Fixture

The opening game of the WRU League 1 east season resulted in Abergavenny travelling to their near neighbours Monmouth.

Abergavenny fielded a much-changed team from last season with eight players making their first appearance for the club. Max Wiltshire, Alfie Lewis, Eoin Shackleton, Josh Hathaway, Will Evans, Dan Beavan, Max Gregory, Rob Dudley-Jones lined up in the forwards. Dylan Edwards, Will Rees, Joe Brook, Harvey Barrier, Lewis Prendergast, Anthony Squire and Dayle Price forming the backs.                   

Abergavenny began the game playing at a fast tempo, forwards and backs linked together and showed a willingness to offload and spread the ball wide to great effect, but the Monmouth defense stood firm and kept their line intact. Monmouth then had a period of possession, creating pressure on the visitor’s defense. After several phases of play they broke the Abergavenny defense to score in the corner, earning a 5 – 0 lead. The teams then exchanged penalties before Dan Beavan secured quality back of the lineout ball, the driving maul took Abergavenny closer to the line before Alfie Lewis broke away, pinned his ears back and sprinted for the corner, the resultant try levelled the scores at 8 – 8. From a penalty on halfway, Will Rees took play into the Monmouth 22, Josh Hathaway secured the lineout, from the resultant driving maul, Max Wiltshire broke away but was brought down close to the line, Eoin Shackleton swallowed up the loose ball and went over for Abergavenny’s second try, converted by Harvey Barrier. Dan White replied with a penalty before halftime which resulted in Abergavenny going into the break leading 15 – 11.                                                                                                                                              

Rhys Ferguson, Tom Foley and Seth Butler were introduced in the second half. Monmouth started the half the stronger, playing the game deep in the Abergavenny half. Concerted pressure resulted in a converted try taking Monmouth into an 18 – 15 lead. Abergavenny put themselves under more pressure going down to 14 men after a deliberate knock-on. Monmouth seized their opportunity, drove play down into the visitor’s 22. Clean ball from the lineout gave their ball carriers the opportunity to power over for their third try, which was converted giving them a comfortable 25 – 15 lead. The Bailey Park faithful feared that this was looking like a fruitless visit to the Monmouth Sports Ground once again. Matt Charles and Callum Poole provided an important boost to the visiting forwards as they set about turning this game around. More tempo came into the Abergavenny game and they began to get a foot hold into the game once again. Numerous phases of play took the visitors into the Monmouth 22. Rob Dudley-Jones picked up at the back of a scrum and drove hard for the line. Max Gregory gathered the ball in support to go over for an important score for the visitors. Lewis Prendergast stepped up to add the extra’s closing the score-line to 25 – 22. When Monmouth went down to 14 men the visitors now had an opportunity. With tired legs all over the park Abergavenny found the energy to exert pressure in the Monmouth 22, Rob Dudley-Jones ran a great angle in the line and broke through the home side defense and managed to stretch for the try line for the all-important score, converted by Prendergast. At 25 – 29 Abergavenny had three minutes to hold on. Monmouth gained a foot hold in the Abergavenny half and were awarded a penalty close to the Abergavenny line. The Monmouth ball carriers ran hard for the try line but determined defense held them out and secured an important bonus point win to begin the season.