The ‘Gogs’ conjured up 14 points in the final nine minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at The Wern as they overturned a 19-9 half-time deficit against former league leaders Merthyr to run out 23-19 winners.
It was a win that took the north Walians into fourth place on the same number of points (43) as Pontypridd in third. Aberavon lead the way with 46, while Merthyr, last season’s Championship winners, have 45 in second.
Jones took over the coaching reins from another former Llanelli great, Phil Davies, this season and has carried on the good work. Many felt RGC would struggle in the top flight after only managing to scrape into the fourth promotion slot last season, but they have simply gone from strength to strength.
With two games left before the Premiership slits in two, with the top eight teams fighting it out for the title, they have lost only three times in 13 matches. They head south again on 2 January to face Newport before completing the first-half of their season with a home tie against Pontypridd at Parc Eirias five days later.
“We’ve been averaging between 1200-1500 for each home game and we are hoping to have up to 3,000 fans at the game against Pontypridd. From what I understand, they are going to bring a lot fo fans with them, so it promises to be a great occasion,” said Jones.
“It was a good win for us at Merthyr in the end after a pretty poor start. I think we’ve probably just about done enough to finish in the top eight now and it looks like being a highly competitive group in the second half of the season.
“There are going to be some big name casualties when you look at those teams currently in the second half of the table – Ebbw Vale, Cross Keys, Newport, Llanelli, Bridgend, Neath and Swansea. It will be a massive achievement for RGC if they make it through.
“I’ve been really impressed by what I’ve found here since I joined. There is an unbelievable passion for rugby throughout the region and now there is a clear cut pathway for players to progress from the age group sides all the way through to the top of the professional game.
“Our full back of last year, Rhun Williams, has gone from playing in the Championship to training with Wales this season following his move south to Cardiff Blues. There are other players groomed up here, like Olly Cracknell at the Ospreys, who are also making an impact – it’s great to see.”
At Merthyr on Tuesday, the home side went racing into a 12-0 lead after hooker Rhys Williams converted a driving maul into a try and then wing Kyle Evans crossed for a try which Matthew Jarvis converted. Jacob Botica replied with the first of his five successful kicks of the game.
But when Aaron Pinches ran in the Ironmen’s third try of the first half it looked like being a long afternoon for the visitors. Jarvis added the conversion to make it 19-3, but instead of being the start of a landslide, it turned out to be the last points of the game for Merthyr.
They lost two players to the sin bin before half-time, Nick White and Ed Siggery, and two more Botica penalties cut the gap to 10 points. RGC also lost Huw Worthington for 10 minutes, but the way they finished the first-half gave them confidence.
The next half-an-hour turned into an arm wrestle, but it was the Merthyr nerve that broke first when Botica sent out a long pass to Tom Hughes that enabled the centre to cross for a try that helped to cut the gap to three points with nine minutes left to play.
The Ironmen then lost their third player to the sin-bin, full back Jarvis, and the Gogs needed no second invitation to make their superior numbers count. With four minutes left on the clock wing Aron Evans was sent racing over for the try that took the lead for the first time.
Botica added the extras, as he had done to Hughes’ try, and a famous victory had been secured. Given they had been beaten 62-17 at home by Merthyr a year earlier, it was a dramatic turn-around in fortunes.
The Premiership continues this weekend and the fixtures over the next two rounds will determine which eight teams will play for the title.
Round 14 – Saturday, 31 December
Bedwas v Llanelli
Bridgend v Aberavon
Ebbw Vale v Cardiff
Llandovery v Swansea
Merthyr v Bargoed
Neath v Carmarthen Quins
Pontypridd v Cross Keys
Monday, 2 January 2017
Newport v RGC 1404
Round 15 – Saturday, 7 January
Aberavon v Merthyr
Bargoed v Newport
Cardiff v Bedwas
Carmarthen Quins v Bridgend
Ebbw Vale v Cross Keys
Llanelli v Llandovery
Neath v Swansea
RGC 1404 v Pontypridd
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