From the Ebbw Vale match programme

Chairman's Welcome by Handel Davies

Croeso cynnes i ein ymwelwyr heddiw sef Clwb Rygbi Glyn Ebwy. I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone from Ebbw Vale RFC for today’s Principality League fixture.

Last week’s Swalec Cup defeat at Tonmawr means that our dream of a return to the Millenium Stadium has been banished, for another year at least! And whilst Tonmawr to their credit took every opportunity that came their way, nevertheless it was a huge disappointment for our travelling supporters that we failed on the day to produce a performance worthy of our league form.

For the record we currently lie in 8th spot in the Principality Premiership, the highest Club competition in Wales, which is by far our highest ever position at this stage in the season.

It is testimony to the progress that we have made over the last twelve months that at our last home match Drovers supporters left the ground feeling critical and disenchanted even though we had just put the famous Pontypool to the sword by the margin of 42-10. (Indeed home and away we have amassed 110 points against a Pooler side that did the double over us last season - no mean turnaround!). Alas some people have very short memories and our coaches were justifiably dismayed to read the somewhat harsh match reports following that victory, such is the now demanding level of expectancy the current 1st team set up has engendered. Whilst it is often easy to be critical, it is worth reminding those that do so, that we are punching well above our weight as a Club - both on and off the field - and the fact that we do so is down to a hell of a lot of hard work from a close-knit group of individuals. Unlike some Clubs we at Church Bank do not enjoy sugar daddy benefactors nor are we blessed with very many chimney pots in comparison to most other Clubs with far larger centres of population.

Perhaps the critics’ ambitious levels of expectancy would be more evenly tempered if they spent a little time sampling for themselves exactly what is involved in running a Premiership Club. To this end we as a Committee would be delighted to receive nominations from anyone who is interested in standing for Committee at the 2010 AGM if you really feel that you can make a positive and meaningful contribution towards improving our Club!

On a more positive note! I am very proud to announce that we have now received official notification that we have passed both the WRU’s Principality Premiership criteria and also, should we qualify through the end of season playoffs, we have also met the British and Irish Cup criteria standards. This is testimony to the efforts of my colleagues on the committee and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for all their hard work and of course to Roger James and his assistants Dai Manchester and Idris Morton for their excellent grounds management. Thanks also to Aubrey Waters for keeping the changing rooms clean and tidy and likewise for ensuring that our 20 acre complex is always clean, tidy and free of litter. Diolch i ti Aubrey!

Today I am delighted to announce that we have no fewer than three match sponsors, namely Sutton Brothers Builders, Penygroes, Llandovery RFC’s Athletic team and management (Brilliant bois, diolch am eich cefnogaeth) and John Fuitak of Anthony Hardwoods, Maine USA! A very big thank you to you all for your generous and much needed support and let us hope today’s game is an entertaining spectacle for your enjoyment and that we come away with the spoils to consolidate our current 8th spot. Diolch yn fawr iawn i Phil Jones o Cynghordy am noddi’r pel rygbi heddi a croeso cynnes hefyd ac i’r dyfarnwr a’i ddau gyfaill ar yr ystlus. Mwynhewch eich amser yn Llanymddyfri a gobeithio cewn gem i’w gofio unwaith eto heddiw.

Er gwaethaf pawb a phopeth – Ni Yma o Hyd!

News and Views from Church Bank by John Kendrick

It was an interesting experience travelling to Tonmawr last week for the first time. They have passed the WRU criteria for the Premiership, although the pitch was in a poor condition. The weather has been poor but even so it was very wet, muddy and even standing water in places and it must have been a close call - presumably inspected in a drier period. The clubhouse which was very friendly is at least half a mile from the ground, more a car ride than a walk, although they have plans to build a new club on the ground. In many ways they are similar to ourselves coming up through the ranks, own their own ground and are willing to develop.

They have also built a strong team with former Church Bank favourite Tal Selly in the centre, Luke Richards lately Llanelli at outside half and the very experienced Karl Hockin at number 8. In the end it came down to a single point. How did we lose - did we lose it or Tonmawr win it? Probably a combination of both.

Our game, largely built on running rugby, was always at risk in a bog. Losing Steve Martin after a few minutes, then Howard Thomas not much later and then try scorer Matthew Jacobs early in the second half didn’t help, ending up with Gareth James on the wing where to his credit he looked lively. Did we underestimate them in the first half, lost 24-6, despite the warnings from Rob Appleyard, because after half time we were a different team, winning the second half 17-3? On a personal note stamped across my forehead is kick your points! We turned down two penalties, in the 22, one directly in front the other not far off, to take scrums. The feeling was they had a hooker yellow carded and it was the correct decision. However we hadn’t scrummaged well and it’s difficult to get a shove on in a bog!

Then with the game there for the taking at 24-23, with something less than 10 minutes to go, we were awarded a penalty just inside our half. An excellent place to go for territory and set up a position for any score to snatch victory, when a player who I won’t name runs up and shoves an opposition player - the penalty gets reversed - Richards converts and we need 4 points!

A final penalty just short of the line - we successfully kick for goal and end up a point short.

Best of luck to Tonmawr in the next round. I’m sure we will be there again next season but this time in the Premiership.