagers’ defence was formidable and a jarring tackle from robust flanker Lewys John freed the ball from the grasp of the home player and the ball was pounced on by the ever alert Nathan Williams who crossed for the try which Cooper again converted. The plucky home side still bravely defended and a clearance kick by their fly half was caught at full pace by left wing Smith on half way who outpaced the defence to score his third and the ‘Villagers’ ninth try. This was to be the final score of the afternoon, producing a handsome 3-57 victory.
A pleasing victory that will please coaches Vesey, Boyland and Darlington as they gathered their fourth away victory of the season, with their first home game of the season their next fixture on November 3rd against high-flying Pontrhydyfen.

Close WITH the two sides lying third and fourth in the league, a thrilling encounter was anticipated by the supporters of both sides gathered on the Common for the Villagers first home game of the season.

The reality, however, was a turgid and tense affair that was never allowed to develop into the contest that was expected.

The result of the game hung in the balance until the final minute as the home side pressed for the try that would have won the contest - only for the visitors from the Afan Valley to pounce on a loose pass in their own 22 to break away for the only try of the match, with the final play of the game.

A frustrating afternoon for the Villagers which saw three different kickers fail with vital kicks at goal and saw the home side spurn several try-scoring opportunities that would have secured victory.

The visitors adapted more effectively to the prevailing conditions, playing a simple game and making fewer errors than the more ambitious home side, in a contest that saw the Villagers reduced at one stage to 13 players following two yellow cards for technical offences.

The visitors come from the village that was the birthplace of Richard Burton, and indeed this famous rugby-loving thespian would have felt at home listening to the soliloquies delivered by the bombastic match official.

The match was never allowed to develop into the contest that was anticipated and heroic performances by Nick Vagges and Nathan Williams were negated by poor decision-making and a lack of tactical awareness.

The Villagers did not follow up on their fine away performances and failed to gain a point from a league game for the first time this season.

The gloom amongst the players and coaches after the game reflected the disappointment felt by all concerned.

Close The final kick of the game, a conversion attempt from out wide on the right hand side sailed towards the posts, the home supporters started celebrating snatching a draw from the hands of defeat only to see the ball dip under the bar by a few inches and it was the “Villagers” that celebrated .
Treherbert and the infamous “cage” that surrounds their pitch is a hostile place for visiting teams and the “Villagers” last visit in November 2011 saw them fail to score a point and concede 24 points. Therefore it was a happy group of players and coaches that headed home down the Rhondda valley with four points secured from their fifth away victory of the season.

The game started badly for the team from Dinas Powys as they conceded a converted try from a driven lineout within five minutes of the kick off. A further painful visit to Treherbert was envisaged as the home side dominated the early exchanges and only excellent defence from a disciplined Dinas team ensured that the home side did not add to their tally. The back row of Lewys John, Morgan Williams and Nick Veggas were to the fore in this aspect of play and with captain Nathan Williams marshalling his men from scrum half, the visitors were able to clear their lines.

The “Villagers” opened their account with a penalty kicked by Keffyn Cooper following a series of powerful scrums that saw the front row of Tom Paterson, Lloyd Horwood and Mike Jones gain the upper hand in this area of play. The balance of the game changed as the “Villagers” gained field position and pressurised for further points. A long clearance kick by the home team was gathered by full back Nick Coles who cleverly spun and evaded the chasing defenders before passing inside to right wing Mark Goode who had come in off his wing to throw a long pass to left wing James Smith who ran 50 metres at blinding speed to score under the posts, with Cooper adding the conversion the “Villagers” took the lead by 7-10.

The “Villagers” soon extended their lead - following a further huge scrum effort, Nathan Williams collected a pass from Veggas at the base of the scrum and the scrum half sniped down the blindside. With the opposition’s fullback to beat the inspirational player, chipped the defender and outpaced the defence to ground the ball and score a fine individual try. The men in blue and gold were rampant and strong carries by James Walters and Lloyd Horwood allowed the mercurial centre David Lloyd to make an outside break that drew the penalty from the home defence and with Cooper kicking the penalty the lead was extended to 7-18.

The final ten minutes of the first half saw the men of Treherbert camped on the Dinas tryline. The defensive efforts were huge, and tackle after tackle was completed but the blue and gold line held firm and half time was reached with no further scoring.

