Very welcome visitors from Argentina to Pembrokeshire last weekend were the Cuba Club from Buenos Aires as they brought teams to play at Haverfordwest (two), Tenby, Pembroke and Carmarthen Quins on Sunday before moving off to play in London and Paris on a quite momentous tour for 140 young players and 15 staff who were a great credit to their families clubs and coaches.
 
Organised by Ken Davies, with great support from the host clubs, the Argentinian youngsters won all five games and showed high skill levels, pace aplenty and the ability to make use of quality possession whilst defending well when they didn’t have the ball – and our local players and coaches will certainly have learned something from the experience!



 

CUBA class pays off

 

Newcastle Emlyn Barbarians 14 - CUBA Buenos Aries 48

 
Newcastle Emlyn youth team coach Emyr Jones was delighted to help provide one of the teams to take on the Argentinians at under 18 level with the squad supplemented by keen players from Llangwm and Neyland - and they encountered opposition that they more than matched up front but had to give second best to in terms of pace behind the scrum.
 
The Emlyn forwards had the likes of Marcus Castle, Mason Lee and Owain Lewis as strong players in the set pieces alongside excellent ball winners like Jake Evans, Osian Meylor and Maz Roddar-Loddar, plus Celt Jones and Jake Thompson so that they were eager to set the likes of Nathan Thomas, Cian Jones, Fletcher Picton and Deiniol Rees off on the attack - but the visitors were always just that little more experienced and put it to good effect as they ran in tries at regular intervals through Bautista Elewat, Mateo Mengale, Fran Navia, Nico Cruz; Facu de la Torre, Inaki Irigarai, Bautista Corullo and Camilo Collussio, plus four conversions by Andy Castro.
 
To be fair to Emlyn they never gave up the battle and their efforts were rewarded with tries from Owain Meylor and Tom Edwards, both converted by Fletcher Picton as they played a full part in an entertaining tussle.
 
Newcastle Emlyn/ Neyland/ Llangwm:
Liam Rees: Gethin Bale; Fletcher Picton; Tom Edwards; Deiniol Rees: Cian Jones; Nathan Thomas: Dylan Castle; Mason Lewis; Owain Lewis: Celt Jones; Jake Thompson: Max Roddar-Loddar; Jake Evans; Osian Meylor. Replacements: Dafydd James; Aaron John; Celt Edwards; Iolo Phillips; Finn Webb; Dion Phillips; Conan Davies;  Dafydd Morgans.
Referee: Dan Tomkins (Pentregat, Ceredigion).
 
CUBA, Buenos Aires: Inaki Irigarai: Bautista Elewaut; Tobi Roca; Mateo Mengale; Fran Navia:  Patrick Maguire; Andy Castro; Cacha; Bautista Corullo; Nico Cruz: Faci de la Torre; Manu Gallego: Martin Piper; Mateo Elaitib; Camilo Collussio. Replacements:  Nacho Gueriico; Asouna; Juani Garcia; Bautista lvarez; Berra  Casouravi; Juaco Alvarez; Segun Diaz Canton; Feli Vasquez; Inako Blasco; Eze Miguenez; Tite Young; Tori Ruiz Luque; Geno Silgario.
 




 

Young Blues battle hard in front of big crowd

 

Haverfordwest 7 - CUBA, Buenos Airies 19

 
The Cuban visitors were pushed all the way by their counterparts from Haverfordwest, who scored first and had other half chances but lost them through a mixture of over-eagerness and taking of wrong options at key times.
 
They took the lead after they broke clear and Ashton O’Riorden kicked ahead for Evan Curtis showed good awareness to win the race for the touchdown before O’Riorden added the conversion.
 
But CUBA has a match winner in left winger Jean Baptiste Tason as he sped to the line after quick hands by his fellow three quarters and then showed his power as he brushed off some would-be tacklers and race to the posts, with both converted by outside half Ignacio Martinez.
 
The second half was equally hard-fought and both teams had periods of pressure but the only points fell to the Argentinians as replacement  Facundo Bravo scored from close range after his fellow forwards had done the spade work.
 
The Blues had good runs by some of their backs their full back and right winger in particular, but sadly their names, and the team sheet were not available to give any others of their players a mention!
 
CUBA, Buenos Aries: Agus Gau: Tatico Cezon; Felipe Pinero; Felip Dorado; Augustine Cavol; Ignacio Marinez; Fran Perotta: Marcus Gandino; Obrero; EMI Rapetti: Nacho Azvetti; Santos Viale:; Huevo Balbiani; Fran Trabuchai; Manu Carruzo. Replacements: Rami Caffici; Santi Pinasco; Fran Gobbi; Facundo Bravo; Juana Sequeiros; Make Sito Sofia; Pablo Talanchu; Juan Cruzpujo; Ginatti Sean; Toto McKinley.