Their 58-12 triumph included four tries from speedy wing Ashley Norton, one of which was from a long-range interception, and went some way to making up for their defeat to Neath in the 2022 cup final.
Ystrad player-coach Alex Webber stressed in the build-up that his side had learned the lessons from their defeat to Pontypool a year ago. Both teams came into the game have won on and lost one in their Championship fixtures, but there was only going to be one winner after the Bulls blasted into the lead after only three minutes.
And at the heart of everything good that Bargoed did was their 33-year-old wing Norton, who proved simply unstoppable on the best day of his career.
“I was nervous and excited when I woke up this morning but not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d score four tries at Principality Stadium,” admitted Norton.
“I’m over the moon with that. This was the only thing left I wanted to do on my rugby ‘to do’ list and what a way to do it.
“Our new coach Jack Condy has made a huge difference to the way we are playing, and we are thriving on the way he wants us to go about our business.”
Bargoed drew first blood with a penalty from outside half Josh Prosser and Ystrad’s first disappointment came when full back Josh Williams thought he had scored the game’s first try following a chip and chase off the back of a quickly taken lineout.
The try was eventually ruled out because the lineout was deemed to have been taken well in front of the assistant referee’s mark.
From the resulting scrum, Bargoed extended their lead with a slick first phase move which saw Norton step the final defender to score his first try. Back came Ystrad with a pen try that saw Bargoed skipper and scrum half James Leadbetter receive a yellow card for deliberately collapsing the maul
A second Prosser penalty kept Bargoed’s score ticking over before Norton picked off a midfield pass 70 metres out and sped to the line to score after a final, side-step to beat the last defender.
Centre Callum Hones was next to cross the Ystrad line and there was a fourth before the break from tighthead prop Keegan Bale, who powered over from short range. Prosser’s fourth conversion meant Bargoed were already 34-7 ahead at half-time.
Ystrad at least came out swinging at the start of the second half and got the next score as they worked player-coach Alex Webber over in the left corner. But that was as good as it got for them as the rest of the game turned into a procession.
Ollie Andrews made the most of a charged down by Leadbetter of an attempted clearance and on the Ystrad line and then a Rhys Truelove pass was picked off by his opposite number Prosser, who ran in to score from 55 metres out.
Norton grabbed his hat-trick from short range as he ran through the Ystrad defence. Next over the Ystrad line was replacement Jordan Howells
Bargoed full back Dylan Williams was shown a red card with 10 minutes left to play after head-on-head contact in a tackle, but it didn’t affect the result as Norton scored his fourth try to finish things off nicely for the by now rather bullish Bulls.
CHAMPIONSHIP CUP FINAL – BARGOED 58 – 12 YSTRAD RHONDDA
Bargoed: Dylan Williams; Ashley Norton, Ollie Andrews, Callum Hones, David Evans; Josh Prosser, James Leadbetter (captain); Kieron Brown, Morgan Edwards, Keegan Bale, Geraint Edmunds, James Locke, Owain Cooper, Rhys Stephens, Lewis Robey
Reps: Tom Bainton, Matthew Lewis, Jordan Howells, Keaton Davies, Jason James, Kyle Bailey, Josh Parry, Morgan Thomas
Scorers: T: Ashley Norton 4, Callum Hones, Keegan Bale, Ollie Andrews, Josh Prosser, Jordan Howells; C: Josh Prosser 7; P: Josh Prosser 2Ystrad Rhondda: Josh Williams; Alex Webber, Cavan Davies, Cole Morgan, Kurtis Williams; Rhys Truelove, Callum Phillips; Tom Foulkes, Corben Evans, Jordan Pritchard, Nathan Hughes, Thomas John, Mason Roderick, Jarrad Llewellyn (captain), Kelly Jones
Reps: Tom Stacey, David Webb, Jack Dauncey, Morgan Burgess, Rhys Dauncey, Lucus Welch, Ryan Evans, Lewis Williams
Scorers: T: Alex Webber, Pen TryGo.Compare Player of the Match: Ashley Norton (Bargoed)