The home side kicked a penalty gained from the restart and the game stayed with the score for a further quarter of an hour until scrum half Williams - once again off the base of a powerful scrum - sniped and raced from his own half to score a brilliant second individual try. The conversion added from in front of the posts by Cooper the “Villagers” held a comfortable 10-25 lead. The home side encouraged by their passionate supporters increased their effort and with a raft of fresh legs introduced from their bench they pressed hard for their second try. During this period Nathan Williams was sin binned following an intentional knock on and with three points added for this indiscretion the visitors faced a difficult ten minutes against an opponent with an extra man. During this period however a fine relieving kick by Cooper allowed centres John Evans and Lloyd to chase and gain a penalty that allowed Cooper to kick what transpired to be the crucial score that allowed the “Villagers” to lead 18-28. The home side added a further penalty following a harsh decision against Cooper for a high tackle and with ten minutes remaining the men of Dinas Powys were defending a 21-28 lead. The home side scored a try that allowed the kick at goal for the draw, but the “Villagers” had defended narrowly and forced play out wide. The result was a conversion attempt from a difficult wide out alongside the touch line. The kick failed narrowly dipping under the cross bar and a famous victory was gained over a team that prior to kick off were above the “Villagers” in the table and had only conceded four tries so far this season.
The clubhouse on the Common was a happy place as the returning 1st XV were reunited with the youth team who were also celebrating a victory.

Close The crowd gathered on the Common for this contest were rewarded with a fourteen try pre Christmas cracker. The “Villagers” were simply excellent as they scored thirteen tries in a stunning display of complete rugby that the team had threatened to achieve for much of the season. The home side dominated all areas of the contest and only a brave defensive performance by the men from Ferndale prevented the score line having an even greater home total. The home pack was superb, winning a plethora of possession to allow the ebullient backline the chance to display their skill at pace, resulting in six of the three quarters scoring a total of nine tries.
The home side scored their first try within a minute as hooker Lloyd Horwood charged onto the kick off that failed to travel the required ten metres. Whilst others pondered the chunky player sped downfield before being tackled and with quick ball achieved the ball went along the backline to centre Dai Lloyd on a sweet angle to score the try. The second try followed a huge home scrum that drove the visitors off their own feed that resulted in the ball reaching left wing James Smith , who chipped ahead to allow Dai Lloyd to gather and pop up the ball following the tackle to number 8 Gazza Williams who crashed over for the try. The home side were rampant and within 12 minutes added their third try as fly half Garin Cooper fed Horwood close to the line allowing the hooker to burst over. The visitors opened their account after twenty minutes with a penalty following an offside decision following a period of sustained pressure.
The “Villagers” were stung into action and another powerful scrum allowed influential scrum half Nathan Williams to score from the base of the scrum the fourth and bonus point gaining try. During this passage of scrums some humour was gained as bulky second row James Walters was forced to leave the field having rolled in fox droppings and raising disdain from team mates and opponents alike. The pressure was relentless and a midfield break by centre Mike Smith freed co-centre Lloyd, the mercurial player was tackled to the floor but a bone crunching clean out by Gazza Williams freed quick ball that allowed left wing James Smith to make a searing break to within a few metres of the try line before unselfishly passing to supporting flanker Lewys John who crossed for the try. There was no respite for the men from the Rhondda as the restart was gathered and carried back at them through the muscular form of second row John Morgan who fed James Smith who sped from his own half to outflank the defence to score the sixth try for the home side. The visitors then scored a try of their own following a period of sustained pressure that saw the visitors centre crash over in the shadow of the posts that allowed an easy conversion for the further two points. The pacey wing added another try within a few minutes as Gazza Williams won an opposition lineout and with measured passing along the line to again free Smith to run in another try. The home side through Cooper had converted all of their seven tries and the half time score was 49-10.
The visitors seemed energised by the half time break and it took the home side ten minutes of the second to add further points as full back Nick Coles counter attacked to score a fine individual try from his own half. The tries just kept on piling up as Dai Lloyd scored his second, prop Mike Jones ran 90 inches for his try following a fine driven lineout that saw the hefty prop stood in a position to receive the pass from scrum half Williams. The talented Williams now moved to flank forward to allow Mat Brown to fill the scrum half berth and following a flowing movement from their own try line the replacement crossed for a try. The introduction of Brown allowed skipper Williams to be in support of the mercurial centre Lloyd to cross for his second try of the afternoon and with Cooper adding the conversion the score advanced to 78-10. The final play of the afternoon saw centre Mike Smith burst through and race 60 metres to score the try that advanced the final score to 83-10.
A performance that will have pleased coaches Vesey, Boyland and Darlington as the home side played a high tempo brand of rugby that delighted hard working club chairman Keith Bryan. A performance built on forward power that saw the powerful scrummaging of Tom Paterson, Horwood and Jones decimate the visitors scrum. An afternoon that saw second rows Walters and Morgan carry the ball powerfully, assisting the rampaging back row of Morgan Williams, Gazza Williams and Lewys John in providing quick quality possession for skipper Williams to orchestrate matters with the ball in hand.
A confident backline that mesmerised the visitors with a mixture of power and pace, as the players supported each other magnificently in attack and defence to provide such a pleasing performance.
The “Villagers” now have a fortnight to prepare for their next league game, the visit to unbeaten league leaders Glyncoch.

Close Game postponed as Glyncoch have a SWALEC Bowl fixture they have to honour.

