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SENIOR COACH CEMLYN WILLIAMS

Clwb Rygbi BANGOR Rugby Club Ltd. Season 2009 - 2010 

SCORERS 2009 - 10

SECOND TEAM 2009-10

TUESDAY MAY 11th 2010

N. WALES INTERMEDIATE PLATE COMPETITION

BANGOR 19 - 21 WREXHAM

In an exciting encounter at Colwyn Bay two much improved club teams fought it out to the finish in this end of season clash for some silverware. The game was sprinkled with penalties and a yellow card each but Wrexham proved to be best at scoring tries. Wrexham went into an early lead with a penalty from scrum half Keiran Morris but Bangor drew level with a penalty from centre Jonni Hughes. Bangor looked to be getting on top when Wrexham got a try against the run of play with a maul to the line resulting in Morris crossing in the corner. Bangor continued to match Wrexham in the cut and thrust of the game led on by captain Gareth Roberts and were rewarded with three more well struck penalties from Hughes to give them a lead of 12 - 8 at the break.

The second half saw Bangor on the rack for much of the time and they did not get the possession they needed for their talented backs to do much. Wrexham regained the lead with a try from prop Dave Gard who drove over in a maul to the line. In their best period of the game, Wrexham went further ahead with a try from centre Josh Francis benefiting from a quickly taken tap penalty. A successful penalty kick from centre Richard Hughes put them in the lead 21 - 12 but Bangor showed their strength by continuing to compete hard with the pack going into overdrive to keep them from mauling the ball over the try line. Bangor's resilience was rewarded with a fine try from Winger Llyr Roberts rounding off a great run from Jonni Hughes and his touchline conversion brought them to within two points. With the game in the final quarter, Bangor were awarded a very kickable penalty but thought they had spotted a gap and went for a quick tap instead. This failed to produce a score. In the last minutes Joe Brogden almost got away on the wing for a try and then the centres looked to have broken away for a great scoring chance but the Wrexham defence held on for the victory.

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VIDEO

SATURDAY MAY 1st

BANGOR 17 - 46 LLANIDLOES

Bangor went into a shock 10 - 0 lead early in the game with a breakout try from centre Llyr Roberts followed by a conversion and then a penalty from fellow centre Jonni Hughes. The visitors were a lively well drilled team and once they calmed down they found it possible to create numerous overlaps in the backs and went on to score 3 tries in the first half to lead 10 - 19 at the break.

The second half started disastrously for Bangor with errors leading to a quick try for the visitors but Bangor put up stern resistance in all positions that led to some frustration and bad temper leading to a yellow card for both teams. With an injury to scrum half Iwan Roberts, Bangor were down to 13 men at one point and unable cover the full width of the field, they conceded another 4 tries. Although Roberts bravely returned to the field of play Bangor had another yellow card reducing them to 14 men again for the last 10 minutes. Despite this the young team showed their fighting spirit and ended the game on the offensive. They were rewarded with a try from Jonni Hughes who took a quick tap penalty to score an individual try  followed by a great conversion.

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1.  An early attack from Bangor

2.  Gruff about to field a kick

3 and 7.  Iwan Roberts moves the ball from the scrum to the backs.

4.  Joe (English) Adamson takes a lineout.

5.  Craig Pritchard gets a touch kick.

6.  Gruff Tudor about to take tackle a catcher.

8. Uncontested scrums.

9.  Jonni Hughes gets a kick away from the try line.

SATURDAY APRIL 24th

BANGOR 24 - 19 WELSHPOOL

 Bangor completed the double over Welshpool in another hard fought close contest with the difference between them being one conversion and a penalty.

Bangor started in a positive mood but gave away some penalty chances that fortunately were not converted. Undaunted they launched some attacks and were rewarded with a fine individual try from scrum half Iwan Roberts who dodged several defenders to touch down. Jonni Hughes converted. When youth team star Llyr Roberts added a great try on the left wing followed by another conversion they looked to be in the driving seat but Welshpool showed strength and experience taking advantage of another penalty to take a quick tap and scrum half Tom Carter put them back in contention with an unconverted try. With play swinging back and forth Bangor got a bit of luck when an attempted charge down by the visitors saw the ball bounce up to centre Nick O'Keefe who touched down near the posts giving a simple conversion to Darren Brace. At the break Bangor led by 21 - 5.

