A great deal of attention was focused on the Pembrokeshire derby match at Pill Parks where Llangwm maintained their hopes of avoiding the ‘dreaded drop’ by beating St Davids and now finding themselves a single point below the Saints.
It is fair to say that both sides are desperate to keep their
division five (west) status because there are fewer teams and more travel to places unknown and the large crowd in attendance from both camps paid tribute to that fact.
The Saints made a good start as full back Andrew Lamb opened their account with an unconverted try which was cancelled out by a deserved five-pointer for Wasps’ skipper Danny Chesmer, playing in the centre.
As fortunes ebbed and flowed, the Saints added a second try, this time by right winger Craig Challonder, which was followed by a Wasps’ try by left winger Dan Morgan which left the sides locking horns at the interval with a 10-10 scoreline.
The Wasps had the better of the third quarter as flanker Ian Griffiths and No 10 Arthur Maulio-Marino scored further tries bur Challonder’s second try, when the Wasps had Adam James and Dan Hughes in the sin bin, ensured a tight finish.
St Davids outside half Geraint Morris spots a gap in the Llangwm defence.
Championship Division:
Borderers bag a win over Bony
Whitland 18 - Bonymaen 13
Whitland gained a deserved win over old rivals Bonymaen as they took the lead early on and were never headed thereafter, with great defence in the last 30 minutes giving them some vital league points.
Whitland took the lead after skipper Andrew Jenkins had sniped away down the blind side and put winger Tomi Jones in for an unconverted try – but Bonymaen responded with a Richard Cunniffe penalty.
In a good spell for the homesters before the end of the first half they had an interception try from Scott Newton which he converted to go with a second penalty.
The Borderers also made a positive start to the second half when outstanding second row Kieran White deservedly claimed an unconverted try from a driving lineout but then they were reduced to 14 men from a yellow card and in that time Bonymaen scored a push-over try from No 8 Dave Leonard.
Scrum half Cunniffe notched a penalty for Bonymaen and it took resolute defence from Whitland in the final quarter of the match, with Callum Tree, Dylan Richards and Zac France-Miller to the fore, to secure an excellent win for the Borderers.
Russell’s last-gasp try gives victory to the Otters
Llanharan 36 - Narberth 39
Matches between these two teams are traditionally high scoring and hard fought – and this one was no exception as a late, late try by winger James Russell gave the Otters victory in an exciting match where fortunes certainly ebbed and flowed.
In a topsy-turvy match the Otters took the early lead with a James Stephenson penalty before Llanharan enjoyed a purple patch where tries by centre Harley Thompson, hooker Nathan Hewish, wingers Rhys Walker and Sion Summers, three of them converted by Thompson, Llanharan raced into a 26-3 lead.
It says much for Narberth’s determination that they contributed tries by winger Will Lewis (2) and flanker Lawrence Reynolds, two of them converted by Stephenson, to make the score 26-22 in the home side’s favour at the break.
Thompson scored an unconverted try for Llanharan before Lawrence Reynolds crossed for the Otters – and then Thompson added a third try. At 36-27 it seemed as if Llanharan were home and dry but replacement Ollie Reyland grabbed his first try for the Otters and Russell finished things off in Narberth’s favour with that vital late try which Stephenson converted to round off the scoring in an entertaining tussle.
Division Two (West):
Blues reach real low
Dunvant 80 - Haverfordwest 0
Haverfordwest’s already-disappointing season reached a new low as they travelled to Dunvant unable to contest scrums and after trailing by 36 points at half time were finally beaten by 80-0.
The Blues were unable to field a full front row so uncontested scrums were the order of the day, but with the visitors then unable to use any replacements. A spokesman for Haverfordwest said that he was pleased with the way that they stuck to their task in real adversity but there were try hat-tricks for Dunvant from centre Sam Crowley and Adam
Williams, plus others from Aled Lewis (2), Sam Tucker, Mitchell Ford (2) and Danny Davies.
Lewis also kicked two penalties and seven conversions to round off the scoring and take Dunvant into fifth place in the section table, leaving the Blues anchored at the bottom and facing relegation.
