Gareth chipped in with a conversion and penalty in the Division 1 West Central side’s 30-20 quarter-final win over Rumney at the weekend to take the Swansea Valley club to within 80 minutes of possibly the biggest game in their 134 year history.
“Getting this far is a dream for the boys and our pack is going really well. The win over Rumney was the eighth in our last nine games and we are getting some real consistency in our performances,” said Noir.
“It is hard to believe we have got this far, especially as we could have gone out in the second round when we only beat Mumbles 35-34. Rumney were the third side from Division 1 East Central that we have beaten and the games simply get harder and harder each round.
“We are very much a community club and we know that whoever we get in the next round is going to present a huge challenge. It would be incredible to go all the way to the final.
“I was here at the Bowl Final a few years ago when our near neighbours Ystradgynlais won the title. That was a great achievement for the whole valley and it was a magnificent occasion for the club and their players, coaches and fans.”
Noir James was at the heart of the Ystalyfera side that won Section C of the West Wales Championship in 1976/77. Prior to that the club had been crowned West Wales champions in 1930/31 and won the West Wales Cup in 1938/39.
Since then the only real success was winning the Division 5 Central title in 1998/99. Could this year provide the club with its greatest triumph yet?
“We’ve had some good cup battles in the past. I remember playing against Ebbw Vale in the last 16 of the old WRU Challenge Cup in 1976 and we also played Pontypool one season,” recalled Noir.
“But this team is capable of re-writing our history. If they could go all the way to the Principality Stadium and win the Plate then that would arguably be the greatest achievement in our 134 years.
“Another home draw would help – we’ve had three in a row now. When you look at the quality of sides like Penallta, Nant Conwy and Abercarn, you see how tough it is going to be for any side to win this title.”
Skipper and No 8 Steffan Jones was one of the four home try scorers as Ystalyfera twice came from behind to beat Rumney. The visitors went 10-3 ahead thanks to a Sol Matthews try and a conversion and penalty from Danny Clarke, but it was the home side who were ahead 13-10 by the break.
Centre Jonathan Bayliss and Jones provided the tries and outside half Gareth James converted one and kicked a penalty. Rumney regained the lead with a try from wing Lee Bendon straight from the re-start, but Ystalyfera refused to give in.
Back row dynamo Jessie Patton and centre Martin Davies crossed for two more tries and full back Staffan Castle proved five more points with the boot. Rumney grabbed a consolation try before the death, but they headed back to Cardiff empty handed.
It was a bad weekend for Nelson, who not only got knocked out of the competition at Penallta, 20-16, but also lost their grip on the top spot in Division 1 East as Rhydyfelin won with a bonus-point. Having beaten Penallta on the final weekend before Christmas, Nelson travelled with confidence and put up a great showing in the first-half.
Coached by former Dragons and Wales lock Andrew Coombs, the Unicorns were given last-minute instructions by Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards before emerging from the dressing room to play in front of a crowd of more than 800 at the Ystrad Mynach Centre of Sporting Excellence.
The visitors’ took the lead with a Danny Ellis penalty before Matthew Brewer levelled the scores. After that, though, the rest of the opening 40 minutes was dominated by the Nelson pack.
Liam Williams drove over from a try that Ellis improved. Nelson then made the most of their next visit into enemy territory as Ellis kicked another penalty to open up a 10 point gap that gave his side a real chance of reaching the last four.
But whatever the Penallta coaches said at half-time, or whatever they had in their oranges, made a difference – a huge difference! The Pitmen came out like men possessed for the second half and succeeded in turning the game on its head as they put themselves in with a shot at regaining the title they last won in 2012.
The Penallta scrum took a firm grip on proceedings and Nelson then lost centre Dafydd Carter to a yellow card. After a while a penalty try at scrum time looked inevitable and that is how Penallta grabbed their next score, Lloyd Rowlands converting to cut the gap to three.
Ellis hit back for Nelson with his third penalty to make it 16-10, but back came Penallta and a break by replacement Max George enabled James Spear to send scrum half Luke Crane over for a try that Rowlands converted to put the Pitmen ahead for the first time in the match. And once they got their noses in front, 17-16, there was no turning back and a drop goal from Jonny Wright sealed the deal.
There were mixed fortunes for the top two sides in Division 1 North as Nant Conwy, finalists in 2012, progressed with a 21-5 win over St Peter’s, while Pwllheli fell 34-26 on home soil to Abercarn. Nathan Curtis’ Gwent outfit are the lowest ranked of the four remaining clubs coming from Division 2 East, but they been irresistible in the Plate competition.
They conjured up five tries to make it six wins in a row in all competitions to see off the reigning North Wales champions. Rhys Morgan, Colin Manning, Aled Brown, Jack Davies and Greg Baker scored the tries for the visitors and Jamie Baker’s boot added three conversion and a penalty.
In took almost half-an-hour before the first points came in the other game in north Wales, where current Division 1 North leaders Nant Conwy butchered some early chances before finally taking the lead with a Delwyn Jones penalty. The Rocks hit back with a superb try from Luke Thomas, but the home side went into the break with a one point lead after a second Jones penalty.
The second half belonged to the Gogs as they took their third south Wales scalp on their way to the semi-finals. Tom Olver and Jack Moriarty powered their way over for tries and Jones added one conversion and a penalty.
“It was a great day for the club. We always want to be successful within our own division in North Wales, but we love to play in this national competition as it gives us a good idea of how we rate against south Wales teams,” said Nant Conwy coach Kevin Thomas.
“St Peter’s were well-organised, physical and it was a typical cup match. Our players’ were quite nervous and at only 6-5 up, it was still all to play for at half time.
“It’s great for the club and great for north Wales rugby to get through to the semi-finals again. With RGC getting through to the Cup quarters too, I think it shows how much rugby in North Wales has progressed in recent years.
“To win the trophy you have to beat the best teams anyway but if we could avoid Penallta, the team we lost to in the 2012 final, that would be my one wish!”
HOW THEY REACHED THE PLATE SEMI-FINALS
Abercarn
Rd1: Bye; Rd2: Abercarn 30, Pencoed 12; Rd3: Abercarn 47, Llandudno 19; Rd4: Abercarn 22, Croesyceiliog 6; QF: Pwllheli 26, Abercarn 34
Nant Conwy
Rd1: Bye; Rd2: Nant Conwy 43, Pontypool United 19; Rd3: Nant Conwy 10, Maesteg Quins 0; Rd4: Nant Conwy 17, Rhydyfelin 12; QF: Nant Conwy 21, St Peter’s 5
Penallta
Rd1: Penallta 25, Caerleon 17; Rd2: Penallta 41, Brecon 6; Rd3: Penallta 36, Treorchy 9; Rd4: Aberavon Quins 10, Penallta 23; QF: Penallta 20, Nelson 16
Ystalyfera
Rd1: Maesteg Celtic 19, Ystalyfera 49; Rd2: Mumbles 34, Ystalyfera 35; Rd3: Ystalyfera 31, Mountain Ash 19; Rd4: Ystalyfera 12, Dowlais 5; QF: Ystalyfera 30, Rumney 20