Close No report available for this match (sorry)

Close THE weather on The Common for the visit of Ogmore Vale was a trial of endurance for players and supporters alike as the falling rain was blown towards the hamlet of St Andrew's by the cold Arctic wind.

Conditions were not conducive to playing sport, let alone the style of rugby that the Villagers had tried to play all season; cold hands, a heavy pitch and a gale force wind would prevent the speedy threequarters from playing their normal game.

The conditions determined that this was to be an afternoon for forwards not backs, and a low scoring game was inevitable in the circumstances. The visitors had lost narrowly 24-30 to the Villagers in September and a close contest was anticipated.The team from Ogmore Vale had a huge pack of forwards and an afternoon wallowing in the mud on The Common appeared in their favour. Their tight head prop weighed in at over 25 stone and a difficult afternoon seemed in prospect for the home forwards.The home side won the toss and decided to play with the strong wind at their backs and, with the elements in their favour, the Villagers dominated the first half as the visitors struggled to clear their lines into the teeth of the gale. Cold fingers and the gusty wind ensured a series of scrums, and a huge effort from the front row of Owain Stark, Lloyd Horwood and Tom Paterson saw the home side gain dominance.

The technique and strength of Paterson [/B]had to be admired as, in a series of scrums, he drove back an opponent nine stone heavier than himself. After 10 minutes a powerful scrum allowed scrum half and captain, Nathan Williams, to collect at the base and cross for a try from 10 metres out.

The written word makes this sound simple but the powerful scrum half danced, drove and spun his way through a series of defenders to score what was to prove the only try of the match. A superb individual effort from an inspirational player who has performed sensationally all season and was once again the best player on the pitch.

He continued to torment the men from Ogmore Vale with his sniping runs, and his control from the base of the scrum proved vital in gaining the precious victory.The visiting defence proved determined and impossible to breach and powerful carries from the back row players of Ryan Shallish, Morgan Williams and Gareth Williams were repelled by committed defenders. Anxious Dinas Powys officers realised that, with the elements in their favour, it was vital that a good lead was held at half time for the second half was inevitably going to be a defensive exercise.

The home side added to their total with a penalty kicked by fly half Gavin Cooper after half an hour and advanced their lead to 8-0. The conditions ensured that the first half was disrupted with a series of injuries that made it a disjointed affair, with players and supporters alike struggling to keep warm as the injured were treated. The half ended with the score stuck at 8-0 and with the visitors delighted after their massive defensive effort.

The Villagers defended their line for the majority of the second half, with the visitors dominating territory and encamped in the home half. A series of attacking lineouts were defended stoutly, with the magnificent Gareth Williams[/B] disrupting the visitors at the front, and the winning of defensive lineout ball by the same player and Morgan Williams ensuring that the rolling maul was nullified at source.

The backs defended bravely, with abrasive centre Dai Lloyd a committed tackler and a scavenger of ball in the tackle area. The home side tried to run the ball into the gale, and mesmerising runs from full back Nick Coles and James Smith raised hopes of a further score, but even these mud gliders were slowed by the squelching conditions.The tension increased with 10 minutes remaining as the visitors kicked a penalty to take the score to 8-3; but, with the gloom descending, it was a predominantly happy group of frozen supporters that saw Cooper kick the ball dead and bring a dreary game to an end.The victory was gained, and a huge defensive effort from a determined group of players delighted coaches Vesey and Boyland.

The league campaign continues with the visit of league leaders Porthcawl to The Common for what should be an enthralling contest.

Close Game postponed due to frozen pitch.

Close SCORING 12 tries and not conceding a point, the Villagers of Dinas Powys overwhelmed a feisty Hirwaun side with a stunning display of complete team rugby.

The talented threequarters scored 10 of the tries, with the back row adding the other two.

The Villagers took 10 minutes to open their account and, in the early stages, the visitors had good field positions. And, indeed, after five minutes, the home side needed to win a powerful scrum against the head to clear their lines.

The home scrum provided a solid platform throughout, and the front row of tight head prop Mike Jones, hooker Lloyd Horwood and loose head Tom Paterson once again did the hard work to produce quality ball and allow fleet footed colleagues to show their paces.

The first score looked certain to come following a stunning break by mercurial centre Dai Lloyd and, with only the full back to beat, the scoring pass soared above the head of right wing Sam Alderman. It was a case of deja vu for Alderman as, a few minutes later, scrum-half Nathan Williams made a trademark break, but failed to supply the scoring pass to the bleach haired winger.

The touchline pundits rued these missed chances and feared that this was going to be one of those frustrating days, but a sweeping move allowed centres Lloyd and John Evans to combine to free speedy left wing James Smith who scored in the left corner. With the tempo of the game increasing, the forwards and backs combined to play a thrilling, offloading game that delighted the gathered crowd.

The men of Dinas Powys were rampant and a loose clearance kick was collected by James Smith at full pace on halfway. He passed to Alderman and a series of passes freed full-back Adam Williams to score the first of his three tries. With Gavin Cooper adding the conversion, the 'Villagers' led 12-0 after quarter of an hour.

