Cinderford United travelled to Cardiff, on Saturday, to play the second team of Rumney RFC at their Riverside Park Ground.
The team had 11 personnel changes in their squad of 17, and all told there were 14 positional changes in the starting 15 from the Blackheath game the previous Saturday. Therefore cohesion and fluency were always going to be an issue and despite plenty of effort the United failed to function initially. Rumney were a brave, physical outfit and unbeaten at second team level this season. The United found them tough to breakdown despite some fine individual performances.
The United did manage to score first from a driving maul following a five metre line out. Captain and flanker Rhys Luckwell scored the unconverted try. However, the resilient home side responded in kind a few minutes later with a mauling try of their own and the scores were level. Luckwell repeated his earlier score on the half hour mark and this time fly half James Moffat converted but just before half time the Welshmen scored an excellent try from turnover ball as the United’s poor exit strategy was exposed. The Rumney left winger sped home after some slick handling. A well struck conversion levelled the scores at half time.
The second half saw a better United performance and their superior fitness shone through in the end. The welcome return of Loti Molitika was celebrated with the Tongan scoring the United’s third try. Moffat converted and the United took control. Henry Bird, in an unfamiliar full back role, showed his class as he danced through a tiring Rumney defence. Near the end Luckwell completed his hat trick and Moffat’s conversion added a little luster to the scoreline.
Cinderford United; Henry Bird, Jack Richards, James Price, Luke Crunden, Liam Littleton, James Moffat, Alex Frame, Jake Caulfield, Sam Wilkes, Jake Drinkwater, Angus Hodges, Roger Birkin, Marcus Brown, Rhys Luckwell (Captain), Dan Fry
Replacements (used on rotation); Matt Williams, Loti Molitika