Fixture

Everyone looks forward to match day when it comes to cup competitions, especially when you get to the latter stages as it means new opponents, new experiences and new acquaintances. That was certainly the case on Saturday as the Dale welcomed Swansea Uplands RFC to the Recreation Ground for a first meeting between the two sides in the fifth round of the SWALEC Bowl competition. Although unfortunately what was supposed to be a joyous and happy occasion was marred by a very serious injury to the Dale’s ‘Powerhouse Juggernaut’, Ryan Jarman who just may be out for a very, very, very long time.

Preparations for the game hadn’t been great for the Dale with no training sessions taking place the week before and one prop, two second rows and two centres missing on the day. The Dale had to rely on the depth of their squad but those boys who came in to the starting line-up certainly stepped up to the plate and contributed to an enthralling home side 18-13 victory which sent Oakdale RFC in the quarter finals of the Bowl competition for the first time.

The weather was good but the pitch was cutting up under the warm ups from both sides and by kick off it didn’t look like it was going to be a game for the fast runners. Oakdale started well and controlled the game early on and were rewarded with a penalty attempt after only one minute when their visitors were penalised at the ruck for straying hands. The normally reliable Simon Veall must have had some big game nerves as he fluffed his first chance at goal.

The play was being controlled well by the Dale and in the next ten minutes Veall and Uplands kicker traded missed penalties but it was predominantly the side from East ‘A’ who were having the better of the play.

On 17 minutes the Uplands were reduced to 14 men when one of their front row was yellow carded for what looked like kicking the ball out of the ruck but not from the right position. The problem for the away side was that it was deep inside their 22 and when the Dale decided to take the scrum all opinions on the side suggested that this was the time to open the scoring. As much as the supporters wanted it the Dale could not supply those first points and their visitors somehow managed to clear their lines.

Four minutes later the Dale were pressurising their opponents again in the opposition 22 but when a loose ball was picked up the Uplands hoofed the ball back down the field and Luke Lovell went to clear up the danger. He was set upon by a number of onrushing players and subsequently penalised for not releasing. Their kicker made no mistake with his penalty attempt and this took the Uplands into a 3-0 lead.

Oakdale were now piling on the pressure onto their opponents and good forward work allowed the platform to be set for a backs move. Unfortunately, the ball flung out from Brett Turner at scrum half was too low for veteran outside half Simon Barber to collect but he did have the agility to get his hand to the ball and palm it on outside of him. His much younger and better looking centre, Josh Thomas did have the flexibility to get down and gather the ball and the Oakdale indecision put Uplands off their stride which afforded him acres of room to run into. Thomas broke some strong tackles and shipped it onto David Fortune who was there in support. He did not have the ability to get over the line but he had the confidence to try a flick pass to his supporting team mates. That confidence was misplaced though as the move didn’t come off and Uplands gathered and cleared their lines once again.

Although, from the ensuing lineout the pressure was back on the visitors when Captain Blue Eyes stole the ball and sent his forward team mates on a rampaging maul. With Lee Matthews guiding the Dale well at the back of the maul, they ate up all of 30 yards and in the process Uplands gave away at least two penalties. The Referee though did well to keep the play going and when Oakdale were only a yard from the Uplands line he had no hesitation running underneath the posts to award a penalty try when the maul was brought down. Veall made the conversion and Oakdale took the lead for the first time on 35 minutes at 7-3.

HALF TIME – OAKDALE RFC 7 v 3 SWANSEA UPLANDS RFC

Starting the second half with a one man advantage should have seen the Dale turn up the pressure on their opponents to extend their lead but the advantage didn’t last long when hooker, Anthony Isgrove was yellow carded for obstructing a kicker. It wasn’t that he got in their way it was just it was too much of a task for the kicker to run around him. Their number 9 pointed towards the posts and a minute later sent the ball in the same direction to narrow the Oakdale lead to 7-6.

With the one man advantage now in Uplands favour they stole the lead back on 50 minutes with a well worked try and conversion. Sometimes, the easy stuff is the most effective in rugby and from an attacking scrum just inside the Dale’s half the men from the west set their backs in motion. With each member of their line getting a touch of the ball the winger received it with little space to play. What he was able to do was chip ahead and the supporting back row player, who was never offside (!), had the speed to chase the loose ball and touch down. The conversion was good and with half an hour left to play the Uplands went into a 13-7 lead.