The quality of the rugby was stunning and the ball was run from all positions on the field by a confident home side. Following a turnover won by second row James Walters in the home side's own 22, the ball was passed 16 times before flanker Morgan Williams crashed over in the shadow of the posts. The headguard-wearing openside was back to his very best with a stunning defensive display being complemented by his strong ball carrying.

The bonus point gaining fourth try was scored after 25 minutes and followed a powerful drive by outstanding second row John Morgan which allowed scrum-half Williams to dance his way to within inches of the try line before feeding supporting No 8 Gareth Williams who crashed over.

The final score of the first half came from Adam Williams following a stunning break from the base of a scrum by his brother, Nathan.

At half time, the 'Villagers' led 33-0.

The visitors competed bravely but the pace and power of the home side brought 43 unanswered second-half points and allowed Dinas coach Andy Vesey the luxury of using all his substitutes. Alderman could have scored five tries but had to settle for a brace as did classy centre John Evans who reveled in difficult conditions. Skipper Nathan Williams chipped in with two of his own.

The second half was an ill-tempered affair that saw two players from each side yellow carded, and the home players showed huge commitment in defending their line even though victory was assured.

Pack leader Nick Veggas was to the fore in this effort, and the flame haired flanker, rejuvenated by his move to the back row, produced another quality performance.

The forwards were superb and produced a plethora of possession for the threequarters who were guided by Cooper at fly half. In an accomplished performance, he varied his game and controlled his backline with aplomb and showed no ill effects following his recent bout of food poisoning.

The clubhouse was, indeed, a happy place following the game, with coaches Darlington, Boyland and Vesey receiving the plaudits from hardworking club chairman Keith Bryan.

Long serving club secretary Cameron Mackay mused that his long-standing try-scoring record is under threat from several of the current team if the Villagers can continue in their rich vein of try-scoring form.

Close No match report available for the game (Sorry!)

Close The Common, home of Dinas Powys RFC for over a 130 years once again was in playable condition. As matches the length and breadth of Wales were cancelled due to waterlogged pitches the historic location once again proved its durability. The bitterly cold wind that blew across the pitch tested the endurance of players and supporters alike as the visitors from the head of the Garw valley kicked off in the direction of St. Andrews Major. The respective league positions of the teams prior to kick off suggested that the 'Villagers' of Dinas Powys should prove victorious but few would have suggested that the conditions would allow the home side to score 18 tries in the match. The rich vein of form continued as they scored 10 first half tries whilst battling into the elements which allowed the delighted coaches Andrew Vesey and Richard 'Chunky' Boyland the opportunity to provide game time for several players. The comprehensive victory means that the 'Villagers' have scored 259 unanswered points in their last three league matches.
The visitors from Blaengarw were brave in defeat and often threatened the home tryline only to lose possession and watch the home threequarters storm the length of the pitch for another try.
Twelve different players scored tries with the backs claiming twelve tries and the forwards a further six tries and Gavin Cooper adding ten of the twelve conversions.
The visitors resolve was severely tested as a series of early injuries forced passive scrums, and the power of Mike Jones, Lloyd Horwood and Tom Paterson in the front row was negated by this turn of events. The scoring began after five minutes as Gareth "Gazza" Williams won an opposition lineout on half way and a powerful drive by hooker Horwood created the platform for scrum half and captain Nathan Williams to feed flanker Morgan Williams to burst through before feeding centre Dai Lloyd who crossed for the try.
Five minutes later a burst by flanker Lewys John saw the powerful player gain reward for winning turnover ball by crossing for the second try.
The home side soon scored their third try as a break within his own 22 metre area by mercurial centre Lloyd freed wing Sam Alderman who drew the full back before passing inside to flanker Williams who sprinted the final 50 metres to score the third try. The home side were rampant and the display was similar to that viewed at the Millennium stadium the previous Saturday. The home team were dominant in every area of the contest however the visiting coaches were magnanimous in defeat and after the game were highly complimentary of the behaviour of the home players in gaining victory.
The roll of honour saw full back Adam Williams score three tries; Morgan Williams , Nathan Williams, wing Tom Chapman and centre John Evans all score a brace each; Dai Lloyd, Lewys John, Sam Alderman, Owen Stark, Lloyd Horwood, Matt Brown and Gareth Williams score a try apiece.
There are stiffer tests ahead, starting with the visit on Saturday March 30th to Pontrhydyfen who have only lost once in the league this season. The 'Villagers' will however travel with confidence having scored 85 league tries this season in their 13 league matches and having amassed and impressive tally of 571 points to date.

Close This was drama that no playwright would dare write in case of being considered too outrageous, a conclusion so unlikely as events unfolded as to astound those fortunate enough to be present.
Prior to kick off there was a minutes applause in memory of 21 year old Mitchell Evans, a Pontrhydyfen player who tragically lost his life in car collision the previous week. The sight of his family gathered behind the posts made all realise the fragility of life and the importance of community, adding an emotional charge to an already tense and crucial game between two well matched teams.

