Rumney : 15.A.Carlson 14.L.Plummer 13.G.Bowen 12.P.Niblett (Capt) 11.T.Daley 10.D.Clark  9.C.Miller 1.J.Leadbeatter  2.C.O'Donoghue  3.J.Griffiths  4.M.Kelly   5.J.Mills  6.M.Way 7.A.Wilson  8.S.Coles  Replacements : P.Bull  M.Feneck  C.Maynard  A.Solomon  G.Manning

Bargoed : 15.J.Quirk 14.L.Prothero  13.R.Humphries  12.B.Francis  11.L.Pearson  10.D.Jones  9.M.Roberts  1.M.Savage  2.L.Meades (Capt)  3.I.Jenkins 4.C.Lynch  5.O.Swift  6.H.Davies  7.G.McCarthy  8.H.Waythe  Replacements : K.Ennis  M.Hutchion  J.Kedwood  S.Rose  A.Kidley

Referee : Mike Bethell, Treherbert

Scorer for Rumney : D.Clark try and conversion and 2 penalties

Scorers for Bargoed : M.Roberts try, L.Prothero try, D.Jones 2 conversions and 2 penalties

The new season kicked of energetically with an exciting match which often showed high levels of skill even after the long summer layoff. Both teams tested each other out at forward and the backs showed that they were ready to run and attack. For Rumney, Anthony Wilson was impressive in gaining possession at the first lineouts and Bargoed scrum half Michael Roberts took every opportunity to probe and take play forward from set pieces. There were plenty of early season fumbles, loose kicks and wild passes along with some indiscipline and after twelve minutes Bargoed outside half Danny Jones kicked a penalty to open the scoring. Two minutes later an unforced error gave the visitors a scrum thirty metres out and from it Roberts broke down the blindside evading tacklers and touched down under the posts. Jones added the conversion for a 0 - 10 lead but strong drives by Rumney forwards Colin O'Donoghue, Joe Mills and Stuart Coles took play deep into Bargoed territory for long periods and in the eighteenth minute home outside half Danny Clark landed a penalty. Mills was excellent under the high ball all afternoon and in the backs Rumney Captain Paul Niblett and fellow centre Gareth Bowen snapped up any loose balls and wingers Tom Daley and Lincoln Plummer went down the tramlines at top speed whenever they had the ball. With the two teams gradually settling, Bargoed second rows Craig Lynch and Owen Swift linked well to return play to the Rumney half, but good defence and relieving kicks by Clark cleared the danger and the half time scoreboard read Rumney 3 Bargoed 10.

Jarrad Griffiths had had a fine first half in Rumney colours and after the interval he cut loose with powerful drives, while fellow prop John Leadbeatter was into everything, foragging and setting up clean possession. Home fullback Andrew Carlson and electric scrum half Chris Miller both proved elusive with the ball in their hands and adept at keeping play moving forward. In the fifty fifth minute and from a scrum in his own half, dynamic Bargoed centre Rhys Humphries made a superb break and started a handling movement which resulted in winger Lewis Prothero scoring a try in the corner and when Jones provided a fine conversion from the touchline, the visitors were ahead by 3 - 17. Faced with an uphill struggle, Rumney entered their best period of play with flanker Matthew Way finding gaps in the defence and the home pack working as an effective attacking unit. In the sixtieth minute another great take in the lineout by Wilson set up a characteristic drive by Coles, well supported by Kelly and Mills. From the second phase Miller snapped the ball to Clark who sidestepped past defenders for a quality try under the sticks and then converted it to close the gap to 10 - 17. Rumney were now looking particularly dangerous with flying winger Daley clearly a marked man and fresh prop Calvin Maynard making his presence known in the attacks, but Jones succeeded with another penalty and Bargoed tightened their game through controlled half back play. Rumney scrum half Geraint Manning impressed with sniping runs and rapid, accurate passing and hooker Michael Feneck, Paul Bull and Mills tested the opposition whenever they had the ball, but the visiting forwards closed down the game, taking play back into the Rumney half and when the home side did attempt to break out, spilled balls prevented them from gaining further advantage and Mike Bethell brought the proceedings to a close at Rumney 13 Bargoed 20.

Mike Peard, Forwards Coach Rumney 1st XV : "Overall it's a case of mixed emotions, I'm quite pleased with our effort even though it is disappointing to have lost narrowly. We had opportunities to win the game which we never took. Our lineout was superb and so was our scrummaging under pressure, we had lots of possession and territory, but in saying that we didn't turn it into points. Bargoed had a well organised defence and turned us over in key areas and we also made a number of wrong decisions in the strike zone, but today we played against one of the better sides in Division One and now we know what playing at this level is all about. A lot of the young players were quite nervous about the step up but we can look back over the game and if we make fewer errors and more right decisions, we are quite capable of winning matches. We know where we are and will be putting right the things that went wrong, the forwards played very well today and the Man of the Match was Joe Mills."

Paul Niblett, Captain Rumney 1st XV : "It was a very tough, physical game, Bargoed competed very well at all the breakdowns and mauls in a way that we haven't come across below this level but that shows us the level we need to achieve. The disappointing thing is that we didn't play as well as we can, we need to get the moves behind working properly, but it was a good performance, we didn't give up and we'll put in the same effort for the rest of the year. All the forwards were outstanding and particularly Joe Mills who was playing his first senior game."