PHOTO:
Powerful centre Jack Price makes good yardage for The Otters

Championship:

 

Outstanding Otters trounce Tata

Narberth 46 - Tata Steel 5

Narberth produced one of the best all-round team performances seen at the Lewis Lloyd Ground for many a year as forwards and backs combined to outplay a Tata Steel team that arrived sharing second spot in the table with the Otters.

The Otter pack was a hugely successful ball-winning unit in the set pieces and in the loose, where some of the close-range handling will have delighted coach Sean Gale, as it did the appreciative home supporters.

Starting with a bang

Narberth scored a cracking try from Liam Hutchings, conceived by the midfield wizardry of Jack Price, whose back-handed final pass put the winger over for an unconverted try which was quickly cancelled out by an equally good score for Tata brought about by elusive full back Sam Evans before winger Jordan Skidmore finished things off.

Hutchings then popped up on the far wing to round off another good move involving the entire back row after spreading play wide via Price and Ollie Reyland before Hutchings claimed the touchdown.

Gale blows Tata away

But it was The Otters’ third try which really set play alight when full back Nick Gale stooped low on his own 22 and picked up an attempted Tata diagonal chip near the touchline, beat his marker and showed real pace from his kick ahead to claim the touch-line touch-down – and add the difficult extra points as a bonus!

Then scrum half Rhys Lane caught a high ball, shrugged off a high tackle and spread play wide where flanker James Bain was lurking with intent, and Gale converted, to give Narberth a deserved bonus point at half time.

Superb second half

The second half went even better for the homesters with 22 unanswered points that started with a good try for Reyland as reward for his support play after replacements Pat Roberts, Tom Slater and Dylan Cooper made an almost immediate impact.

Gale converted and added a penalty before Reyland pounced for his second score and Gale added another two points to his huge tally for the season – and Lane rounded off a terrific team display with an unconverted try in time added on by referee Matthew J Thomas.

Narberth: Nick Gale: Liam Hutchings; Ollie Reyland; Jack Price; Jack Parkinson: Ianto Griffiths; Rhys Lane: Bradley Davies; Dan Smith; Justin Hughes: Jake Simm; Alex Jenkins (Capt): James Bain; Sean Jenkins; Steffan Phillips. Replacements: Dylan Cooper; Tom Slater; Pat Roberts; James Stephenson; Joe Hutchings.

Tata Steel: Sam Evans: Jordan Skidmore; Lewis Evans; Bleddyn Davies; Jeff Stone: Liam Popham; Jakob Williams: Dylan Crisp; Jordan Hawkins; Dai Edwards: Danny Hocking; Lloyd Griffiths: Scott Malone; David Griggs (Capt); Matthew Llewellyn. Replacements: Jon Bamsey; Kev Tallis; Matthew Charry; Ryan Davies; Lloyd Rogers.

Referee: Matthew J Thomas
 

Division One (West):

 

Preseli Men edged out by Aber

Crymych 24 - Aberystwyth 31

Crymych’s hopes of a win over Aberystwyth which would allow the Preseli Men to leap-frog their Mid Wales’ opponents into third place were seriously hampered by the fact that Aber were awarded two penalty tries from scrum infringements.

Aber led 21-7 at the interval as Crymych could only muster a try by hooker Ifan Phillips which outside half Rhys Davies converted; whilst Aber had three converted tries in the bag.

No 10 Davies added a try alongside others by Gethin Gibby and Gavin Thomas, one converted by Thomas but Aber’s tries from winger Adam Carvell and flanker Paul Stubbs, plus all four conversions and a penalty from outside half Llyr Thomas gave Aber their sixth win in eight starts.

Crymych, who have appointed Neil Machin as their new coach, will be disappointed by defeat but had the consolation of two bonus points for scoring four tries and also being within seven points of the opposition.
 

PHOTO:
Gavin Thomas - scored a good try for Crymych

 

Disappointing Borderers well beaten

Gowerton 43 - Whitland 18

After recent promising performances Whitland would have hoped for something better than this quite heavy defeat against a Gowerton outfit that stood in ninth place with only two wins in seven outings.

But The Borderers found themselves well adrift at half time as they could only muster two penalties from Nico Setaro, who also converted one of the second-half tries by Deian Augustus and Fola Dario.