The second half turned into a nail biter for the Bangor lads as Welshpool found renewed energy and managed to turn the game into a forward battle in which Bangor struggled to get the ball to their youthful backs. They were put immediately on the back foot when they lost the ball from the restart and visiting prop Dan Hulse forced his way over for a try converted by outside half Daly Jones. Jonni Hughes gave his team some space with a fine penalty but that was all the score they were to get in this half. Things got worse when a Bangor prop was sent off for 10 minutes and in a game of attrition helped by many penalties, the visitors mauled their way over the line for another converted try. The game ground on with Bangor desperately defending but some really hard tackling from captain Gareth Roberts and others saw them hang on for the win.

This game was a double header and puts Bangor through to the final of the North Wales Plate competition against Wrexham.

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BANGOR IN GOLD JERSEYS

VIDEO

SATURDAY APRIL 17th

LLANIDLOES 63 – 11 BANGOR

WRU DIVISION 3 NORTH

SATURDAY APRIL 10th

WRU DIVISION 3 NORTH

BANGOR 10 - 6 NEWTOWN

video

The logo on Bangor's new strip says "Cwmni da" and what good company Captain Gareth Roberts has these days pulling off a great victory that was a pure team effort. A sign of the team spirit was that players carrying knocks from Tuesdays bruising youth game still took to the field and turned in a mammoth effort to win against the odds. Helped by some large forwards, Bangor had more than their share of the ball taking 4 scrums against the head and frequently disrupted the visitors lineouts. Some of the best aggressive defence came from scrum half Iwan Roberts and centre Dan Davies playing out of position but putting down men twice their size. The only try of the match came quite early on starting with a ruck near the touchline set up by Gruff Tudor. On the second phase Jonni Hughes at centre made the initial break and wing forward Olu Peyrasse made it all the way from the touchline to the centre of the field to take the ball at an angle and went in under the posts. Hughes converted. From there on the game was evenly fought out and the visitors managed to draw close with two penalty goals from Mathew Jones.

What ever the coaches said to Bangor in the changing room at half time had a dramatic affect. Bangor played most of the half in the visitors territory and although missing two penalty attempts Hughes put a third one over glancing in off the cross bar. Llyr Roberts in the centre almost got away for Bangor intercepting a pass but the visitors defence was equal to Bangor's. Newtown gained some momentum in the last quarter of the game and when Bangor had their winger yellow carded for a deliberate knock on which looked more like another attempted interception, they turned the screw and got the ball to the try line several times only to be held up over the line. Craig Pritchard once again proved to be a safe pair of hands at full back fielding the ball competently.  Thanks to Bangor's scummaging they were able to clear the ball and even risked running it from deep. The visitors were yellow carded near the end and perhaps loss of discipline and verbals to the referee was their downfall in the end. Bangor ended the game attacking the try line.

We shall be sorry to see some of the Bangor players return to University as the Easter break ends and hope they will be back soon.

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1  Iwan Roberts gets scragged by his opposite number

2. Iwan gets the ball away while Sean Williams puts 9n a push at wing forward.

3,4 and 5  Olu Peyrasse jumps for the ball. Wil Withey No.2 throwing.

6. Iwan gets the ball away from the linout.

7. Jonni Hughes clears the line with a touch kick.

8. Winger Joe Brogden side steps his opposite number.

9. Father and son Aled and Jonni Hughes. Aled was ready to come on if needed.

10. The Bangor squad after the game.

SATURDAY APRIL 3rd

WRU DIVISION 3 NORTH

WELSHPOOL 22 - 24 BANGOR

VIDEO

Scrum V were at Welshpool to witness Bangor's second victory of the season and their first away win since the 2004 -2005 season when Welshpool were also the losers. Sporting new strip sponsored by Cwmni Dda, Captain Gareth Roberts was delighted at the way his young team played together and how their youthful enthusiasm triumphed in the end.

