PHOTO:
Narberth centre Jack Price passes to team-mate Joe Hutchings
Picture by Elwyn Davies

 

Championship:

 

Otters take control in second half

Narberth 34 - Glamorgan Wanderers 11

A strong second-half performance by Narberth against Glamorgan Wanderers saw them claim the double over the former top-class club and move into second spot ahead of Tata Steel as their reward.

Narberth had won 33-6 in Cardiff but after an entertaining first half a far closer result seemed on the cards as they were only 15-11 in front against a visiting side that showed its willingness to run the ball.

Jack Parkinson gave The Otters a terrific start with an unconverted try in the first minute but then they lost a little momentum and the Wanderers took the lead from two penalties by outside half Luke Fish.

Back came Narberth with a well-worked try from Joe Hutchings which was converted by Jonathan Rogers but the visitors bounced back with an unconverted try by flanker Jake Conway – before The Otters added a Rogers’ penalty to ease them into a four-point interval lead.

Whatever Sean Gale and his coaches said at half time certainly worked because Narberth’s ball retention was much better in the second period and their defence was excellent.

Hutchings sped over for his second try alongside another for Pat Roberts as reward for his support play in the back row before No 8 Callum Tree claimed a push-over try.

Two conversions from No 10 Rogers completed the scoring to give The Otters their 13th win from 16 starts, with only runaway leaders Pontypool ahead of them in the section table.

Pat Roberts - good try from dynamic Narberth flanker

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Scarlets return to winning ways

Laugharne 25 - Pembroke 32

Pembroke returned to winning ways with a good win at Laugharne which looked a little closer than it might have been since the homesters scored late points to deservedly earn one bonus point for scoring four tries and another for being within seven points of the Scarlets.

Pembroke were 17-10 in front at the half way stage of an absorbing tussle and with Lewys Gibby making a welcome return from Narberth alongside the fit-again Sam Smith they were never headed by a home side whose tries came from forwards Tom Rees and Carwyn Jones, plus others by centre Tom James and full back Gareth Spiers alongside a conversion and penalty from replacement Gareth Thomas.

Both Gibby and Smith featured on the try list for The Scarlets as teenagers Tom Kinnear and Tom Lewis caught the eye in creating tries by wingers Barry John and Matthew Lewis, whilst full back Luke Hartland marked another good display with a try, two conversions and a penalty.
 

Matthew Lewis - Pembroke winger again on the try sheets at Laugharne

 

PHOTO:
Neyland scrum half Adam Cawley kicks ahead against the Quins

 

All Blacks overwhelm makeshift Quins

Neyland 68 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 7

Neyland continued their good run of form as they gained a comprehensive win over a Pembroke Dock Harlequins side which was only able to field 14 players for their short trip across the Cleddau Bridge and paid the obvious price.

The All Blacks had already won 40-24 at Bierspool and were 33-7 ahead at half time here - and added another 35 unanswered points after the oranges, despite the yeoman efforts of the Quins’ players to keep the score down.

They opened the scoring with an unconverted try by prop Luke Dawes and then two tries apiece for winger Ben Goodridge and full back Patrick Bellerby, all four converted by talented young fly half Toby Hayman before the Quins grabbed an excellent consolation score from Jordan Asparassa, playing on permit from Tenby, converted by Ben Hathaway.

In a one-sided second half Goodridge marked his return from injury with his hat-trick try and others came powerful forwards Sam Katakai (2) and Craig Power before Adam Cawley wrapped up the try scoring against his former club.

All five tries were converted by Hayman, who called the shots throughout with a maturity beyond his years – and The Quins made the short journey home disappointed after some excellent recent results.

PHOTO:
Will Davies on his way to the game’s opening try
Picture by Fraser Watson

 

St Clears over-run Pembrokeshire Saints

 

St Davids 5 - St Clears 72

With their two main title rivals in Swalec Bowl action, St Clears took the opportunity to move five points clear at the top of Division Three West A by running in 12 tries at St Davids.

Playing with a strong wind behind them, the Carmarthenshire Saints chose to run a kickable penalty early on, and the ensuing pressure was rounded off by full back Will Davies scoring in the corner.

The No 15 grabbed his second try soon afterwards, taking an inside pass from winger Jonathan Gosling, and centre James Davies converted.

Davies should have then had a hat trick but fumbled the ball under pressure as he went over the line – but it mattered little as the ball spilt backwards and scrum half Llyr Ebsworth pounced to score.