The 'Villagers' of Dinas Powys kicked off and the Pontrhydyfen forward that caught the ball was tackled by scrum half and captain Nathan Williams who immediately bounced to his feet and gained a penalty for his side as the tackled player held onto the ball. The penalty was kicked by outside half Gavin Cooper and within a minute the visitors led by three points in the pleasant sunshine that bathed the Afan valley.

The home side responded with a period of intense pressure with a series of scrummages close to the Dinas try-line testing their defensive resolve to the maximum. The home side eventually forced their way over for a try through their bulky number 8 assisted by a couple of his teamates and with the conversion added the home side led 7-3. This period of pressure saw flanker Lewis "Tindall" John break his nose and, having tried to reset it himself, rejoin the fray eventually had to give in to the inevitable and was replaced by Ryan Shallis.

The home side were men possessed and further waves of attacks battered the Dinas defence, the tackling of flanker Morgan Williams and number eight Gareth Williams was a major factor in the defensive effort. With the three-quarters all defending ferociously the 'Villagers' line remained intact.

The pressure was relieved after a quarter of the game had elapsed as scrum half Williams broke from his own half but unfortunately could not manage the pass to the supporting Gareth Williams, however the siege had been broken and Dinas Powys were now to enjoy their own period of territory, possession and pressure. The decision was taken to run a series of penalties at the opposition. [b[Cooper and second row Owen Stark both drove at the oppositions line, with the ball being recycled quickly full back Mark Goode crossed the try-line but was held up by the valiant home defence. The resulting scrum saw the powerful Dinas Powys scrum drive forward, the front row of Tom Paterson, Lloyd Horwood and Mike Jones once again displaying their prowess in this tight area. The ball was moved along the backs and centre Dai Lloyd crossed the try-line only for the referee to deem that "crossing" had occurred and the try was disallowed.

The resulting penalty allowed the home team to relieve the pressure upon their line and, with both the slope and wind in their favour, went on to dominate the final ten minutes of the first half. The home side moved the ball efficiently and constantly brought their wingers into the game. Only a fine defensive effort by wingers Sam Alderman and Tom Chapman prevented further scores for the home side. It was relief on the part of the 'Villager' that greeted the whistle for half time with them trailing by only 7-3.

The elements were now in our favour and it was therefore a bitter disappointment that saw the home side score a try within a minute of the restart, and see the deficit advance to 14-3.

The 'Villagers' restart was knocked on and gathered by a player in an offside position and with Cooper kicking the penalty the score advanced to 14-6, however this was nullified within a few minutes by a further home penalty and at 17-6 and with half an hour remaining a Dinas victory appeared unlikely.

The momentum of the game then changed dramatically as the 'Villager' forwards won a steady supply of ball and, following a solid scrum within their own half, number 8 Gareth Williams picked up and dummied a pass so convincingly that supporters eyes all followed an invisible ball. This allowed him to gain several crucial metres before he fed Nathan Williams who's direct running gained 50 metres before drawing a penalty as home defenders stopped his quick release of the ball. The penalty was quickly taken by the ever alert scrum half Williams who crossed for the try. With Cooper successfully kicking the conversion the score stood at 17-13 and the prospect of victory was tantalisingly close. Such thoughts seemed foolish as once again the players of Pontrhydyfen advanced towards the'Villager' try-line and gained a further penalty that allowed them to restore their seven point advantage.

The tension was palpable with both defence and attack becoming desperate as both teams appreciated the importance of the next score. The Dinas Powys coach Andy Vesey introduced Lewis Morgan to the full back position moving Goode to the wing and Nick Veggas as hooker, replacing the injured Lloyd Horwood.

Goode proved a constant threat and was soon to cross for a try that was again disallowed for a forward pass. The ball was now being moved fluidly along the backs as they sought the telling score. The home defence was stretched and their long clearance kick was returned fully 50 metres by centre Dai Lloyd, forcing a further penalty which allowed Cooper to advance the score to 20-16.

The game was now played almost entirely in the Pontrhydyfen half as wave after wave of Dinas attacks were somehow repulsed by a proud and committed home side.

A further sniping break by Nathan Williams created further chaos in the home defence and another penalty for an offence at the tackle area finally exhausted the patience of the referee who promptly yellow carded the offending home player. Cooper again kicked the penalty and advanced the score to 20-19 and a tense final few minutes were to be endured by two passionate sets of supporters.