The game was played with uncontested scrums but turned out to be a firecracker with both teams desperate for a win. Bangor won thanks to a surge in the last ten minutes of each half and the difference between the teams was only a single conversion at the end that put them into the lead for the first and final time. Welshpool took an early lead with a penalty slightly against the run of play. Good tackling from Bangor kept the home team at bay for most of the time. Forwards Wil Withey and Gruff Tudor put in some hefty tackles to stop them setting up rolling mauls but they got a converted try when Bangor failed to find touch with a penalty kick that allowed the home side to run it back and slip a tackle to score. Bangor produced good line out work with accurate throwing from Carl Roberts giving them secure possession. Late in the half Bangor struck back when outside half Jonni Hughes broke the defence to score a good team try and converted it. A penalty from the same boot a few minutes later levelled the score at the break.

The second half was almost a repeat of the first with the home team creating pressure. They were awarded a penalty and chose to take a quick tap catching Bangor napping and they mauled the ball over the line for a converted try. They looked to make the game safe a little later when they produced another rolling maul from a line out before putting the ball out to the centre for a try which went unconverted.

Trailing 22 - 10 Bangor never stopped trying to put together some moves and chasing down a long kick brought rewards with a scrum from which scrum half Iwan Roberts darted through the defence for a try converted by Jonni Hughes to reduce the deficit to 5 points. With time running out Bangor fielded a kick downfield and ran it back at Welshpool moving the ball confidently to Jonni Hughes for a fine try. With the score level everything depended on the conversion and under great pressure Hughes calmly slotted the ball home. A tense final 2 minutes was brought to an end by the whistle that produced great joy for Bangor and dismay for Welshpool.

IWAN ROBERTS GETS THE BALL AWAY TO DARREN BRACE

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Picture 1 - Olu Peyrasse takes a lineout.

Picture 2 - Iwan Roberts ready to pounce.

Picture 3 - Bangor takes another lineout.

Picture 4 - Carl Roberts smuggles the ball at the back of a maul

Picture 5 - Iwan and Dewi Roberts with dad Gareth and Rick O'Shea from scrum V

Picture 6 - Gruff Tudor and Gareth Roberts interviewed by Rick O'Shea for Scrum V

SATURDAY MARCH 6th

NEWTOWN 46 - 0 BANGOR

On their first trip to mid Wales in the revamped league Bangor struggled to field a full squad and went down by 8 tries and 3 conversions to nil. They eventually ended with 13 players when their captain left the field with a neck injury with another 20 minutes still to go .To their credit they put in a very brave effort and never gave up and were still competitive right to the final whistle.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20th

RHOS 14 - 10 BANGOR

Two struggling clubs fought out the last game of the old league system for basement position and Rhos came out on top. Bangor's young team with average age of 22 should have run the home team ragged (average age nearer 40 than 30). Bangor created many scoring chances but again suffered from the inability to finish a move without dropping the ball or losing it in a tackle. Bangor's main surprise was how well the young forwards Karl Roberts, Wil Withey and Mike Roberts performed guided by the older Gruf Tudor and Gareth Roberts. They provided a lot of ball to the young backs who should have done better but seemed to lack the confidence to finish their moves.

Rhos got an early booster with a converted try from their centre following a breakout from deep in Bangor's half and good support enabling the ball to to be kept alive. Bangor lost two key players with injuries to Dan Davies on the wing and Nick O'Keefe at outside half but generally had the best of the game territorially and with possession. They might have been wise to attempt one or two penalty kicks at goal but chose to run it instead but could not get the ball over the try line. Full back Craig Pritchard fielded the ball well throughout but didn't use his useful boot to make ground.

Bangor dominated the second half and their luck seemed to change when scrum half Mathew Monaghan slotted over a neat penalty. Their joy was short lived when on a rare visit into the Bangor half aided by a long penalty touch kick, Rhos managed to set up some mauling rugby to score another converted try.

