Roy Newton Memorial Match:

 
 

Whitland 57 - Pembroke County 12

 
Venue: Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn, Whitland
Referee: Adrian Slade
Assistant Referees: Neil Jenkins & Ed Howells
 
Whitland beat a Pembroke County XV at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn to celebrate the memory of Roy Newton in a match full of running rugby and which helped raise almost £2,000 for the CRY charity.
 

Terrific tribute

 
A large crowd turned out as a terrific tribute to the former player and coach Roy Newton, including a number of very talented ex-Whitland Youth players who passed through his hands, including British Lions’ star Jonathan Davies, who was gently coerced by club chairman Arwyn Thomas to take a bow during an interval, and his brother James, now an established Welsh Sevens regular. Dan Newton had played for London Scottish on the weekend and was also at the match, whilst his brother Scott played at outside half.
 

Played at pace

 
The match itself was played over three 30-minute periods and there was plenty of running rugby, despite the heat, as referee Adrian Slade controlled the game well, with Whitland quickly opening up a ten-point gap as Nico Setaro put winger Duncan Evans in for a try and Scott Newton converted before adding a penalty.

The county team, which included brothers Ianto and Guto Griffiths, responded with an excellent unconverted try as Randall Williams, Alun Harries and Luke Hansford set up the platform for Craig Barnett to race over in the corner.
 

Three tries in five minutes

 
Whitland full back/fly half Johnny Thomas was heavily involved in all that Whitland did under new coach Richard ‘Stag’ Jones and his cleverly flicked pass allowed Carwyn Jones to score at the posts for Thomas to add the extra points, as he did soon afterwards when Mike Georgiou also sped through to the posts.

Carwyn Jones added his second try after again being released by Thomas, who converted, as Whitland rounded off a spell of pressure with those three tries in five minutes.
 

County battle hard but Whitland win well

 
The county team kept plugging away, though, and Johnny Morgan was only just denied before James Griffiths showed why he has signed for Llanelli with a good try converted by his namesake Ianto.

There was no respite for the county team, however, because Whitland added further tries by Lee Glanville, Dafydd Evans, Fraser Watson and Matt Haden, two converted by Setaro and one by Watson, to round off a match where Roy Newton’s considerable contribution to Whitland Rugby Club was celebrated to the full.
 
Whitland: Johnny Thomas: Matt Haden; Lee Glanville; Nico Setaro; Duncan Evans: Scott Newton; Andrew Jenkins: Andrew Howells; Marc Jones (Capt); Gareth Lloyd: Dai Ebsworth; Raff Williams: Matthew Clarke; Zac France-Miller, Callum Tree. Replacements: Jack Mason; Nathan Price; Kieran White; Lewis Owen; Ben Coloe; Rhys Thomas, Matthew Owens; Fraser Watson; Sam James.
 
Pembroke County: Johnny Morgan (Narberth): Guto Griffiths (Crymych); Ashley Sutton (Narberth); James Griffiths (Llanelli); Craig Barnett (Haverfordwest): Ianto Griffiths (Narberth); Rhodri Morgans (Fishguard): Martin Nicholas (Whitland); Carl Williams (Pem Dock Quins; Tom Slater (Narberth): Barry Parsons (Pem Dock Quins); Dafydd Williams (Whitland): Alun Harries (Haverfordwest); Luke Hansford (Tenby); Randall Williams (Fishguard). 

 

PHOTOS:
The Whitland squad
Pembroke County
Raff Williams runs at Johnny Morgan
Scott Newton in kicking action
Ashley Sutton goes on a run
Arwyn Thomas and British Lions star Jonathan Davies