Paragliding

As there have been complaints about the lack of content on the Blog of late. I thought I would upload some content of my own. This is where I did a sponsored paraglide/shityourself for the Hospice of the Valleys. If you want to you can still donate at http://www.justgiving.co.uk/matthew-hopkins/

CWM Match Report

Date:- 24th October 2009

Venue:- Cwm

Fixture:- WRU Division 6 East

CWM RFC 6 POINTS BEAUFORT RFC 40 POINTS

This was a game shaped by the conditions with handling errors galore as both sides struggled to cope with the blustery conditions and greasy ball. Beaufort as league leaders had come as favourites but they quickly found out Cwm were a determined outfit and put up a spirited display which could have upset the form book. It wasn't until the second half that the game eventually slipped away from them as their defence leaked 5 of the 6 tries scored.

It was though a scrappy first half. There was little continuity in Beaufort's play not helped by a worrying number of penalties they gave away. They did score the only try in the first half when scrumhalf Matthew Burrows took advantage of a good scrum to unravel the defence. Dylan Smith kicked two penalties and Cwm kicked two of their own giving Beaufort an 11 point to 6 lead to end a lack lustre first half .

After the break Beaufort finally got some electricity into their game . They created enough space for their ball carriers to make deep insertions into the Cwm heartland from where

they crafted their tries. Burrows pounced for a second try after a defencive slip up. He was involved in the next finished off by second row Ben Harding . It was Harding who crashed through the defence from a tapped penalty for a fourth which topped a superb display from him to be named Beaufort's star play on the day. Smith converted to give Beaufort a commanding lead of 28 points to 6.

To their credit Cwm kept attacking Beaufort at every opportunity refusing to submit,but for all this good endeavour they lacked the incisiveness to penetrate their visitors defence. By contrast, Beaufort did and demonstrated this with clinical precision in the last quarter . Quick hands and plenty of pace left wing Lee Roper enough room to round the last remnants of cover to finish off a attack which began from a deep position. This was followed by a trademark try from the season's leading try scorer Mike Vaughan who was the beneficiary of an explosive burst from flanker Justin Bennett . This took the score to the 40 point mark and ended the contest.

Next week Beaufort are at home to Llandrindod Wells in the second round of the Magners Bowl. Kick off at the earlier time of 2 pm.

Aberbeeg Match Report

Date:- 17th October 2009

Venue :- Brynithel

Fixture :- WRU League Division 6 East

ABERBEEG RFC 0 POINTS BEAUFORT RFC 43 POINTS

Beaufort celebrated a fifth league win scoring six tries earning a bonus point to keep them top of Division 6 East

A Dylan Smith penalty got them off to an early start and in the first quarter they notched up two sparkling tries from centres Mike Vaughan and Geraint Phillips . Smith added the conversions for a 17 point lead and Beaufort looked to be winning this match at a canter

But the home side who have struggled so far this season were a better outfit than their lowly league position implied. They had a good line out, kicked well for field position and on occasions their driving maul did cause problems for the visitors. However when the ball was spread wide Beaufort had too much pace and skill . Wing Lee Roper latched on to the final pass of a fine passage of play for the first of his two tries, superbly converted again by Smith to give the visitors a 24 point lead without reply at the interval

The bonus try came five minutes into the restart scored by the irrepressible Jason Taylor who had a fine match leaving Smith a simple conversion.With the match now won Beaufort's momentum fell away . They also had a player sent off and sensing an opportunity to make superiority in numbers tell, Aberbeeg raised their game giving Beaufort ten minutes of real anxiety . Although they recycled the ball endlessly they just couldn't create enough space to cross the line finding Beaufort's tenacious defence rock solid.

Beaufort finally broke out of the stranglehold and finished the match in a flourish. After a lightening counterattack Lee Roper made a fifth touch down in the corner and second row Ben Harding thundered across the try line for Beaufort's sixth

Beaufort star man on the day was Geraint Phillips

Beaufort play away again next week at Cwm