A break down the right hand side saw Gareth Williams and Nathan Williams combine to free Morgan Williams who crashed over in the corner. The decision for the referee was difficult as it all unfolded so quickly and the official decided upon a 5 metre scrum. The home side mounted a huge effort in the resulting scrummage and won the ball against the head and cleared their line with a relieving kick. This setback would have deflated sides with less character, instead of allowing their heads to drop, Dinas won the ensuing line-out and again marched downfield to press for the winning score. The dynamic centre Lloyd made a further telling break before feeding second row James Walters who drove to within inches of the line. The ball was quickly recycled with a quick pass from scrum half Nathan Williams to replacement full back Lewis Morgan who attempted a drop goal. Time seemed to stand still for all there to witness the event as a scruffy scuffed kick meandered its way over the crossbar and between the posts. The match official blew the final whistle as the ball landed upon the ground and joy and despair were present in equal amounts on opposite sides of the divide between both teams.

A marvellous gutsy performance to gain a victory against a tenacious opponent in an electric and testing environment showed the continual progress made by the youthful team of Dinas Powys.

Joy had no bounds in a delirious clubhouse that saw the 'Villagers' victory return them to the top of their division.

A further test awaits them as Treherbert visit the Common on April 6th to try and gain revenge for their narrow defeat earlier in the season.

Close TO FOLLOW SHORTLY

Close A match played in torrential rain on a heavy muddy pitch amongst the low cloud at the head of the Rhondda fach, saw Dinas Powys RFC continue their winning ways. Unbeaten since November 3rd the ‘Villagers’ produced a quality performance, scoring six tries in 61 minutes before relenting to the pleadings of the home committee members and called an end to a one sided performance. The pitch was judged playable prior to the start of play and the conditions would have been considered a great leveller as skills with ball in hand were made much more difficult.

A powerful performance by the Dinas forwards allowed the visitors to dominate territory and possession and produce a highly satisfactory performance and result in difficult conditions.
The visitors kicked off and re-gathered the ball through the energetic chasing of flanker Ryan Shallis. Dinas defied the conditions by moving the ball sweetly from side to side amongst the three-quarters. The pressure was intense and when the ball was lost in contact the home side were grateful to kick the ball to clear their lines. One of these clearing kicks was gathered by fullback Nick Coles who ran the ball from deep in his own half, beating two home players before feeding Duke Durham on the right wing. The quick footed debutant skimmed across the surface before committing the final defender and passing inside to flanker Morgan Williams who crossed for the opening score.
The restart, which was kicked low across the soggy surface, was expertly gathered by hooker Lloyd Horwood who bullocked his way to half way before feeding outside half Dai Lloyd, who produced a dazzling run amongst the gloom to score a stunning try. After ten minutes the ‘Villagers’ of Dinas Powys led by ten points and, even though Nick Coles struck the post with the conversion attempt, confidence oozed through the side after such a dynamic start to the game.

The game was played entirely in the Ferndale half and during this period a series of apparent tries were disallowed for various reasons; James Walters took a quick tap penalty and crashed over but the referee was explaining the reason for the penalty to the offender; a pushover try was not awarded for a knock on in the act of scoring; a further score was not given as the final pass from John "Evo" Evans to co-centre Mark Goode was deemed a forward pass. The final ignominy was when a huge Dinas scrum effort, that saw the home side driven back at speed, was penalised as indomitable loose head prop Tom Paterson was adjudged to be pushing upwards. Paterson, the veteran of darker days in the clubs history was revelling in the conditions, not only at the scrum but also catching high balls and driving on in the difficult conditions. The frustration was eventually finished after a further quarter of an hour as a further powerful scrum allowed number 8 Gareth "Gazza" Williams to pick up at the base and dummy to scrum half Matthew Brown before splashing over for the ‘Villagers’ third try.

The restart allowed the home side a rare incursion into the ‘Villagers’ half and allowed them to gain a penalty which they converted for their only score of the contest.

The bonus point gaining try followed shortly after a powerful scrum allowed the Dinas pack to win the ball against the head. An intricate period of passing involving both forwards and backs allowed Morgan Williams to score his second try of the afternoon. The tension amongst the coaching staff and players eased following the reaping of the bonus point and it was a happy group that saw the arrival of half time with the score at 3-20.

The second half continued in similar mode as the ‘Villagers’ pressed home their dominance, playing attractive rugby in the difficult conditions. The players on both sides were difficult to differentiate between as their kit was covered in mud and the inevitable rolling mauls resembled moving earth mounds.

The fifth try was scored as second row Owen Stark crashed over amongst the backs and allowing Coles to kick his first conversion allowing the score to advance to 3-27.

The sixth Dinas try was scored by number 8 Williams following a further powerful scrum and with Coles adding the conversion the score stood at 3-34. It is at this point in the match that the official decided that the contest was at an end as conditions had deteriorated to such a degree that further play had become impossible.

A pleasing result following a fine controlled performance that will hopefully provide the platform to allow the ‘Villagers’ to test themselves against unbeaten league leaders Glyncoch on the Common at 2.30pm on April 20th.

Close A sparkling performance by the ‘Villagers’ lit up the twilight on the Common as they scored seven tries to defeat a feisty Rhigos team. The game kicked off at about the time it should have been concluding, following the failure of the visitors to arrive until 7.20pm.