Straight from the kick off though, Uplands gave away a needless penalty at their own ruck and this gave Veall the opportunity to claw back some of that lead which he did successfully and the score now read 13-10.

On 62 minutes with Oakdale now dominant in the scrum, Uplands were penalised at the set piece and Veall convinced his team mates that a long range penalty effort was the right call. Everyone supporting the home side willed the ball to go over to level the scores but it fell agonisingly short and was gathered by one of their big men. What he didn’t see was the pocket rocket, Brett Turner steaming towards him and the collision knocked the ball out of the opposing player’s hands and Turner had the urgency to regain possession. Everyone flooded the left hand side and it was one big push for the line. Once again the Uplands were forced into conceding a penalty. It was pleasing to see that the players didn’t listening to me and instead of taking a scrum (which we would have got a certain pushover try) they opted for a penalty which Veall converted and Oakdale drew level with their visitors at 13-13 with 15 minutes left on the clock.

With the minutes ebbing away and extra time looking a certainty Oakdale decided to launch themselves into one final salvo of an attack to get the win within the 80 minutes. Some good build up play put them in a position to make the incisive move and when the time was right the call came to unleash the beast and Ryan Jarman was sent on his way. He boshed the first and took the second with him but when the tackle came in he crumpled like a shit-laden tissue to the floor. Like that bird on the Exorcist when she gets possessed he writhed on the floor like he was auditioning for a place in the Rocksteady Breakdancing Crew but then the realisation set in that this was a bad injury. Play stopped and the Committee’s Critical Emergency Plan kicked into action. Everything was going well until the stretcher saw Jarman lying on the ground. No matter how much force was exerted that stretcher wasn’t clicking into place knowing the weight that it have been expected to carry and Jarman was helped from the field old fashion style, on the arms of two of his team mates.

When play did resume it was scrum time to the Dale and patience was the only thing they needed to take themselves into the lead. The Uplands pack tried to upset the momentum and the scrum begin to break up pretty quickly. This tactic worked as when Fortune went for the line he didn’t have the ability to gather the ball cleanly and knocked on.

With normal time up on the clock it was Uplands who found themselves close to their try line with a scrum to complete. The home side pack though were having none of it and pushed their opponents off their own ball and looked to push their opponents back over their own line. Inch by inch they trundled back and Dai ‘Ten Thumbs’ Fortune this time had the nous to pick up the ball and dive over the line for Oakdale’s second try of the day. Veall missed the conversion and the Dale had a five point lead to protect with eight whole minutes of injury time left to play.

Those eight minutes were managed well and Uplands had nothing left in the tank to mount a sustained attack to bring them any more points. The final whistle blew soon after and a much relieved village saw their team move into the quarter final draw of the 2014-2015 SWALEC Bowl.

FULL TIME – OAKDALE RFC 18 v 13 SWANSEA UPLANDS RFC

The relief at the end of the game was palpable as everyone knew that we had been in one tough cup match where the opposition had given their all but just came up short. It was evident that we had the upper hand in the forwards but as a team the Uplands did their club and supporters proud and if the young squad sticks together they are going to cause some problems down west pretty soon.

With no news of Jarman, spirits were high back at the club knowing that we had gone further in the competition than any season before and kept our season going in the direction that everyone had hoped for. The supporter’s player of the match was young Roland who did a fine job but mentions must go to the other youngsters in the side who all had good games, Mark, Billy, Josh and Luke.

Eighteen hours later the news started to filter through that our own Buzz Lightyear would be in hospital for a few days longer. Ryan had broken the top of his leg and severely damaged all of the ligaments in his knee. He went into the operating theatre on Monday and hopefully they will be able to rebuild him – not for this season but hopefully the next. Everyone at Oakdale Rugby Club send him their best wishes.

Special thanks goes to the players, committee and supporters of Swansea Uplands RFC who were admirable in defeat and great company back at our club. Hopefully, new friendships have been made and we look forward to seeing them again in the not too distant future.