This page is part of the archive of the Caerphilly RFC club website as it stood in 2001–2002. It is kept for reference; the journal on this address is independent and not run by the club.
Tuesday 11th September 2001
The
Castletown men entered this match knowing that they had no chance of qualifying
for the later rounds of the Celtic league competition. Munster who had already
taken the scalp of Newport, the previous Friday made 13 changes to the team
which entertained us at Virginia Park.
Caerphilly, playing Sione
Tuipolutu at scrum half for the first time showed enterprise, and through a
lovely weighted kick from former Wales full back Justin Thomas, wing Ken Morris
picked up and scored in the fourth minute. Penalties were exchanged and the
home side looked to be controlling matters. Munster prop Marcus Horan was sent
to the sin bin for not allowing Tuipolutu to take a quick tap
penalty.
With Munster down to 14 men, it was ideal opportunity for the
home side to capitalise, but the visitors were 15-8 up by the time that Horan
returned to the field, with tries from lock Donncha O'Callaghan and wing John
Kelly. Ken Morris added another try, this side on the other wing after some
fine juggling of the ball. Irish international Mike Mullins, a Cardiff target
last year, then scored twice in four minutes to put the visitors 30-15 up at
half time.
The Green Army did offer some resistance in the third
quarter, restricting the provincial full time professionals to a Horan try, but
wilted in the final minutes as Wallaby Jim Williams crossed and Mullins twice,
waded through the sea of Green.
Not only pride was hurt during the
night, wing Nigel Berbillion was stretcher off with knee ligament damage and No
8 Andrew Williams suffering a broken bone in his hand. Gordon Pritchard said
the team's defeat "Our supporters deserve better than that. We let ourselves
down, we let the fans down and we have let the club down."
Match report by Garran Davies