Sport – Barry Youth cut loose against Rhiwbina
Barry RFC Youth 40 Rhiwbina Youth 19 - Cardiff Rugby National Premiership
THREE quality tries in a blistering six-minute spell early in the first half put Barry in complete control of this re-arranged fixture at the Reservoir Field. Another three in the second half rounded off a good day for Barry’s mix and match side.
With several of his regular Youth players absent for various reasons, head coach John Dimond brought in six players from the 16 age group. Three players were forced to pull out during the warm-up, leaving Barry with just three on the bench. Throw a surprisingly hard ground into the mix, and inevitably tiredness showed very late in the second half.
“I said to them in the dressing room they had nothing to lose, just go and do what you want to do, and it paid off. There was no pressure on them,” said Dimond. “It was a dream start for us against the wind in the first half. Three tries in six minutes gave us a cushion and we could relax a little bit.”
Caelan Hurley gave Barry the lead after five minutes, the move starting with a lineout in their own half, Braydon Griffiths landing the first of his five conversions. From the restart, Barry ran it straight back and through Rhiwbina, Hurley going over again, Griffiths converting.
And in the 11th minute Barry broke from defence, outpacing and outnumbering their opponents, Ellis O’Grady ending the move and Griffiths converted. Rhiwbina’s unconverted try, just before the interval, proved of little consequence.
Fourteen minutes into the second half, following sustained scrum pressure, Rhys Behrens went over, with Griffiths converting. And from the restart, Barry ran the ball back, a good handling move putting Jack Huggins in. Griffiths converted.
Nine minutes before the end, following a lineout, Barry put together several phases of possession, O’Grady’s second giving the Bombers a 40-5 lead. But by then they were running out of steam, and Rhiwbina scored twice in the closing minutes, both converted.
“The boys did the club proud, and wore the badge well,” said Dimond. “To come away against Rhiwbina winning 40-19, a lot of teams would take that. It was a great win.”
Dimond hopes to rearrange the postponed Premiership visit to Builth Wells, but if no date can be found he aims to fix up a friendly to round off the Youth season.
Ken Watkins
Photo by Judith Dutton
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