The first try was scored within three minutes after number 8 Gareth Williams picked up from the base of the scrum and headed to the blindside where he passed to scrum half Nathan Williams who, in turn, fed right wing Sam Alderman allowing him to cross the line for a try in the corner.
The desire for a bonus point victory was obvious for all to see as the decision to opt for a scrum rather than kick for goal was taken at every possible opportunity. The powerful forwards provided a superb platform which allowed Williams to pass from the base to waiting fly half Ben White who transferred to centre Dai Lloyd. Dai cut in on a superb angle and crossed for the evenings second try. Lloyd who was to have another successful evening added the conversion and within ten minutes Dinas Powys led by 12-0.

The scrummaging unit of Dinas Powys has been powerful all season and following a further scrum that was won against the head, the back row of Gareth Williams, Morgan Williams and Nick Veggas combined to drive the ball into opposition territory. The drive was continued by second row Matthew Knibbs (returning from injury) who committed several defenders, before setting up the ruck perfectly. The ever alert Nathan Williams realised the defending right wing had been dragged into the ruck and sniped the blind side to race a full twenty metres to score the ‘Villagers’ third try of the evening. The home side were rampant running the ball from all areas, entertaining the crowd in the descending gloom. A telling break by John "Evo" Evans freed Jake "Duke" Durham on the left wing who beat the first defender before being tackled. The defenders sinned at the tackle area and the penalty was quickly taken and the ball was moved smoothly to full back Adam Williams who crashed over for the fourth try.

Coach Andy Vesey led the cheering as his charges gained the bonus point try and extend their lead to 24-0.

The referee blew his whistle after 30 minutes to bring to an end the first half.

The visitors from Rhigos now had the gusty wind behind them and they showed character in threatening the home tryline however it was the ‘Villagers’ who were to score first in the second half. A further telling break by skipper Williams from scrum half and a superb take by Dai Lloyd from a testing pass, led to him scoring his second try of the evening. The try scorer converted his own try and the home side now led by 31-0. There followed a period of Rhigos pressure and with sympathetic decisions allowed them to score an unlikely try and reduce the deficit by seven points.

Dai Lloyd crossed for his third try following a quick tap penalty and good work by Evans and White in midfield, this try was the 100th try scored by Dinas Powys in seventeen league matches this season, proof of the style of rugby they have played throughout. The streets lights were shining brightly along St Andrews Road, but brighter still was a stunning 80 metre run by left wing Jake Durham leaving defenders scrabbling in the dirt behind him to score his first senior try and conclude the scoring for the evening .

Within seven tries on the board Dinas achieved a superb victory which hopefully will provide the platform for a further win against Glyncoch on Saturday on the historic Common, home of the ‘Villagers’ for over a 131 years.

Close After twenty minutes of this top of the table clash the 'Villagers' of Dinas Powys led by 3-0 and a tense top of the table clash was being witnessed by the large partisan crowd gathered on the Common.

The crucial incident took place at this time as fly half Gavin Cooper made a tackle on the visiting centre who fell forward into home centre Dai Lloyd. The referee took the highly questionable decision that Lloyd had used a swinging arm in the tackle and sent him to the sin bin for ten minutes. This was ironic as hardly any of the Glyncoch tackles involved arms at all, and the harsh decision was the turning point of the game. During the time Lloyd was away from the pitch the visitors scored two converted tries and the contest was effectively decided.

A further penalty by the visitors allowed them to lead by 3-17 at half time, and having conceded only 70 points in their previous thirteen league matches the 'Villagers' had a mountain to climb.

The home side endeavoured bravely in the second half and dominated a large portion of this period but, in their desperation to score, were guilty of losing their structure and some poor decision making. In truth the team from Glyncoch played an ideal game dictating the pace and tempo of the contest, kicking a lot for position and content to take their time in securing their bonus point. Without doubt they were the best team to play on the Common in the last ten years, producing a controlled and mature performance. The 'Villagers' scored a consolation try through Lloyd to reduce the lead to 8-36 with a minute to play but were then to concede a soft try before the final whistle as they pressed for a further score.

There were huge personal performances, flanker Morgan Williams produced easily his finest performance of the season, skipper Nathan Williams was a constant threat to the visitors and hooker Lloyd Horwood carried the ball bravely into the visiting hoards. The scrum drove the visitors back, however the visitors tactic of collapsing the retreating scrum drew nothing other than a reset scrum from the patient official. The tension was palpable and several players on both sides displayed susceptibility to this, however the occasion affected more of the home players than those from Glyncoch.

The next game against Porthcawl on Saturday 27th on the Common assumes even greater importance following this setback, and it will be a true test of the 'Villagers' resolve to see how they respond to this heavy defeat.

Close THIS MATCH IS THE SEMI FINAL OF THE EAST DISTRICT CUP AND WILL BE PLAYED AT LLANDAFF NORTH RFC.