Bangor continued running the ball and on several occasions had an overlap and eventually winger Michael Docherty got in for a try converted by Monaghan. Trailing by 4 points Bangor desperately ran the ball and looked to have put Brogden in on the wing but he stepped inside and got tackled. At the very end with a clear overlap for a winning try Bangor knocked the ball on.

Bangor can take consolation from these young players who can only improve with experience and hopefully they will be with the club for a good many years to come and will strike form in the new league that gets underway in March.

MONDAY FEB 1st

DEVELOPMENT XV 15 - 3 COLEG NORMAL

A lot of Bangor youths and a few older players gave us an exciting and fast moving game in which either side might have scored many tries but for determined chasing down and tackling. The running, passing and support of the ball carrier was so much better than previous games. Bangor got three tries from Mike Royston-Roberts, Dan Davies and Gareth Roberts. The students had an early penalty and proved to be no push over as they played with determination and resilience.

SATURDAY JANUARY 30th

BANGOR 2nds 78 - 22 BALA

GWYNEDD LEAGUE

Both clubs failed to put out a full team but the visitors sportingly turned up to play and their reduced numbers looked initially to be more than good enough for Bangor as the lead changed back and forth in the early stages.  Bangor fielded a good number of youths and it took them a while to settle down and use the right tactics. Bala went into an early lead with a penalty from Elgan Jones. The first home try was created by winger Dan Davies who put centre Llyr Roberts in for the first of his 4 tries. Scrum half Darren Brace converted. The visitors had a great deal of enthusiasm and struck back with a try from Aled Hughes converted by Elgan Jones. The game swung back to Bangor when prop forward Gareth Roberts finished off a try created by the backs. Bala regained the lead with a converted try from Elgan Jones. Bangor discovered that quick passing of the ball along the back line would always produce an overlap and they went on to overwhelm the visitors with tries from Dan Davies, Gruff Tudor, and Llyr Roberts to make the score 33 - 17 at half time. Although Elgan Jones got another try for the visitors in the second half, it was another romp for Bangor's youthful backs with two more tries from Llyr Roberts, two from youth debutante Mike Royston Roberts, one from outside half Jonni Hughes, Gwyne Hughes and Dan Davies again. Darren Brace kicked nine conversions.

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Picture 4 Dan Davies gets the ball back inside to Llyr Roberts

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Picture 7 Darren Brace gets the ball out.

In this keenly fought game there was stalemate until well into the second half when Bangor took the lead with a penalty from scrum half Darren Brace playing competently at this new position for the first time. He was joined with fellow youth team player Jonni Hughes also playing his first senior game at outside half and Llyr Roberts in the centre. The youth players gave a good account of themselves and with the help of a few eligible first team players it looked for a while as though Bangor might produce a shock defeat. The home team got on top late in the game getting a converted try resulting from a tap penalty and a strong forward push for the line. Bangor struck back with another Brace penalty but the game was sealed when the home pack put in a strong scrum and went over for another converted try. Bangor seconds are the only team to score a try against league leaders Pwllhelli seconds this year and continue to improve.

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VIDEO

SATURDAY JANUARY 16^th 2010

GWYNEDD LEAGUE MATCH

BANGOR 2nds 27 - 5 HOLYHEAD

Bangor's second team are a much improved team and their Anglesey visitors came up against a strong squad. Bangor went into an early lead when winger Joe Brogden raced after a kick to the corner and got the touch down. Holyhead struck back with an equaliser, forcing play into the Bangor 22 m area, they moved the ball out to the right wing and found No.8 forward Garry Owen on the end to get the touch down. Bangor regained the lead when Brogden got his second try. This started with a tap penalty and quick movement of the ball enabled him to outpace the defence on the left wing. Youth team player and outside half Darren Brace playing his first senior game, added the conversion to make the half time score 12 - 5.

Bangor came out of the starting blocks at speed in the second half surprising the visitors and scoring an excellent try from the kick off. 2nd row forward Gruff Tudor made a power run down the middle and handed on to youth team player and centre Llyr Roberts who sped over the line. Brace converted. A penalty from Brace soon after extended the lead with the ball hitting both uprights and the cross bar before going over. The last try started from a tap penalty and the ball was carried by prop Wil Withey and wing forward mark Evan finished the move with a fine try converted by Brace. Holyhead never flagged and got on top in the late stages of the game but could not cross the try line. 

