Rugby Union: Ponty enjoy new home from home

Pontypridd's insatiable desire to prove they are as good as the best around carried them to another outstanding triumph that marks them as the only team likely to deny Swansea the Welsh National League title this season.

This was the third successive victory for the Sardis Road club at National Stadium this year. In May they stormed back in the second half to beat Neath in the Swalec Cup final; in August they ran in 10 tries against the same side to take the Champions' Challenge trophy and on Saturday they put Cardiff to the sword.

The game was switched on the day from Cardiff's frozen Arms Park club ground to the adjacent National ground, yet it was Pontypridd who felt more at home. Having weathered an early storm, they changed ends three points adrift before cutting loose to score three superb tries which left Cardiff floundering.

As a dress rehearsal for their Heineken European Cup semi-final next week against the French club Brive, it was a miserable exercise for their head coach Terry Holmes. No wonder he claimed his side had "lost the plot" in front of a 12,000 strong crowd.

"We tried too hard to be entertaining and lost any control we had. Pontypridd controlled the game much better than we did and they tackled, kicked and ran well," Holmes admitted.

"But Brive will be a different ball game. The whole key to next week is the control we showed against Bath and Wasps. We imposed our will in those matches and we must do the same in Brive.

"Sometimes you have to be negative to be positive and there were occasions when we should have kicked the ball long behind them, rather than try to run through them.

"It's all very well trying to play a fast game, but you have to build pace into what you are doing rather than just try to manufacture it."

The return to the back row of their captain, Hemi Taylor, on Sunday will be crucial to Cardiff. He will insist on better control and greater aggression, and he should help the deflated Derwyn Jones to regain his line-out prowess.

Without a line-out presence in Brive, Cardiff could sink without trace. It has been one of the cornerstones of their game in recent years, yet was almost obliterated by Pontypridd's superb team-work.

The battle between the new Welsh cap Mark Rowley and Jones resulted in a resounding victory for the Pontypridd lock, while the two open-side flankers, Gwyn Jones, who was making his belated debut for Cardiff, and Martyn Williams, ended in a very honourable draw.

The other key contest was at outside-half, where the two captains commanded centre stage. In terms of points scoring, Jonathan Davies won 18-17, although it was Neil Jenkins who had the greater influence on proceedings. Both men conceded tries to the other, Davies charging down a Jenkins kick to hack on to score while the Pontypridd skipper broke past his opposite number to set up a try for Jason Lewis.

Jenkins made the greater and more positive contribution although whether it will be good enough to regain him the Welsh outside-half berth he lost to Davies for the Australian game is debatable. Still, Wales can rest assured that they have a most accomplished performer to install at No 10 if required.

It was obvious that Jenkins relished every moment of his side's rout of his club's big city rivals. "We knew how important the game was to both teams in the league and it was a huge spur to my players seeing that Cardiff had 15 internationals in their line-up," he said. "Cardiff have now lost four matches and so it is going to be difficult for them to come back now. It looks as though it's between Swansea and ourselves from here on."

Ponty are now three points adrift of the leaders Swansea, while Cardiff are looking miserable in fourth place a further seven points back with a game in hand.

Cardiff: Tries Davies, Thomas; Conversions Davies 2; Penalties Davies 3. Pontypridd: Tries Paul John, J Lewis, Manley, penalty try; Conversions Jenkins 4; Penalties Jenkins 3.

Cardiff: J Thomas; S Hill, M Hall, L Davies, N Walker; J Davies (capt), R Howley; A Lewis, J Humphreys, L Mustoe (D Young, 69), J Wakeford, D Jones, M Bennett, E Lewis, G Jones.

Pontypridd: C Cormack; D Manley, J Lewis, S Lewis, G Lewis; N Jenkins (capt), Paul John; N Eynon, P John, A Griffiths (C Martine, 14), G Prosser, M Rowley, M Spiller, M Edwards (R Collins, 68), M Williams.

Referee: P Adams (Ebbw Vale).

Caerphilly's match against the Italian tourists was called off yesterday because of a frozen pitch. The weather also claimed two Courage League First Division matches, Sale's home game against Bath and Bristol's local derby against Gloucester.