Monmouth Druids welcomed back ex First Team skipper Mark Jones for their latest match against Drybrook RFC. Jones has not played a game this season because of a serious injury but filled in at Centre instead of his usual Hookers role.
His comeback was quickly rewarded when he scored the Druids first try. The home team set up a series of rucks near the Drybrook try line and Jones burst over after a short pass from Outside Half Rob Frost. This was unconverted and the Druids looked to build on this early score.

Drybrook were proving to be no push-overs and their forwards fought their way into the Druids 22 metre area. At a lineout, Drybrook tapped the ball back for Hooker Chris Tingle to barge over the Druids line for an unconverted try. The failed conversion made the scores level.

This spurred on the Druids and from a bout of passing, Prop Lee Watkins skipped over for a fine try. Reliable kicker Rob Frost converted to restore the Druids lead.

Drybrook again responded by scoring a well worked try by Centre Phil Probert who cut through to touch down near the posts. Surprisingly, the conversion kick failed.

Just before the interval the Druids scored the best try of the game. Receiving the ball from a scrum in his own 22-metre area, Rob Frost passed the ball to fellow Centre Gareth Jones. He raced into the Drybrook half where he fed Wing Dan Wilkinson who in turn passed inside to Centre Mark Jones. Despite being tackled, Jones crossed the Drybrook line for a fine try which Rob Frost converted.

At the start of the second period the Druids increased their lead when Rob Frost kicked a fine 35-metre penalty goal. As the game progressed the Druids became more dominant and scored three more tries through Full Back Matt Morgan and Prop Andrew Jones, both of which were duly converted by Rob Frost.Prop Lee Watkins added his second try when he ripped the ball from a maul near the Drybrook line and dived over.

This win gives the Druids a magnificent ten match-winning streak and they are still in the Ivor Jones Cup Competition. Their Semi Final opponents are Blaenavon Forgeside-the match to be played on Chippenham Mead in April.
This latest success owed much to halfbacks Rob Frost and Phil Ansty who controlled events using all their experience. Up front, the forwards had a tough battle and Lee Watkins and Andy Howells stood out whilst the pace of Centre Gareth Jones worries defences. They have a fine squad of players which many clubs would be proud of.