Friday Evening:

 

WRU Division 1 West

 

Aber ease home despite Borderers’ efforts

 

Whitland 8 - Aberystwyth 17

 
Whitland battled hard against old rivals Aberystwyth but after taking an early lead trailed 5-12 at the interval and although they had chances thereafter were unable to recapture the initiative and it was the Mid Wales’ side which made the long journey home with their sixth win from 12 starts – and with The Borderers suffering their tenth defeat of the season.
 
There was a time that matches between these teams were some of the high points of the local Pembrokeshire League campaign but although both have done well to remain in the First Division (West) they are in relative periods of transition, with young players starting out at senior level, although Aber are fortunate to be able to recruit students taking degrees in the town, like Kanjama  Fasuluku and Connor van den Bogard alongside more experienced campaigners like Steffan Rattray, Iestyn Thomas and skipper Owain Bonsall.
 
Leading Whitland’s young troops  up front were hooker Marc Jones, prop Trystan Bowen,  skipper Benji Kirk and the outstanding Zac France-Miller, whilst outside half Jonathan Thomas worked well with Luke Marsh and directed operations as he tried to keep his pack going forward – and they took the lead when France-Miller ploughed through for an unconverted try.
 
Aber used their pack well and were rewarded with a penalty try from a scrum offence and added a second by back-rower Iestyn Thomas to go into half time with the advantage, despite good performances for Whitland by dangerous full back Harry Fuller, plus flankers Calum Evans and Lewis Tingay.
 
Henry Nelson also played well on debut when he came on as a replacement but all the home side could add after the break was a penalty by centre Geraint Jones as reward for his commitment to the cause – but Aber grabbed their third try, this time from  flanker Sion Evans to make sure of the four points for victory – but with Whitland just missing out from a losing bonus point since they were just more than seven points adrift of their opponents!
 
Whitland: Harry Fuller: Oli Bujega; Gino Setaro; Geraint Jones; Trystan Rees: Jonathan Thomas; Luke Marsh: Tom Janes; Marc Jones; Trystan Bowen: Jac Delaney; Benji Kirk (Capt):  Lewis Tingay; Calum Evans; Zac France-Miller. Replacements: Henry Nelson; Tomos Walters; Sam Clarke; Dom Davies; Rhys Nicholas.
 
Aberystwyth: Hayden Beal: Austin Ellis-Jones; Matthew Jacobs; Carwyn Evans; Kanjama Fasuluku: Dylan Benjamin; Arron Hemmings: Will Caron Lewis; Owain Bonsall (Capt); Guto Jones: Osian James; Steffan Rattray: Sion Evans; Iestyn Thomas; Tomos Jenkins. Replacements: Osian Bebb-Worrall; Connor van den Bogard; Paul Stubbs; Rowan Edwards; Aled Llyr Hywel.

 

Saturday Afternoon:

 

WRU Division 3 West A

 

Saints push promotion hopefuls all the way

 

Laugharne 26 - St Davids 22

 
Laugharne maintained their promotion hopes, despite having a number of matches to catch up on the other candidates, with this narrow victory over a St Davids side which led 8-7 at half time and showed why they currently lie fifth in the table as they were always in contention but in the final analysis had to settle for a losing point for their considerable efforts before they quickly bussed it back to the city for the Wales versus Scotland game!
 
With Ethan Griffiths, Tom Clarke and Jac Norcross settling the Saints’  scrum there was some good ball-winning by Aled Davies, James Goldsmith, Rhys Symonds, skipper Nathan Foster and especially Jack Jones in a tight first quarter where Carl Smith, Tom Finucane, Mikey Ryan and home skipper Richie Waters also played well. It wasn’t until the 22^nd minute that impressive No 8 Jones ploughed over for a try – and ten minutes later slotted a penalty.
 
Laugharne lost Tomos Rees for ten minutes but showed what a good side they are near the interval when a good platform saw experienced outside half Nico Setaro slice through for a try which he also converted.
 
The homesters then made a solid start to the second half when talented young full back Lennon Reynolds rounded off some quick hands with a try which Setaro again converted after 44 minutes – as he did in the 63^rd minute when flanker Iwan Lewis also crossed the whitewash.
 
This might have caused some team’s heads to drop but within five minutes The Saints reduced the deficit when scrum half Zac Morgan sniped through and replacement Aaron Foster added the extra points – only for Laugharne to pouch a bonus point soon afterwards when centre Owain Thomas claimed their fourth try, this time unconverted.
 
But St Davids had the final word when Jack Jones marked a Saints’ man of the match performance with his second try and Foster converted to round off an entertaining contest which was a credit to both clubs!
 
Laugharne: Lennon Reynolds: Tyler Reynolds; Owain Thomas; Tomos Davies; Matt Tait: Nico Setaro; Aled Rees: Mikey Ryan; Richie Waters (Capt); Dorian Harris: Tomos Rees; Tom Finucane: Aled Thomas; Iwan Lewis; Carl Smith. Replacements: Tom Waters; Rhys Thomas; Mikey Williams; Adam Davies; Antonio Setaro.
 
St Davids: Fred Dorn: Harvey Godkin;  Ben Joyce; Will Savage; Rhys Meredith- Barrett: Morgan Griffiths; Mike Gurney: Ethan Griffiths; Tom Clarke; Jac Norcross: Aled Davies; James Goldsmith: Rhys Symonds; Nathan Foster (Capt); Jack Jones. Replacements: Ben Lloyd; Gethin Bateman; George Raymond; Zac Morgan; Aaron Foster.