Rumney : 15.M.Addis 14.S.McIntyre 13.D.Willey 12.S.McIntosh 11.H.Amafide 10.C.Day 9.G.Welsh 1.J.Stringer 2.D.Simons 3.D.Smith 4.P.Langley 5.G.Harrington 6.G.Lucas 7.N.Coles 8.A.Grabham (Capt.)
Replacements : M.Gee W.Feneck C.O'Donoghue M.Wood G.Spain T.Price S.Coles

Scorers for Rumney : G.Welsh 2 tries, H.Amafide try, S.McIntosh try, C.Day 3 conversions

Tondu started the game with a bang, driving powerfully to the Rumney line and setting up rucks and mauls which led to a forward peel and, after four minutes, the first try of the game. The visitors came back in an equally strong way and outside half Chris Day's accurate kicking took play upfield where flanker Gavin Lucas was only stopped on the line by an infringment that seemed to warrant a penalty try. Having cleared the danger, the home side retaliated and a ruck on the Rumney line saw Tondu score their second try under the posts. The Rumney back row of Andrew Grabham, Lucas and Neil Coles were constantly causing problems in the Tondu defence and a good supply of ball saw Day increasingly setting the centres away on effective midfield bursts. As conditions worstened and torrential showers swept across Pandy Park, the lighter Rumney pack found themselves actually gaining more and more control, and when hooker Dean Simons set up a ruck on the Tondu line, scrum half Glyn Welsh scooped up the ball to dive through a huge gap to score. Day's conversion brought the score to 14 - 7 after twenty minutes.

The visiting forwards increased the pressure and were spending long periods in the Tondu half with Grabham, Lucas and Coles finding more gaps and the threequarters setting up incisive movements on the saturated pitch. Tondu were however, still dangerous and succeeded in scoring a breakaway try to give a half time score of 21 - 7.

Early in the second half another powerful forward drive saw Rumney prop John Stringer setting up good possession from which Shane McIntosh was able to jink in under the posts for an excellent try which Day converted. With Day setting the backs away and the ball being spread out to the wings, full back Mark Addis made a devestating midfield break, fed on to McIntosh who then supplied flying left winger Henry Amafide with the ball. Amafide still had much to do but he handed off his opponent wide out and raced in to score under the posts. Outside half Day again converted to bring the sides level at 21 - 21.

Tondu regrouped and by keeping the ball tight, succeeded in rolling in for another try in the sixty fifth minute but the Rumney defence kept out any further attacks and play moved back upfield, leading to a scrum under the home side's posts. No8 Grabham broke from the base of the scrum and put Welsh away through the gap for his second try of the evening. It was the final score and the referee's whistle went giving Rumney a very valuable, hard earned and well deserved league point. Tondu is a particularly difficult ground at which to succeed and Rumney did particularly well to secure their first league point at Pandy Park since September 1996.

Dave Escott, Rugby Secretary Rumney RFC : "An entertaining game played in appalling conditions and both sets of players are to be complimented on their performances. New Rumney outside half Chris Day had a very good debut in the difficult conditions. The forwards stuck to the task well, the lineouts were superb and though they were a stone a man lighter, they equalled Tondu in every phase and frequently dominated the game."

Shaun Lee, Coach Rumney RFC 1st XV : "A good performance from the squad in dreadful conditions, we tried to play positive rugby and because of that we shared the spoils. I was very pleased with the two newcomers to the side, outside half Chris Day and wing Henry Amafide, both had encouraging performances. Our pack secured a good amount of ball and the back row worked tirelessly. The squad will gain confidence from displays like this. Man of the Match for Rumney was Neil Coles."

Henry Amafide, wing Rumney RFC 1st XV : "I enjoyed the game, I wish we had won but it is good to get a point at Tondu and I was pleased to make my debut in the First XV, I believe we've got a really good side here. The try I scored came from a movement out to the left, I concentrated on getting the ball under my left arm and pushed off their player with my right, I went around and someone was shouting 'Under the sticks' so I dodged in and put it down under the posts."

Matthew Gee, prop Rumney RFC 1st XV : "Basically this was a big improvement but the squad still has a lot to do. Week by week the pack is getting better and hopefully we can start turning things around, sooner rather than later."

David Smith, prop Rumney RFC 1st XV : "I was very shocked when someone bit my finger, I dread to think what they'll catch from me !"