NANT CONWY 43

RUTHIN 12

REVENGE was sweet for champions-elect Nant Conwy over the weekend.

Ruthin are the only team this season to defeat leaders Nant in WRU League Division One (North) action.

Back in September, the Blues claimed a memorable 16-15 success in the clash at Cae Ddol.

However, there was no real chance of a repeat outcome on the back of a torrid first half for the visitors in Saturday's return match.

Led by their pack, Ruthin battled away in an effort to get over the home try line, but this was all to no avail.

Meanwhile, Nant's fast running backs scoring often from their own half as soon as the opportunity arose.

At the break, the league frontrunners were 31-0 up, having scored five tries, three of which were converted.

It wasn’t as though the Blues didn’t put together some good phases and challenged the line, but more that the home side defended well and any mistakes - perhaps exacerbated by anxiety from the visitors - were pounced upon by Nant’s agile team.

At the break, it looked as though Nant would continue in their high scoring fashion, but second half honours were equal at 12-12.

Three minutes into the second half, Nant increased their lead with another try.

The Blues responded and and they got over the line, but the ball was adjudged to have been held up.

Despite this setback, they continued to contain Nant and probe their defence.

Yet again, however, a mistake in Nant’s 22 led to a penalty and the home side bagged their sixth try to go 43-0 ahead.

Ruthin didn’t lose heart and in the last 10 minutes, their reward finally came.

They were on the scoreboard courtesy of a well-worked try by second row Calum Donnelly.

Five minutes later, wing Dyfan Humphreys burst through Nant’s defence and offloaded for centre Josh Wilson to score try number two, with fly half Emyr Gwynedd converting.

This was a convincing win by Nant at 43-12, but with a few less errors on Ruthin’s side, it could have been a much closer contest.

Nant’s try scorers were wing Jack Moriarty (2), number eight Carwyn Ellis (2), full back Sion Pringle, fly half Arthur Lennon and prop Rob Parry.

Pringle and Lennon slotted over the conversions.