PONT BOOTED OUT OF BOWLPont’s run in the SWALEC Bowl has come to an abrupt end after WRU officials confirmed this week that Pontllanfraith RFC broke the rules regarding passive scrummaging. Pont took on Cefn Coed in the Bowl first round on 20th December 2008.
The game was a spectacle as the sides drew 10 a piece after a tough eighty minutes resulting in an extra twenty minutes of play. Pont managed to score the all important penalty to eventually win the game 13-10. Problems arose when Pont, who have struggled to raise sides all season could only summon fifteen players. They then asked the opposition and the referee if they could start the game with passive scrums as with only fifteen players, any injuries would result in the boys in blue playing with less players. Passive scrums would help to minimise this. All parties agreed and the enthralling game went ahead.
Pont were then drawn against Crumlin in the next round due to be played on the 24th January but received a letter early in the new year asking them to attend a WRU meeting over the matter. At the meeting the WRU stated that any call for passive scrums must be brought to the WRU’s attention prior to the day of match. This was an infringement of the rules and Pont were to be dumped out of the competition.
This is a huge disappointment for a club who haven’t had much luck in the last few seasons. Pont hoped that a run of a couple of games in this competition may inspire a few more players to put their boots on and hopefully turn their struggling season around. For the fifteen players who battled hard for that 100 minutes it must seem like a bit of an unpunished “off the ball challenge” from the WRU and we can only sympathise with you.
Pontllanfraith RFC wish the very best to Cefn Coed RFC in the next round.