Gowerton had already claimed four tries before the interval from Ryan Thomas (2), Tom Gronow and Jack Solomon and added another three afterwards via Bleddyn Jones, Ben Rees and Josh Hamer alongside four Callum McKenzie conversions, to hand Whitland their heaviest defeat of the campaign so far.

PHOTO:
Jordan Asparassa scored two tries for Tenby in their big win at Heywood Lane
Picture by Susan McKehon

 

Division Two (West):

 

Super Seasiders shine in second half

Tenby United 59 - Pontyberem 17

Tenby United produced a splendid second-half performance to easily win their top-four clash against a Pontyberem side that were still in contention at half but were unable to cope with the pace and power of the Seasiders thereafter.

Pontyberem grabbed the lead with a debut try by Aled Rees, converted by skipper Mike Sauro, but the home side went into the lead with tries by flanker Andrew Cook and centre Scott James, one converted by Tom Lewis.

The visitors temporarily regained the initiative with Rees’s second try and a Sauro conversion but Tenby had the final word before the oranges as winger Jordan Asparassa pounced to put his side 17-14 ahead.
Whatever coach Chris ‘Cone’ James said at the break it clearly worked because his team was soon in overdrive as No 8 Barry Parsons, Cook again, centre Mark Heywood and Johnny Morgan added their name to the scoresheet alongside second scores for James and Asparassa.

‘Turbo’ Lewis fired over five conversions and all Pontyberem could muster in response was a try prop Iestyn Jones.
 

Blues stumble in Tumble

Tumble 39 - Haverfordwest 22

Haverfordwest hopes of a second win of the season against a Tumble team that has now won four of its eight matches were already disappearing at the interval as they trailed 25-10.

It is to their credit that the battled away to earn a bonus point for scoring four tries but the home side maintained their record of being notoriously difficult to beat on their home patch.

Wingers Lee Summons and Scott Candler grabbed the Blues’ first-half tries and they were joined on the try-sheet later on by centre Dan Richards and back-rower Alun Harries, who has made a welcome return to action after a long spell out injured, with No 10 Mikey Jones only able to convert one.

Tumble had three tries from influential scrum half Iwan Morgan, plus others by Michael Edwards, Steff Hill and Steffan Price, whilst Iwan Price opened their account with a penalty and there were three conversions from Steve Hewitt.
 

PHOTO:
Lee Summons - scored a try for Haverfordwest

 
 

Fishguard & Goodwick P Hendy P
**Match postponed by mutual consent

 

PHOTO:
Flanker Sam Dolling goes on the charge for The Mariners

 

Division Three (West):

 

Mariners produce a brilliant comeback

Milford Haven 37 - Laugharne 27

A terrific second-half comeback by Milford Haven saw them gain a vital victory over Laugharne which keeps them firmly in contention at the top of the section table.

At half time The Mariners were 24-7 adrift to the ‘Boathouse Boys’ who had scored a good try by Carl Smith, converted by Ross Michael, and after Mark Wonnacott had levelled matters, assisted by a Craig Barnett conversion, it was Laugharne who forged forward.

A pivotal moment came when Mariners’ forward Ben Johnson was yellow-carded and Laugharne benefitted with tries from Ross Michael and Owen Thomas, both converted by Michael – and with a penalty sandwiched neatly in between.

But whatever the home coaching staff said at half time it worked because Laugharne could only muster a solitary penalty afterwards and The mariners produced some superb attacking rugby built on yeoman work up front.

Industrious flanker Sam Dolling, hooker Luke Ryan (his first at senior level), second row Archie Smithies and the ageless Wonnacott again stormed over the line – whilst Barnett landed two conversions, a penalty and a dropped goal to round off a fantastic fight-back success by The Mariners.

PHOTO:
Scrum half Adam Cawley breaks for Neyland against The Saints

 

Carmarthenshire Saints too strong up front for Blacks

Neyland 26 - St Clears 47

With Pembroke and Cardigan inactive for the day, St Clears joined Milford Haven in joint top spot after a deserved win at The Athletic Ground against a Neyland side which played some good rugby in attack but could never quite handle the Carmarthenshire Saints up front after the early loss of talented young prop Luke Dawes.

The All Blacks had excellent tries from pacy winger Luke Conbeer, full back Ashley Sutton, coach/centre Steve Martin and replacement flanker Craig Grice to earn a bonus point, three of them converted by Sutton.
For St Clears there were tries from flanker Jake Iles, centres Mike Georgiou and Lee Glanville, winger Will Davies, replacement centre James Davies, winger John Gosling and hooker Daf Page, whilst experienced outside half Shane Morgan not only orchestrated their attacks but kicked three conversions and two penalties to complete a good day for the visitors.
 

