The New Zealand outside half helped himself to 24 points in the north Walian’s stunning 54-6 victory over their old Championship rivals to make it six wins out of seven in their debut season in the top-flight.
Botica scored one of the home side’s seven tries and ended the game with a 100% kicking record with five conversions and three penalties before leaving the field early to a standing ovation. The points didn’t stop there, either, as Aaron Jones and Afon Bagshaw bagged two more tries to keep the Gogs in third place.
Botica’s three penalties gave the home side a great start and then he added the extras to a penalty try, when James Pizey pulled back Tiaan Loots, and his own try. That made it 23-0 at half-time.
Pizey received a yellow card for his actions and Bargoed also lost Greg Carlow for 10 minutes in the second half. Loots got a second after the break and there were also two from scrum half Alex Schwarz in an effort that had head coach Mark Jones full of prose for his players.
“We went into the game with a plan to play some high tempo rugby and we got our rewards. We knew if we kept the pressure and intensity high then after 50 minutes we would be in a good position to get some scores and that was the case,” said Jones.
“We trained hard for this game, and gave Bargoed ultimate respect, and our set piece really gave us the platform to play. Full credit to our forwards for their efforts.
“It was also an opportunity to bring in some players who had been out with injury, or who have been knocking on the door in training, and they didn’t disappoint. We have some pace in our backline which will always cause problems.”
While RGC were winning at home, Premiership leaders Aberavon were making it a magnificent seven wins in a row with their 39-14 triumph at Cross Keys. It was a victory that brought with it another bonus point to keep them three points clear of Merthyr and six clear of RGC.
“We played some great rugby in the second half and to get 39 points at such a tough place as Pandy Park required special character from the players. Keys have a big pack and played it tight, so we decided we needed to attack space and offload quickly, which we did well,” said Wizards head coach Jason Hyatt.
Aberavon dominated possession in the early exchanges, but a 19th minute try from home captain Darren Hughes, after impressive work from the Keys pack, put them into a 7-0 lead. A try from Stef Andrews for the Wizards reduced the gap to 7-5 to bring the lacklustre opening period to a close.
The two sides traded early tries in the second half. Wing David Evans put Aberavon into the lead for the first time when he crossed in the corner, but a quick response from Keys flanker Josh Skinner gave the home team a 14-10 advantage.
With just over half an hour to go the floodgates opened as gaps started to appear in the home defence. A try from Chris Davies put Aberavon back in front on 58 minutes, and the lead was extended to 10 points when substitute Ben Davies crossed four minutes later.
The tiring Cross Keys pack could do nothing to stem the tide as David Pritchard, Luke Joseph and Andrews added a further three scores in the final 10 minutes for the rampant Wizards.
Jack Maynard picked up where he left off with the Scarlets Premiership Select XV last week by kicking Llandovery to a significant 20-8 victory over the reigning champions Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park.
At the end of a week in which they had already picked up a bonus point win at Pontypridd, the Steelmen conceded far too many penalties to give themselves the chance of making further headway up the table. Drovers’ outside half Maynard made them pay for almost every indiscretion as he landed five penalties.
Having dominated Pontypridd up front earlier in the week, this time Ebbw Vale found it a tougher contest and only managed one trademark catch and drive try for Ronnie Kynes in the second half. By then, though, the game was gone.
Maynard kicked four first-half penalties to go with a super try from wing Aaron Warren to give the visitors a 17-0 interval lead. Josh Lewis finally got the champions off the mark with a penalty early in the second half, but Maynard then added a fifth as Llandovery paid the perfect tribute to their former back row stalwart Eifion Gwynne, who died during the week.
Lewis converted the Kynes try late on, but that was as good as it got for the home side, who face Swansea this week in what will be a must win game to keep them in the top half of the table.
Bedwas got back to winning ways with an eight-try rout against bottom of the table Swansea. The All Whites made a bright start at Bridge Field, but a 17th minute try from Matthew Pettit set Bedwas on course for a 52-5 win.
Things got much tougher for Swansea six minutes later when they pulled down a rolling maul five metres out from their own try line, resulting in a penalty try and a yellow card for Gavin Ronan. Despite going down to 14 men,
Josh Jones’s score gave Swansea a glimmer of hope, but a try late in the first half by flanker Andrew Waite gave Bedwas a 19-5 lead at the break.
