PHOTOS:
John Owen, Phil Steele, Ryan Jones, Nigel Owens and Phil Doubler
Nigel Owens and Ryan Jones take centre stage

Rugby fans anticipating the new Six Nations Championship received a splendid early treat as Ryan Jones, Nigel Owens and Phil Steele visited Narberth RFC’s clubhouse in midweek as part of a promotional treat put on by Coors Brewers, who had Phil Doubler an attendance to ensure the evening went as smoothly as it did.
 
A packed house from all over the county, who had paid the princely sum of £6, which included an excellent chicken curry, chips and rice provided by busy steward Ann Lonsdale and her staff, had a real insight into the playing, refereeing and television aspects of the game, with questions answered honestly and a liberal sprinkling of good humour as an added bonus.
 

What a pedigree for the three guests!

 
Ryan Jones, as every Welsh rugby supporter knows, plays at number eight, blindside flanker or second row for the Ospreys and he has captained Wales on 33 occasions, overtaking the record of 28 held by Ieuan Evans on 16 November 2012 versus Samoa.
 
He has been involved in three Grand Slam wins, in 2005, as captain in 2008, and 2012, one of only six Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams alongside Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Gareth Edwards, Gerald Davies and JPR Williams. Ryan would almost certainly have been playing against Italy but for his having a troublesome hamstring injury!
 
He showed what a gentleman he is by bringing several boxes of his smashing book from his successful benefit, which recently ended, offering them signed by him and Nigel Owens, with the proceeds going to the Narberth RFC junior section!
 

Nigel’s nearing 50 ‘caps’

 
Nigel Owens is rightly regarded as one the best referees in the world after his officiating at New Zealand v Australia and Ireland versus New Zealand in 2013. He was appointed as an international referee in 2005, and that year officiated at his first international between Ireland and Japan in Osaka.
 
He made his World Cup debut in Lyon, France in 2007 in the Argentina vs. Georgia match and the England versus France match on Saturday was his 49^th international. Nigel is only one of two referees ever to be appointed to referee two consecutive Heineken Cup finals: Munster v Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium in 2008 and Leicester Tigers v Leinster at Murrayfield in 2009.
 
He is also known as one of the presenters on ‘Jonathan’, a rugby-themed Welsh language chat show hosted by  Jonathan Davies, broadcast on S4C, and  also co-presents the sports-themed Welsh language chat show Bwrw'r Bar.
 

Phil’s a real crowd pleaser

 
Phil Steele  played 50+ times for Newport, Glamorgan Wanderers and Welsh Colleges in his playing days before he took up reporting with BBC Wales and becoming one of the most respected members of the ‘Scrum Five’ team whose finesse with interviewing rugby stars quickly established him as an integral part of the team.
 
A former special needs teacher in Gwent, he is rightly regarded as a wonderful after-dinner speaker and after doing a good job of organising the question and answer session at the Lewis Lloyd Ground showed his after-dinner talents as he regaled a captive audience with his recollections of a game he clearly loves!
 
Phil has a close connection with Pembrokeshire because his first wife hailed from the county and her ashes are scattered in the county, whilst the current Mrs Steele comes from Pembroke Dock, to the evident delight of Mike Bradney, Berry Rogers, Dave Street and the rest of the Bierspool clan in attendance!
 

All delighted!

 
John Owen, the club chairman, said afterwards:
“What a brilliant evening in front of a capacity audience! Everyone seemed to regard it as a great night out and we would like to thank Ryan Jones, Nigel Owens, Phil Steele, Phil Doubler and Coors Brewers for making it a night to remember. Ann (Lonsdale) and staff have also helped round things off with the excellent food.”
 
Ryan Jones said that he had been to Narberth many times and felt very much at home whilst Nigel Owens admitted that it was the first time he had been cheered there and not booed by a vociferous crowd at matches!
 
And the last word is appropriately left to Phil Steele.
“We have been received with tremendous warmth and great humour tonight in a club which again proved its ability to do things with real enthusiasm and plenty of class. It has been a pleasure just to be part of it!”