But the Pembrokeshire Saints then dug in as they caused their visitors problems in the scrum – although the homesters were dealt a blow when centre Sam Kurtz, impressing in midfield on permit from Fishguard, was forced off with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

St Clears then secured their bonus point from the half’s final play, with No 8 Tom Rees driving over from close range to make it 22-0 at half time.

And despite playing against the elements in the second half, the visitors dominated the early stages and No 9 Ebsworth twice sniped through from long range and outstripped the cover defence to complete his try treble.

Outside half Shane Morgan also cut through from 30 metres out to score, before Ebsworth grabbed his fourth try with a blindside break.

No 15 Davies then got his hat trick when he rounded off a flowing counter attack from deep with a 40 metre dash to the line – before flanker Dewi Davies, second row Carwyn Davies, and No 8 Rees again all broke through some tired tackling to cross for tries of their own, with James Davies adding a further five conversions.

For the luckless home Saints, promising youngster Tanapon Phumkhonsan pulled up with a hamstring injury as he raced towards the line on the left wing – but they did get the try their endeavour deserved late on when scrum half Bryan Phillips set up full back Jerome Conlon, another helping out from Fishguard, to score from close range.
 

Tregaron good value for bonus point victory

Tregaron 27 - Llangwm 0

Tregaron completed the double over Llangwm with a comfortable win over Llangwm where they ran in four tries to ensure a bonus point, whilst preventing The Wasps from scoring a single point.

They had won 30-14 at Pill Parks and good tries from Dorian Pugh, Nathan Lloyd, Wyn Phillips and Jordan Thomas were reward for some good team play in this return fixture, two of them converted by Gwion Phillips to go with a well-struck penalty.

Although The Wasps were unable to get on the score sheet there was another excellent performance by No 8 Gareth Lawlor alongside flanker Ian Griffiths and hooker Gethin Thomas before he had to go off injured – and they again showed their battling qualities throughout the whole team.
 

Ian Griffiths - another yeoman display by Llangwm skipper

 

National Bowl Round Five:

 

Dan's try takes Mariners through to last eight

Nantyffyllon 12 - Milford Haven 17

An excellent late try by centre Dan Jenkins helped Milford Haven into the last eight of the Welsh National Bowl competition at the expense of a physically strong and committed Nantyffyllon which plays its rugby in Division Three (West Central) A in front of a vociferous band of supporters.

The Mariners' success was all the more praiseworthy as they lost experienced No 8 Mark Wonnacott with an early leg injury - but man of the match Sam Dolling stepped up to the plate alongside Ryan Mansell, Adam Rees and the rest of the visitors' pack.

The Mariners had a first-half chance when Jamie Lewis looked likely to score but lost control over the line - and Milford had to stand up to some pressure periods after they were trailing by 9-3 at the interval as a Craig Barnett penalty was their only score against three successful kicks by home No 10 Tighe McGuffin.

The visitors also added another McGuffin three-pointer in the third quarter as a second Barnett penalty hauled the Mariners back and his brother Jamie showed good control at outside half.

Craig Barnett added two further penalties to tie things up at 12-all and there were just eight minutes left when Jenkins sped through for his unconverted try before some determined late defence saw Steve Barnett's side into the last eight as their due reward.
 

Dan Jenkins - grabbed a vital try for the Mariners

 

Teifisiders are good value for great cup win over North Walians

Cardigan 23 - Denbigh 7

Cardigan were good value for victory against a Denbigh side which plays its rugby in Division Two (North West) and showed some nice attacking flair before The Teifisiders took control to take a deserved 20-7 interval lead and claim the only points of a tight second half when outside half Iestyn Crompton slotted a penalty.

The Cardis' pack was in fine fettle as they secured quality possession and the back row of Gareth Clifford, Kieran Hurley and skipper Llyr Griffiths led by example in securing loose ball so that experienced No 10 Crompton could call the shots.

It was Crompton who kicked the home side ahead with a penalty and strong-running centre Emyr Harries claimed their first try after a typically strong run before open-side flanker Hurley grabbed a second score as reward for his superb support play which Crompton converted.

Then loose-head prop Tomos Evans benefited from some outstanding forward play to score the Teifisiders’ third try, this time unconverted, and all Denbigh could muster in response was a try by left winger Jamie Winnings which full back Dan O’Sullivan converted.

The second half saw Cardigan create more half chances but the final pass went astray and their only points came from that second Crompton penalty – but their defensive work was excellent and the North Walians were unable to add any further scores before making the long journey home.

Kieran Hurley - helped Cardigan to Welsh Bowl success with a good try