Barry Youth’s plan comes together in style

WRU National under-18 Plate first round - Barry RFC Youth 61, Newport HSOB 12

2 minutes read

BARRY’S nine-try blitz, six in the second half, blew Newport HSOB away in horrendous conditions at the Reservoir Field on Saturday as the Bombers took their unbeaten league form into the Plate.

Barry opted to play up the slope and into the torrential wind and rain in the first half, looking to use the elements to their advantage in the second half, a decision that paid off in style.

Barry’s set piece functioned well on Saturday. Photo by Mark Hutton — **| Barry’s set piece functioned well on Saturday.** *Photo by Mark Hutton.*

Newport HSOB started well and, following a penalty, kicked to the corner to set up camp near the Barry line. A few phases later they were in for the opening unconverted score. Barry were under pressure on their line during the opening minutes but repelled phase after phase in a committed defensive effort.

Barry worked their way up the pitch and were rewarded with a well-constructed try, centre Dom Dukes rounding off a fine team movee, converted by scrum half Cam Hughes to put Barry 7-5 ahead after 15 minutes.

Barry, growing in confidence, added two more scores, hooker Jensen Wilding breaking off the back of a rolling maul and romping in from 20 metres before centre George Strong finished in the corner, rounding off another impressive team score. Hughes converted one to take the score to 19-5. Newport had the last word with a converted try, leaving Barry a well-earned 19-12 ahead at the interval.

The second half was much more one-way traffic with Barry playing the conditions well, pinning Newport in their own 22 with a strong kicking game and making the most of their territorial domination to post 42 unanswered points.

There were further scores from Strong and Dukes, as well as two for outside half Marley Paines-Lang and one each for Hughes and replacement prop Ryan Seldon, with Hughes converting all six in a near faultless display of goal kicking.

Head coach Peter O’Sullivan said: “Really impressed with the commitment in the opening exchanges and then the game management once we got ourselves in front.”

Forwards coach James Hadfield said: “Best we’ve played this season, growing in confidence game on game and pleased to take our league form into the national cup competition. We’re looking forward to a week off and then we’ll attack the Cardiff Cup, starting with Mountain Ash at home on 7th November.”

Staff reporter

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