Pembrokeshire Saints continue to struggle in Mid Wales

Tregaron 56 - St Davids 5

A depleted St Davids made the long to Tregaron, and after matching their hosts for the opening quarter failed to keep pace with the Mid Wales side that scored eight tries in a bonus point win.

No inch was given in the opening stages and it was The Saints who went closest as winger Steve Regan was hauled down by the cover defence.

But the hosts gradually began to dominate territorially and outside half Gwion Phillips kicked two penalties to make it 6-0.

Then in the closing minutes of the half, Tregaron crossed twice as No 8 Hopkin Matthews went over from a close range scrum, and after Gethin Bateman was yellow carded for The Saints, home full back Dilwyn Harries crossed in the corner and Phillips converted from out wide.

At 18-0 at half time the visitors would still have harboured hopes of a fightback but they were blown away as Tregaron ran in six more tries, through No 10 Phillips (2), scrum half Nathan Lloyd, replacement flanker Rhydian Evans, Arwel Jones and namesake Aled. Phillips added three more conversions.

The Saints did at least get a score from the final play when scrum half Fraser Watson broke from halfway and beat the cover defence to score – and afterwards captain Rhys ‘Loshin’ Price said he was pleased his side kept going and also thanked Spencer Rourke and Tom Meehan, who helped the visitors out on permit from Llangwm.

PHOTO:
Fraser Watson - scored St Davids' only points

 
Pill Parks tussle postponed
Llangwm P Pembroke P
*Match postponed by mutual consent – to be played on 10th December 2016
 
Quins unable to field a team
Cardigan P Pembroke Dock Harlequins P
**Match postponed – Quins unable to field a team
 
 

Floodlit Friendly match:

 

Wasps win well at Heywood Lane

Tenby United XV 19 - Llangwm 26

This midweek floodlit friendly saw an entertaining tussle where the two teams shared seven tries and from the kick off Llangwm took the game to the hosts, and had all the possession for the first ten minutes, but could not find a way through the resolute hosts defence, and as has happened recently they were made to pay when home number eight Charlie Patching showing a turn of speed more associated with a sprinter weaved and sidestepped his way from half way without really a hand being laid on him before the conversion was kicked by Tom Baker.

This seemed to kick Llangwm into action and after three barnstorming carries from Llangwm MoM Paul Jonker, Ieuan Power and Aled Morgan, the grandad of the Llangwm team, No 8 Ian Griffiths, literally hurdled his way to score under the posts for a cracking try converted by Steve Picton.

From the kick off Llangwm found the confidence to run everything with Yale Grice and Rhys Baker to the fore, and both mad good runs before Power tried to carry the whole Tenby Pack over the line on his own to be brought down just short, but with Rhys Mason in close support he fed Paul Jonker coming on a cracking angle to smash his way over the white wash and put the Wasps in front.

Half time was fast approaching and with just five minutes left Llangwm suffered two yellow cards to Baker and Power  - and Tenby made the most of their two-man advantage and wing Jordan Asparassa crossed wide out to level matters and bring the first half to a close.

All square at half time

After the oranges Tenby were next to score from an opportunist try by centre Tom Baker, when he took quickly took a tap penalty to scamper over beneath the crossbar and converted his own try to make it 19-12 to the hosts.

Matthew "Tommy" Lewis, playing on Permit from Haverfordwest alongside Dave McCallum, were just starting to run things at the base of the scrum, and after two strong runs by Gethin Thomas, who was having a great game at hooker, Llangwm pulled it level, when they spread the ball wide and Rhys Mason bundled his way over right in the corner - and Steve Picton then brilliantly converted from the touch line.

The game then ebbed and flowed and it was Llangwm who came up with the decisive play when James Griffiths, Jason Mock, plus the father and son duo of Josh and Mark Hicks, all carried well the ball was moved wide to Lewis Jones and Louise Murphy, who found Paul Jonker on his shoulder and the big full back ploughed over the whitewash for Picton to again convert.

Tenby did try and pull it back in the last five with some sustained attacks but with Spencer Rourke, Dave Reynolds, James Lewis, Tom Meehan and Daniel Morgan tackling their hearts out it was not too be as the Wasps claimed a morale-boosting 26-19 victory.