Midweek Rugby:
 

Tuesday:

 

Division Three (West):

 

Cardis disappoint in final fixture

 
 

Cardigan 21 - Amman United 22

 

 
After a number of good recent performances in league matches, Cardigan rounded off their season on a disappointing note as Amman United squeezed home by a single point at the King George Vth Ground in a match where The Teifisiders will reflect on mixed chances.
 
They had won in Amman by 33-26 in March and looked as if they might complete a deserved double as they opened the scoring with a well-worked try from a move which was rounded off by winger Iwan John for full back Llyr Jones to add the extra points.
 
But Amman reduced the deficit with an unconverted try by Dylan Lloyd, who added a second score, converted by Iestyn Griffiths, before the interval, to put his side 12-7 in front.
 
Cardigan managed a try from Connor Owen, again converted by Jones but Amman responded with their third try, from Cian Lewis, converted by Griffiths but then The Teifisiders looked as if they might have snatched the verdict with a late try by skipper Marcus Castle, again goaled by Jones, that put them 21-19 in front.
 
There was still time for Amman United to mount one more attack, however, and in the growing gloom up stepped Iestyn Griffiths as the hero for the visitors as he calmly slotted the ball between the uprights and there was no time for Cardigan to mount a serious final offensive to remain in fifth place with six wins from their 18 starts.
 
Cardigan: Llyr Jones: Aaron Evans; Joe Thomas; Emyr Harries; Iwan John: Jac Davies; Luke Rogers: Will Brice; Luke Palmer-Davies; Ben Hughes: Flynn Replacements: Andrew Jones; Owen Fletcher; Connor Owen; John Lumb; Ifan James Tjoonk; Jack Stone: Aaron Tomkinson; Marcus Castle (Capt); Guto Davies: Replacements: Andrew Jones; Owen Fletcher; Connor Owen; John Lumb; Ifan James. Reserves: Dean Harries; Dan Jones.







 
 
 

Wednesday:

 

All Blacks hit by even more injuries but battle on

 
 

New Dock Stars 66 - Neyland 17

 
 
Neyland took another step closer to completing a difficult season as they managed to fulfil their penultimate fixture against league leaders New Dock Stars after a frenzied afternoon saw them trying to call the game off and cede the game to the Stars, being faced with heavy consequences by the WRU and then compiling a team that was as makeshift as possible – but with an element of support that shows what local rugby is like.
 
The All Blacks are in a horrendous run of injuries to key players alongside player unavailability due to work commitments at Hinkley Point and other over places  the border, with the former plight made worse in two recent hammerings by Llandeilo that left one non-regular player with a cut knee that required internal stitches beside the normal external sutures.
 
On Wednesday morning, despite a late chase around for players, they found themselves in trouble and when they contacted New Dock Stars there was an acceptance of the problems, as long as they were awarded the points because the season ends Saturday and both teams have fixtures then.
 
But Adam Taylor at the WRU said that it wasn’t allowed under their rules and punishment for non-fulfilment of matches by the deadline meant relegation to the lowest division available with no promotion for two seasons, plus the withdrawal of some funding which could affect the club’s flourishing youth and junior sections.
 

A team is finally formalized in unlikely fashion!

 
Peter Davies, the Neyland team manager, told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk,
“I understood Adam Taylor had no option under the WRU rules so at 2pm we had to knuckle down and devise a team sheet that was not what we wanted because of player safety but we had no choice.
 
As a result, the youth team’s training session was cancelled so that coaches Mark James (mid 40s) and Chris Busby (almost 50) could join two qualified youth players in Korey Arran and Evan Roberts. Andrew Slark was the third over 40 to play (but has been involved most of the season, whilst Gareth Jones coaches the club’s under 12s but hasn’t played for years!
 
Former player Ashley Mathias lives in Trimsaran and when he heard of the plight he roped in two Bynea pals to from a front-row trio – and Craig Grice had landed at Heathrow at 5am after a 17-hour journey from his work in Australia – and also stepped in alongside the likes of Luke Watkins, Jasper Endean and Mason Kerrison who helped out.
 
Throw in experienced players like Josh Watts and Patrick Bellerby, plus regular second rows Andrew Slark and George Evans, who enjoyed  a new partnership at half back and it was easy to see what a nixed group Neyland had – but at least the All Blacks were on their way to New Dock, in Llanelli!
 