The second half was much simpler for the home team. Captain Nicky Griffiths crossed to secure a bonus point on 48 minutes, before four more tries completed a tough day for the All Whites. Full-back Andrew Bramwell added the fifth try on 53 minutes, before substitutes Luke Crane and Mike Callow increased the score further.
Another late try from Bramwell rounded off an excellent afternoon for Bedwas, who climb one place into fourth in the Premiership table. Swansea remain marooned at the bottom of the league, one point adrift of Newport and two short of Bargoed.
Joe Scrivens kicked 14 points as Bridgend beat Newport 19-7 at Rodney Parade to notch a significant away win.
Full back Marc Bennett scored the Ravens’ try in the first-half with Arwel Robson replying late on for the Black & Ambers with a solo effort.
Bridgend made the dominant start and remained in control from the first whistle. Scrivens added two early penalties including an impressive effort from distance to gift Bridgend the advantage.
And it soon got better for the visitors when Newport blew a two on one match up with the try-line gaping. Bridgend made the home side pay as Bennett crashed over with Scrivens adding the extras.
Newport squandered a penalty opportunity eight minutes before the interval with Scrivens punishing the hosts once more as he made no mistake with a penalty on the cusp of half-time. The fly-half carried on from where he left off at the break as he added another three points to extend Bridgend’s advantage.
Chris Williams departed to the sin-bin minutes after Scrivens’ only miss of the day and Newport capitalised on the extra man as Robson twisted his way through for a try which he also converted.
Cardiff were forced to hang on with 14 men for the final 13 minutes to earn a 24-21 home win over Carmarthen Quins after flanker Johnathon Edwards was sent off for a punch in the 67th minute.
The Blue & Blacks had trailed at the break but two tries in as many minutes from James Beal midway through the half helped set-up a brave comeback. A cagey start led to the two teams locking horns as both sides made costly mistakes.
But it was Rhodri Clancy who found the opening try for the visitors as he battled his way over in the corner. Diggy Bird knocked on with the try-line in sight before adding a penalty to put Cardiff on the board.
But tame defending from the hosts gifted Tom Williams a try in the corner seconds before the break. Steffan Marshall added three points for the Quins before Cardiff clicked into gear through two quick-fire tries from Beal.
The wing gathered his own kick in the corner for the first before striding through the Quins for his second in the corner. Marshall put Carmarthen back ahead with a penalty each side of Edwards’ moment of madness.
But back came the Blue & Blacks and they hit the front again through Wales Under 20 centre Harri Millard’s try at the posts and Bird’s conversion. They then did enough to hold on after the Quins lost Gethin Robinson to the bin in the dying minutes.
Ed Howley scored 20 points for Neath at Sardis Road, yet still ended up on the losing side as Pontypridd ended their losing run with a 45-30 win. Neath were only trailing by a point at the break, 17-16, scored three tries, yet left with nothing.
The main reason for that was the leadership of the former Wales outside half Ceri Sweeney. He, too, ended the game with 20 points as he converted all six home tries, added a penalty and also scored a try. Other tries came from Dale Stuckey (2), Rhys Shellard, Gary Williams and Liam Belcher.
At Parc y Scarlets, second placed Merthyr were trailing 14-7 against Llanelli at the beak, but battled back to score 28 points without reply in the second half. Hooker Rhys Williams scored the first half try for the Ironmen and Matthew Jarvis added the first of his five conversions.
After the break there were further tries for the visitors from centre Matt Trowbridge, scrum half Rhys Downes, lock Ben Murphy and replacement wing Ellis-Wyn Benham.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 8
Thursday, 3 November
Neath v Newport (KO: 19:30)
Swansea v Ebbw Vale(KO: 19:30)
Friday, 4 November
Aberavon v Cardiff (KO: 19:30)
Bargoed v Cross Keys (KO: 19:30)
Bridgend v Merthyr (KO: 19:30)
Llandovery v Pontypridd (KO: 19:30)
Saturday, 5 November
Bedwas v Carmarthen Quins (KO: 12:00)
RGC 1404 v Llanelli (KO: 12:00)