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VIDEO

SATURDAY DECEMBER 17th

    BANGOR 15 - 39 RHYL

The game produced a similar result to last time that these teams met. Bangor fielded some returning students and gave youth team star Llyr Roberts his first senior game. His tackling and try was an inspiration to the team. Bangor got off to a bad start when the full back slipped as was about to ground the ball and gifted a try to the visitors. Bangor struggled for possession and the visitors went further ahead after sending the ball along the line to the wing for a try in the corner. Bangor managed to get on the score sheet with a fine penalty from outside half Daffydd Roberts. When Rhyl scored another 7 pointer by going in under the posts things looked ominous for Bangor but the team started to play together as the game proceeded. A kick from Roberts saw a scramble for the ball and Llyr Roberts broke free for his debut try. The touchline conversion hit the upright. Bangor were reduced to 14 men for the remainder of the half with a yellow card shown to a forward. Rhyl took advantage with a scrum against the head and another try to make the half score 8 - 24.

Bangor started the second half in fighting form and kept play in the visitors quarter of the field with some good scrummages from Gruff Tudor's pack. A series of penalties produced a yellow card for a Rhyl forward and scrum half Meurig Thomas kept the ball moving with tap penalties until it went wide to full back Sean Williams who went in at the corner. The touchline conversion had Bangor right back in the game. In their best period of the whole game Bangor looked to have scored again when Llyr Roberts took two tacklers with him over the line but the referee ruled in favour of the visitors. Bangor's resistance was finally broken when Rhyl got a break away try from a break down in mid field and a final penalty sealed the game.

Rhyl Scorers

Mike Hall 2 Tries

Stewart Felcrook 1 Try

N Wolstenholme 1 Try

Rob Tilley 1 Try

Barry Pickton 1 Try

AdamKirky 1 Pen and 1 Con

D Price 2 Con

VIDEO CLICK HERE

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SATURDAY DECEMBER 5th

BANGOR 0 - 51 BETHESDA

It was not a good weekend for Bangor RFC. The senior team went down 0 – 51 to Bethesda conceding 8 tries in front of the SCRUMV cameras -  a major improvement over their last encounter. Bangor had a shortage of prop forwards on the day and so the game was played with uncontested scrums. Bethesda had an early penalty from Mathew Parry. Things got worse with the loss of Nick O’Keefe to hospital from a blow to the throat and Bangor had to play with 14 men for most of the game. Better tackling kept the score down to  0 – 18 at the break  conceding two tries to Gareth Edwards and one to Martin Williams. Bangor tired in the second half and couldn’t stop the visitors running in tries, first from Edwards again and then Iwan Howels, Dylan Hughes and Gavin Owen.

North West Division Six

Llangoed 40 - 0 Bangor seconds

A YOUTHFUL Bangor XV showed signs of promise against the village outfit as yet unbeaten at home this year, as the influential presence of BBC’s Scrum V had an obvious effect on their defensive qualities. It took Llangoed ten minutes for Dave Owen to blast a hole in their tight defence for stand off Owen Humphries to convert, and Humphries then displayed moves that were reminiscent of Phil Bennett in full flight to score under the posts. Having remembered his kicking boots this week Humphries enjoyed a prolific afternoon as he managed to convert all but the last try, and the final score of the half was set up by scrum half James Bulkeley Rees who set up 18 year old Nathan Dawson to provide a first try for the ex Bangor youth player. With a 21- 0 halftime lead and both the slope and wind in their favour the home support expected a cricket score but the redoubtable Bangor outfit led ably by Clon Ravcuir, and with a great all round performance by prop William Withey, limited the Island side to just another three tries. This time the tries were very contrasting with man of the match Robat Davies jinking over to score after a 30 yard break by young debutante winger Jake Roberts. The next two tries were from Llangoed's captain Huw Roberts.