Fixture

Onto today and the visit of the best team we played in the treble winning season – Bettws RFC. One of only 2 teams to beat The Mighty Crum last year. They were runners up to us in the league and were unlucky not to have won that with Crum taking the title after a bonus point win in the last match.

Bettws was always going to be a massive test but then at last week’s game we racked up 5 injuries. Coupled with players unavailability Crum had only 16 available but more desperately just 2 front rowers. The task looked too big. The coaches worked tirelessly throughout the week to try to get permits but their huge efforts were to no avail. It was an incredibley stressful week for them and they are to be hugely congratulated for their hard graft in leaving no stone unturned in the preparations for this game. Indeed congratulations were also due for what also transpired on the pitch. So uncontested scrums were the order of the day. The consequence of this is no more than 14 Crumlin players were allowed on the field at any one time. To iterate - the boys played the whole game with a man less than the best team they have played in the last 13 months.

Sixteen MEN took to The Kay Field in Black and Amber today and in the face of massive adversity 16 HEROES left the arena at the end. Many of The Mighty Crum Ultras, with 20 years experience of supporting the team, knew and indeed commented, that what they witnessed today was one of the biggest performances any Crumlin rugby team has produced. That’s saying something after last years treble and that special day at THE STADIUM back in April.

1. Gavin Spencer

2. Jacob Hill

3. Chris Pearce

4. Euan Lewis

5. Tyler Madden-Smith

6. NO ONE

7. Daf Clissett

8. Kian Chess

9. Steele Jones

10. Corey Strickland

11. Dylan Foxwell

12. Morgan Smith (Captain)

13. Ryan Lewis

14. Taylor Smith

15. Joel Witcombe

16. George Price

17. Ioan Lloyd

Not playing was never an option today as it would have given the opposition a bonus point win of 5 points AND meant a 2 point deduction for Crumlin as well. So this could have been a 7 pointer.

Not one of these heroes took a step backwards today and every single one of them gave their absolute everything.

Bettws had the uncontested scrums worked out from the start as their big fast number 8 would switch in at scrum half. He couldn’t pick up from 8 but he could now pick up at 9. Time after time after time he took the charge forward from the set piece only to be flawed every single time by centre Morgan Smith. Smith was given the arm band today in the absence of both Captain Ethan Chess and Vice Kyle Walton. Smith was quite simply immense. He lead by example as he continually dropped the number 8. He made the perfect decision late in the game to kick a penalty and with 3 minutes to go he made an absolutely vital turnover to relieve pressure. What a Captain’s performance in his first outing at the helm.

Wing Corey Strickland was in at 10 for the injured captain Chess and wow what a game he had with fantastic clearance kicks and bossing the Crumlin play. When he received the ball on the 10 yard line going right. It seamed that the ball should be put through the hands to his right but as if by magic Foxy appeared. In from the left wing he materialised on Strickland’s left shoulder. Strickland delivered the perfect inside pass for the flyer who burnt the last 15 metres to dive in for the first try. The onlooking support applauded but still there was an air of fear for the 14 on the field.

CRUMLIN 5 Bettws 0

Strickland was to have a stunner of a game. Controlling all that was good. Stepping when the pressure was on. Setting the backline away as and when possible. Sending the ball down field when Crum’s line needed to be cleared. A mesmerising performance at 10 from the former scrum half how now enjoys plying his trade on the wing!

Bettws struggled to get their backline going with the excellent defence running them down and the big tackles dislodging the ball a number of times. Wing Taylor Smith could offer many an England International player advice on how to tackle based on the masterclass he delivered today. SMASH then again then more of the same, as he hit his opposite numbers up in the air and backwards. It was a pleasure to watch and on one occasion as the last line of defence he destroyed the attacker out into touch with yet another text book hit that quelled any potential attack.

As Bettws tried to spin the ball through hands on the 10 metre line outside centre Ryan Lewis anticipated superbly intercepted. Leaving the defence in his wake Ryan was under the posts with the customary celebration. Thus Ryan had made it easy for himself to add the conversion.

CRUMLIN 12 Bettws 0

In the second half Ryan received the ball under his posts and with the opposition about to hit him if he passed, ran or tried to kick he coolly stepped the defender. His trusty left peg was used like a howitzer gun as he cleared to touch just passed the 10 metre line. After his shoulder was twisted Ryan came off but late in the game he went back on at prop.

Dared the faithful start to believe that something special might be on the cards – not quite yet. Jacob Hill was returning from injury today and the talisman hooker was in impressive form as always. Big hits and bullocking carries are Frankys trademark and boy did he deliver both in heaps. BUT his rehab from injury must have included an awful lot of target practice as his lineout throwing was absolutely stunning. Gerwyn Price would have been proud of hitting the bullseye that many times in a row. Franky hit Chris Pearce and, at full stretch, Euan Lewis every time and even the long throws to Tyler Madden-Smith at the back were effortlessly spot on. Credit to these players for supplying endless quality lineout ball. The rest of the 7 man pack lifted impeccabley and such was the lineout dominance that in the second half Bettws actually gave up challenging what was inevitable.