Of the game itself, Neyland were 45-0 down at half time and added two more tries soon after the restart – but Neyland’s Patrick Bellerby raced through and his chip ahead saw him illegally blocked by a Stas’ player and the referee awarded a penalty try.
 
Chris Busby was a legend in long-service for Neyland but he managed to add to that by supporting well to grab a try and a third was scored by Ashley Watkins to round off the scoring – and now they have two matches left – their final home match against Tumble on Saturday and then the KO Cup Plate Final against neighbours Milford Haven on Friday, 15^th May at Pembroke Dock Harlequins.
 
The All Blacks will hope to have players back from injury for that match – and in the meanwhile this very unusual game will surely go down in the colorful history of Neyland RFC!







 
Neyland:  Luke Watkins: Evan Roberts; Josh Watts, Patrick Bellerby; Korey Arran: George Evans; Andrew Slark: Chris Mills (Bynea); Ashley Mathias (Trimsaran); David Leigh Daley (Bynea): Mark James; Mason Kerrison: Craig Grice; Jasper Endean; Chris Busby. Replacement: Gareth Jones.
 
 






 

Thursday:

 

Blues celebrate promotion as The Athletic sadly go down

 
 

Haverfordwest 26 - Narberth Athletic 10

 
 
Haverfordwest gained their expected win over basement battlers Narberth Athletic, who certainly played their part in an entertaining, though error strewn match that was enjoyed by a large crowd at Merlins Bridge.
 
The Blues went into the match knowing they needed a single point to achieve promotion in their 150th season and eventually gained all five points as they ran in the required four tries for their vital bonus as they now must hope that Llandeilo can maul New Dock Stars on Saturday, when they could be champions!
 
The Athletic round off their campaign in this section with only one win from 18 starts and a swift return to Division Four (West) A but they played with a vigour and willingness to run the ball that belied their lowly position.
 
They were hammered in the scrums as Dan Berry, Jamie Zambas and Terry Lovell took charge of the scrummaging, ably assisted by Jake Evans and Karl Buscha, as members of arguably the strongest pack in the section, but were quick to the break-down to secure some good possession and their backs always posed a threat in similar fashion to the earlier game between the teams when Haverfordwest won 26-22.
 
The Blues’ coaches were clearly frustrated at the number of times their team knocked on when close to the line and they also conceded their share of possession as referee Alex Yau was quick to rightly punish technical errors and high tackles from both sides.
 

Bright Athletic start but The Blues use their forward power to build a lead

 
The Athletic opened their account with a well-struck penalty but The Blues soon responded with a period of pressure when, Mikey Griffiths, James Hart and Kieran Harries featured in a series of charges into the 22 and when Iestyn Arnold, skipper Jack Evans, Logun Young and Adam Phillips spread play wide it was skipper Evans who dived over in the clubhouse corner for Phillips to add a superb conversion.
 
But it took them until the 29th minute before they added a second score when they were given a close-range penalty and Liam Eaton helped put Karl Bush in for a try which didn’t need to rely on his usual raw power, Phillips adding the much easier extras.
 
Try No 3 came just before the interval after more solid defence by The Athletic, but The Blues pressure paid off from another sustained attack which allowed Arnold to put pacy winger Scott Candler over from close range after a cleverly flicked pass, but for once Phillips was off target as his conversion attempt hit the far woodwork.





 

Evenly-fought second half

 
At 19-3 ahead it might have been expected by home supporters that The Blues would race well clear for a big score but it was not to be because Narberth persistence paid off when their pack set up the platform for a converted try, which was followed by another raid which was dealt with by the home defence.
 
And then The Blues had Iori Curtis heavily involved as they grabbed the score that ensured a bonus point when play was spread right from a solid base and the pace of Jack Evans created the space for a try by replacement Isaac Kelso-Jones to cross wide on the right and Phillips again added a terrific conversion.
 
So, the game ended with Haverfordwest gaining the joy promotion and Narberth Athletic conforming a painful relegation - but both teams can look forward to the 2026/27 campaign in different ways!
 
Haverfordwest: Jake Morgan: Logun Young; Jack Evans;(Capt); Iestyn Arnold; Scott Candler: Adam Phillips; Liam Eaton: Dan Berry; Jamie Zambas; Terry Lovell: Karl Busch; Jake Evans: James Hart; Mikey Griffiths; Kieran Harries. Replacements: Iori Curtis; Ioan Hawkridge-Jones; Devan Williams; Liam Hughes; Isaac Kelso Jones.