Rugby League

Welsh Premier League

Saturday 10th June 2017

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.04

Rhondda Outlaws 34 Torfaen Tigers 42,  attendance 61

@ Pontypridd R.U.F.C.

Sardis Road

Pontypridd

CF37 1HA

£3 Admission

No Programme.

This was week 4 of the new Welsh Premier League, which for the inaugural season will be played between six clubs, with Rhondda being the most recently formed. I was already heading for South Wales today, so was pleased to see this game had been brought forward to a 1pm kick off to enable the players and supporters of both clubs to take in the South Wales Ironmen v Toronto Wolfpack game in the National League 1 at 5pm, up the road in Merthyr Tydfil.

Outlaws fell behind 0-10, before going up 18-10, then conceding a converted try to give a halftime score of 18-16. Tigers then took the lead, before conceding again for a 24-22 score line, but then ran in twenty unanswered points to go 24-42 up, before a late Outlaw rally saw the deficit reduced to 34-42.

Sardis Road, known locally as ‘The House of Pain’ is a superb ground and so full of character. Opened in 1974, although it looks older, it is home to Pontypridd RUFC and was also home to the now defunct Celtic Warriors  RUFC from 2003-2004, having a capacity of 7,861. The 1991 Rugby World Cup match between Argentina and Western Samoa was held here as was the 2009 Rugby League European Cup Semi Final between Wales and Ireland.