Half time CRUMLIN 12 Bettws 0

After last week’s man of the match performance Chris Pearce was nothing short of ferocious today. The most mature player hit big, carried unswervingly and not only delivered our ball in the lineout but knicked the ball against the head unrelentingly. When this couldn’t be done cleanly Chris would get his arms on the ball and rip it free from his younger, bigger opponents. If you want to know “Whose the Daddy?” it was Chris Pearce today.

Tyler Madden-Smith cut down the Bettws ball carriers like the grim reaper. Pumpy was enjoying himself, putting in a very big shift. A gruelling performance that prevented Bettws having any momentum from forward carries. He was aided and abetted in this display by the excellent Euan Lewis. If Pumpy was the Reaper then Lewis was the Undertaker. Down went the big opposition forwards again and again. As per usual Lewis made a number of turnovers but was humble enough at the end of the game not to take the credit for Morgan Smith’s big turnover. Lewis leapt like a Salmon in the lineouts and at full stretch made 2 handed takes look easy. He supplied the ball off the top to scrum half Steele Jones with ease and then as Bettws tried to flood through Lewis changed tactic to catch and hold or catch and drive. He knows how to protect a scrum half.

In Jones Crumlin do have a 9 that lives up to his name. The Man of Steel was the unending link between forwards and backs but it has to be said it’s like having another flanker on the paddock. His cover tackling and jackaling was text book. Late in the second half Bettws’ other big ball carrier tried to go through from the Crumlin 10 metre line. He wasn’t banking on running into Steele though. The Scrum half halted him dead in his tracks. Not happy with that achievement Steele literally drove the big forward backwards 15 metres passed the half way line and dropped him just short of his own 10 metre line.

Bettws got into the Crumlin 22 and after 5 minutes of defence by the 14 their big forwards managed somehow to get over the whitewash. Importantly too wide out for their kicker as the try went unconverted.

CRUMLIN 12 Bettws 5

Strangely this did not panic Crumlin or their supporters and when just to the right of the posts Crumlin were awarded a penalty Euan Lewis prevented anyone going quickly. Captain Morgan made the big call to take the points rather than the guaranteed scrum ball. This was to prove a key moment. Left footed Ryan Lewis slotted the 3 points from the wrong side of the field and now Crum could see a chink of light as they moved back to 2 scores in front.

CRUNLIN 15 Bettws 5

Kian Chess carries were a thing of beauty as the diminutive (short) number 8 was bordering on the impossible to bring down. They gave the go forward so many times it was a real rallying call. The Bus broke the line throughout the game and laid the ball back for Steele in a metronomic fashion. Gavin Spencer at prop could have been forgiven for not getting around the field but the veteran of almost 230 Crumlin battles was enjoying being set free from the shackles of the scrum. He lifted epically in the lineouts and when a nippy centre saw Spence in front of him he decided, as these players do, to just run around him. Now he was not betting on Spence’s impressive turn of speed and he was nabbed then driven backwards and dumped onto the floor with rapturous applause and cheers from the on hand Crumlin supporters.

Utility back Daf Clissett was back from Naval manoeuvres. What not many will know is that this one of those piglets is not only a talented back in almost any of those positions but The Pitbull has also spent a fair bit of time on the flank as he honed his talents growing up. In fact if there had been a players player of the match today then the number of comments from his peers after the game meant that Daf was a certainty for that accolade.

Crumlin had the field position for the majority of the second half but unfortunately did let Bettws get into the 22 again and that gave their forwards the opportunity to finally get over the line. Once again though this was prevented from happening anywhere near the posts and the try went unconverted.

CRUMLIN 15 Bettws 10

After an almost bizarre positional change in the New Tredegar win last week Joel Witcombe returned to full back from flanker??? Renowned for his breaks and deftness of foot Joel was brought in to the line a number of times and made great metres each time. The buzz goes up whenever he has the ball. However today the matching of numbers by putting a back into the pack for each scrum hindered the opportunities to see Joel do what he does best. It was however good to see him reading the game and put in a couple of quality kicks one of which made fully 60 metres from deep in his own half in the middle of the field. It finally made touch way down field passed the half way.

Ioan Lloyd and George Price came on to crucially add fresh legs to the battling 14. Both are former piglets and as such slotted straight in adding their talents to those already being displayed. Ioan’s speed in attack and defence was vital to seeing out the game. George added another dimension to the lineout options although Euan had by now worn Bettws down into submission in that facet of play. So George joined in the fun knocking down forwards as they persisted in vain to carry.

Bettws were within a score and with 8 minutes to go tried to get things going in the Crumlin half. Anything other than a win for the home 14 at this point would have been a travesity of justice. Unfortunately for Bettws the Black and Ambers were having none of it and although it was squeaky bum time for the support the players held the line with a defence those at Rawkes Drift would have been proud of. Captain Morgans turnover ended the game as a competition.

CRUMLIN 15 Bettws 10

Next week Crumlin entertain New Panteg in the first round of the Welsh Cup. Unlike the last couple of years this year is a straight knockout competition. The boys will welcome back a number of faces to add to those from today’s spectacular effort but as always they need your rowdy support. A big turnout would be hugely appreciated and after today what on earth could you be doing that would be as exciting as watching this team.

A possible 7 point deficit in the league was turned into a 4 point positive by these heroes, in this place, today. #UPPACRUM !!!