Rumney : 15.P.O'Neill 14.L.Macqueline 13.A.Jones 12.S.McIntyre11.I.McIntyre 10.L.Barnett 9.B.Morris 1.M.Gee 2.N.Ritchie 3.D.Bartlett 4.P.Haines 5.W.Feneck 6.N.Coles 7.R.Sutton 8.S.Coles (Capt) Replacements : P.Tennant J.Harris M.Feneck M.Kelly C.Jones M.Foley C.Ford

Scorers for Rumney : S.McIntyre 2 tries, L.Barnett conversion and 2 penalties

Rumney launched a non stop attack from the kick off and after two minutes outside half Lee Barnett put over a penalty to open the scoring. Within five minutes influential captain Stuart Coles was out of the game with a knee injury and was replaced by Michael Kelly. After eight minutes Blackwood were awarded a penalty for hands in the loose and brought the scores level but the home side continued to attack with driving runs from locks Paul Haines and Wayne Feneck. In return Blackwood launched counterattacks and forced a series of penalties but were unable to cross the Rumney line and excellent clearance kicking from Barnett and scrum half Ben Morris eventually relieved the pressure. The remarkable strength of the defence led to Blackwood themselves conceding penalties and the immediate danger passed.

Thirty minutes into the match Feneck took good possession in the line and fed hooker Neal Ritchie who drove straight through the opposition forwards. Ritchie played outstandingly throughout, proving particularly hard to contain in the loose, and in setting up quality second phase allowed scrum half Ben Morris and Barnett to launch the threequarters in a move which saw centre Stuart McIntyre burst between his opposing centres and round the full back for a devestating try. Within minutes Rumney full back Paddy O'Neill had collected a loose clearance kick and set winger Ian McIntyre away. When he was finally brought down, McIntyre provided more good second phase and Morris came up with a brilliant break which put Stuart McIntyre in at the posts for his second try. Barnett converted to make the score 15 - 3 and give Rumney a twelve point lead, but with Matthew Gee, David Bartlett and Haines again making inroads into Blackwood territory and Ryan Sutton, Kelly and Neil Coles harassing the opposition, Gee was unfortunate to suffer a head wound and had to leave the field and Coles was sinbinned. Blackwood took advantage of the disruption to score a converted try and arrived at half time only 15 - 10 down.

Five minutes after the interval Blackwood drew level with another try and nine minutes later went ahead with a penalty awarded for another offside infringement. Coles and Haines continued to make charging runs and Barnett brought the scores level again with a penalty but in the seventieth minute Rumney were penalised for killing the ball and Blackwood regained the lead with a successful penalty. Having fallen behind again, Rumney showed willingness to attack from deep inside their own half but Blackwood closed down the game and kept the home side penned in their twenty two until time ran out, with no addition to the 18 - 21 scoreline.

Shaun Lee, Coach Rumney RFC 1st XV : "A very entertaining match with both sides trying to play constructive rugby. The game was very fast paced with players from both sides playing quality rugby. We defended very well and turned defence into offence on numerous occasions. The squad must learn from games like these and success will follow. I was very disappointed with the penalty count as this eventually caused us to lose the game. Man of the Match for Rumney was hooker Neal Ritchie."

Dave Escott, Rumney RFC : "An excellent game and if we could have slowed it down a bit we may have got a better result. When Rumney ran the ball they created havoc, we defended for the first twenty minutes with Blackwood pounding our line but our defence kept them out. Among the plusses is the fact that this is such a young team and overall we are going to be a very good side. Lee Barnett was outstanding tonight, full back Paddy O'Neill had a very good game and so did hooker Neal Ritchie."

Dave Escott