Close THE sun shone once again on a very firm and dusty Common for Dinas Powys’ final home league game of the season.
The Villagers entertained Porthcawl, a team which had won a tense encounter between the two sides earlier in the campaign, 20-16 – a defeat that could still have a negative impact upon Dinas’ season.
The malaise which was evident in the performance against Glyncoch the previous week continued for the first quarter of the match.
The Villagers yet again struggled to perform to the standard expected by coaches Andy Vesey and Richard Boyland.
There were flashes of note as forwards and backs combined to allow centre Dai Lloyd to free left wing James Smith for a stunning 50 metres run to take him to within five metres of the Porthcawl try line.
The resulting scrum saw flanker Lewys John charge down the attempted clearance kick, but the ball bounced over the dead ball line.
The visitors were enjoying the majority of possession and territory and only fine defensive work by the home side kept them at bay.
The back row of Lewys John, Morgan Williams and No.8 Gareth Williams, were to the fore in this effort, supplemented by the fine tackling of centre John Evans, as the Villagers prevented the visitors from scoring.
The defence was tested further as centre Lloyd, for the second week in succession, was deemed to have used a swinging arm in a tackle and was sent from the pitch for 10 minutes.
The pressure from the Seaweeders was immense, but full back Ben White was sound in defence, with his clearance kicks consistently gaining distance.
It was against the run of play, therefore, that the Villagers took the lead, with a rare visits into the opposition half.
A powerful scrum laid the platform for number nine Nathan Williams to snipe from the base and feed back inside to No.8 Williams.
He dummied and made a powerful break before passing to Lewys John, who swiftly transferred to right wing Duke Durham.
The current youth team captain had 30 metres to the line and flew down the touchline to score a superb winger’s try.
The difficult conversion was missed, but the home side were relieved to be on the scoresheet with the added bonus of being in the lead.
The visitors resumed their territorial dominance, but the home forwards were starting to win a steady stream of possession, the front row was gaining the upper hand, and league debutant Luke Dyer at prop was proving a handful at scrum and breakdown.
Fellow front rowers, hooker Lloyd Horwood and prop Mike Jones, were not only doing their job in the tight, they were carrying the ball powerfully in open play.
Flanker Williams won turnover ball, which was fed on halfway to Durham, coming in off his wing and running powerfully.
The winger was tackled by two Porthcawl players but managed to drive on for a further 10 metres before going to ground.
The ball was recycled quickly and found its way to left wing James Smith, who passed inside to the ever present Morgan Williams.
He cut a telling angle to cover the remaining 20 metres and finish off a superb team try.
The conversion, landed by Gavin Cooper, extended the lead to a flattering 12-0.
A break by No.8 Williams, who span and dummied, and, with an impressive burst of speed, ran 60 metres before feeding scrum half Williams, who raced in to score a stunning try under the posts.
With the conversion added by Cooper, the Villagers led 19-0 after 41 minutes.
The visitors enjoyed a further period of pressure and, following a lineout, the inevitable rolling maul allowed the visiting scrum half to score a try.
This was to be their only score of the afternoon and, with the wind at their backs, it was the home side that controlled the remainder of the contest.
White and Cooper used the elements and kicked for territory and asked questions of the visiting attack.
The visitor’s woes at the scrum were exacerbated with the introduction of loose head prop Tom Paterson as a replacement for the impressive Dyer.
Smith, in the second row, was replaced by Owen Stark, who was soon in action, charging along the touchline before slipping a deft pass to Nathan Williams who drove on, allowing Smith, coming in off his wing, to act as scrum half and feed Cooper.
A clever kick by Cooper was chased enthusiastically by White.
The defending full back was tackled to the ground by White, the ever alert scrum half Williams arrived to drive over the ball, pick up and score a try.
The conversion of the bonus point gaining try by Cooper advanced the score to a comfortable 26-5 with a quarter of an hour remaining.
The involvement of Stark was curtailed by a knee injury and saw the introduction of enthusiastic flanker Ryan Shallis, and the enforced promotion of Lewys John to the second row.
The visitors were understandably deflated and a buoyant home side now tormented the visitors by running the ball from all areas of the field.
It was, therefore, ironic that the final score of the afternoon followed a visiting scrum that was forced to collapse, and a powerful home drive.
The resulting penalty, within the home 22 metres area, was quickly taken by scrum half Williams, who danced and dummied all the way for a brilliant individual try.
The conversion was secured by Cooper and, with no further scoring, a highly entertaining contest concluded with the final score standing at 33-5 in favour of the home side.
The final league game of the season is away to champions Glyncoch, who remain undefeated in league rugby for two seasons.
The Villagers will be smarting from the heavy defeat inflicted upon them last week by Glyncoch, but will travel in high spirits, confidence boosted by Saturday’s excellent dispatching of a very lively Porthcawl side.

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