Division Three (West):
Seasiders snatch late, late success
Tenby United 28 - Cardigan 24
A late, late try and conversion from outside half Lloyd Thomas gave Tenby United victory over a Cardigan side which fought back from a 21-3 interval deficit to look likely victors until Thomas’s vital late seven-pointer.
Yet a tight finish hardly looked likely at the midway stage because the Seasiders were good value for an 18-point lead. Lloyd Thomas put them ahead with an early penalty which was cancelled out by a similar three points from Mike Diggle before Thomas landed two more penalties, one either side of a good unconverted try from Toby Smith.
Jason Ronowitz also scored a try as reward for his work in the Tenby back row alongside Pat Roberts and Luke Hansford, Thomas again adding the extra points.
But Cardigan settled down after the oranges with a good try by Llyr Griffiths which Diggle converted, as he did when the Teifisiders added two further tries by pacy winger Rhydian Jenkins.
The home side found themselves 21-24 down as a result but with time running out it was No 10 Thomas who became the Haywood Lane hero as he sliced through for a try which he also converted to give the Seasiders their 13th win in 19 starts and continued third place in the section table.
Lampeter v Milford Haven
Match called off – Milford Haven unable to field a team
Division Four (West):
Seagulls set up nicely for Swalec semi-final
Fishguard & Goodwick 33 - Neyland 10
Fishguard & Goodwick warmed up for their Swalec Bowl semi-final match next Saturday with a comfortable home win over a Neyland side which battled hard but were unable to match the Seagulls in key areas.
With several key players rested the Seagulls drafted in co-coach Huw Evans at outside half and he directed operations as he mixed up his ability to set his backs in motion with some telling kicks.
It was hooker Owain Morgans who put the home side ahead with a try which Evans converted before the All Blacks took a three-point lead when Rob Bellerby followed up a penalty with a converted try by the No 10 from a typical Adam Collins’ break.
Fishguard led 12-10 at half time as Ed Bendall put winger Ilaise Torau in for an unconverted try – and then Bendall grabbed two second-half tries himself from breaks by the veteran Evans, who got his breath back and landed both conversions. Sandwiched neatly in between those Bendall tries was a drive from a lineout drive claimed by No 8 Gavin Walsh which Evans also goaled as the Seagulls now look forward to their big match on Saturday against Cilfynydd at Loughor, just one step away from the final at the Millennium Stadium!
Division Five (West):
Scarlets stymied by promotion-chasing Stars
Pembroke 5 - New Dock Stars 16
Pembroke were narrowly ahead of promotion contenders New Dock Stars at half time but the visitors to Crickmarren raised their tempo after the interval, the Scarlets missed half chances, and the game was gone from them.
Scarlets’ full back Ryan Hayward rounded off a good handling move to put Pembroke ahead before Jason Baxter pulled back three points with a penalty before the break.
Dom Colman played well in the centre for the homesters and there was no shortage of effort from Rob Weston and Scott Powell amongst a busy pack, but the loss of pivot James Davies with a head injury disturbed their rhythm and Luke Edwards claimed a try for New Dock which Baxter converted before he joined Nick Davies in adding further penalties that ensured a Stars’ success.
Quins stuffed by Carmarthenshire’s Saints
St Clears 52 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 10
Pembroke Dock Harlequins conceded 31 unanswered second-half points against a revitalised St Clears’ outfit which has allayed most of their own lingering worries of relegation at the same time.
The Saints led 21-10 at the break as Steve Griffiths scored the first of his three tries alongside a score for Alex Pickersgill, who has been playing centre for Carmarthen Quins, plus a conversion and three penalties from Matthew Jones.
Paul Jonkers grabbed a try for the Quins with a 40-metre surge down the middle, with the conversion and a penalty by Lewis Davies.
But Griffiths completed his try hat-trick in the second half alongside other tries by Tom Hopkins and Rhydian Watkins, whilst Jones added a fourth penalty and three conversions to complete a welcome win for St Clears in the relegation battle.