WRU Championship – Group 4:

 

Sutton steers Otters to ten-try win

 

Narberth 70 - Ystalyfera 19

 
Narberth followed their narrow away win against Ystalyfera with a ten-try pounding of the same team at the Lewis Lloyd Ground that will have delighted Director of Coaching Sean Gale, after they had led 21-5 at the half-way mark and then ran away with things after the interval.
 
The Otters’ try scorers in that first period were 18 year-old scrum half George MacDonald, No 8 Guto Davies and outside half Ashley Sutton, all three converted by full back Nick Gale, playing as captain for the first time in Narberth colours.
 
Winger Luke Caines scored the only points in that period for the visitors through an unconverted try and he added a second alongside scrum half Zac Beynon as the Otters relaxed late on, with a conversion apiece for Gareth James and Ieuan Scott.
 
But Sutton exploited acres of space to complete a deserved hat trick whilst other scores came with a second for flanker Guto Davies, flanker Josh Hamer, winger Daf Pritchard and replacement No 9 Declan Smith, the nephew of long-serving hooker Dan Smith and playing his first game.
 
Nick Gale also got his name on the Narberth try count and also slotted another seven conversions to give him a 25-point haul in what was a complete Narberth victory.
 
Narberth: Nick Gale (Capt): Will Hughes; Jake Jenkins; Joe Hutchings; Daf Hughes: Ashley Sutton; George MacDonald: Brad Davies; Rhodri Owen; Ifan James: Ryan Banner; Alex Jenkins: Harry Griffiths; Josh Hamer; Guto Davies. Replacements: Ryan Scourfield; Tom Clarke; Dan Smith; Declan Smith.
 
 

WRU Plate – District H1:

 
 

Seagulls start with excellent win over Seasiders

 

Fishguard & Goodwick 31 -  Tenby United 10

 
Fishguard & Goodwick got their plate programme off to a winning start as they led 17-10 at the half-way stage against Tenby United and added another 14 points afterwards whilst keeping a clean sheet in the second half.
 
Yet it was The Seasiders who opened the scoring with a try by Tom Barrass after he had charged down a dropped goal attempt from under The Seagulls’ posts and Toby Smith added the simple extra points.
 
The Seagulls levelled matters when centre Sion Rowlands set Lewis Davies away on a run and James Griffiths converted, and then Rowlands added a second himself, this time unconverted.
 
Toby Smith notched a Tenby penalty and Tom Lewis marked his Fishguard debut on half time with a long-range try which gave his team a seven-point interval lead.
 
Tenby certainly had their chances after the interval and were held up over the line but Fishguard defended well near their own line on several occasions and also showed their ability to score when prop Ryan McVeigh powered over the line and Griffiths converted.
 
Griffiths than dislocated a finger but had it expertly fixed by sponge man Romeo Colella - and still managed to round off the scoring following a second try from flanker Lewis Davies!
 
 

Mariners sail home against depleted Scarlets

 

Milford Haven 27 - Pembroke 14

 
Milford Haven led by 19-7 at half time against a Pembroke side which battled hard without several key players and coaching staff, including head coach Geraint Lewis, and The Mariners were always looking likely to win thereafter as they produced an excellent all-round team display.
 
Winger James Trueman opened the Mariners’ account with a try and conversion and added the extra points when second row Zac Davies also crossed the whitewash as their pack played well.
 
Veteran winger Lee Riley also showed his ability to score on a regular basis with the third Mariners’ try and The Scarlets only points came from livewire hooker Shane Gwyther – his try converted by new centre Luke Morgan.
 
Milford lost Ryan Mansell to a second yellow card but still managed a penalty from Trueman and good try from Steve Martin as he rounded off a good handling move.
 
But The Scarlets had the final word when prop Johnny Palmer sent Gwyther away for his second try and Morgan converted well from wide out.
 
 

No play at Parc Lloyd Thomas

Crymych v Whitland – Match postponed

**This match has been rescheduled for 18th September**
 



 

WRU Bowl – District H1:

 

Blues start well against Gritty Cardis

 

Haverfordwest 38 - Cardigan 14

 
Haverfordwest got off to a winning start to their competitive season with a deserved victory over a Cardigan side which also played its part in front of a big crowd at Merlins Bridge.
 
The Blues looked sharp early on and their reward was three good tries from wingers Jack Evans and Scott Candler alongside one from player/coach Matthew ‘Snowy’ John (who looked good in the centre alongside Josh Thomas), all three converted by outside half Mikey Jones as Jack Clancy, Karl Busch and skipper Matthew Phillips caught the eye up front.
 
The Teifisiders final opened their account near half time with a try from dynamic No 8 Tom Taylor, converted by No 10 Jac Davies and a 21-7 lead for The Blues just about summed up the balance of play to that point.
 
Haverfordwest continued to hold the edge after the interval and Mikey Jones continued to call the shots and slotted a penalty before converting tries from hooker Jamie Zambas, rounding off a driving maul, and skipper Phillips, in at the posts as reward for his support play.
 
It says much for Cardigan’s determination that they managed a late revival and rounded off the scoring when Emyr Harries powered his way over at the posts and Jac Davies again added the extra points.










 

All Blacks win a Pill Parks points’ fest

 

Llangwm 28 - Neyland 58

 
There were points galore at Pill Parks as Neyland made a terrific second-half recovery to beat Llangwm after The Wasps had led 21-7 in an entertaining local derby in front of an appreciative crowd that was clearly glad to see rugby back.
 
Leading the charge for Llangwm early on was influential No 8 Jason Mock and second row David Round, previously with Milford, whilst full back Luke Dyer won a chip and chase to gain the touch-down; all three scores converted by Luke Hayman.
 
The All Blacks responded with two good tries by flanker Owain Evans as reward for his industry, with No 10 George Williams adding a conversion and moved ahead after the interval when Matthew Richards and Patrick Bellerby grabbed tries and George Evans converted both to establish a 26-21 advantage.
 
From there it was clearly going to be Neyland’s day as further tries came from No 8 Iestyn Evans, scrum half Matthew Coles, pacy winger Henry Macbeth (2) and second row Gavin Rowlands and Llangwm’s only second half score came from 18 year old loose head prop Callum Jenkins on his debut.
 
Neyland coaches Graham Richards and Steve Evans were undoubtedly pleased with this performance after the trials of getting a team out earlier in the week.



 

Quins win a battle Royal

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 12 - St Davids 5

 
There was a battle royal in the opening fixture for both teams at Bierspool before the host club edged through by two tries to one where fortunes ebbed and flowed as the Quins took an early lead and the Saints were narrowly in front just after half time and had other chances – but The Quins had the final say with the only other score of a tight second half.
 
The Saints had two good chances to take the lead from close-range set-pieces but didn’t capitalise on them – and it was blind-side flanker Rhys Roberts who finally opened the Quins’ account after good work by skipper Liam Scourfield, who was outstanding in the lineouts, and centre Jake Griffiths, who posed a threat throughout with his direct running.
 
St Davids had new recruits at half back and they were involved in their score scrum half Owain Swain darted over for a try which was converted by No 10 Aaron Foster, whose brother Nathan also made his debut but sadly had to leave the action with a damaged collar bone.
 
But the Quins had the final say when play appeared to have broken down from a tapped penalty but they did well to recover and when the ball was played out wide 18 year old Thomas Wheeler, on debut for the Quins, sliced over for a try which another teenager in No 10 Euan McDonald converted.
 
So the Quins made a winning start but there were encouraging signs for Saints’ new coach Gethin Bateman that his team will be more competitive this campaign if they can build on this performance.