WRU Championship Cup:

 

Otters outplayed by table toppers

 

Narberth 13 - Bargoed 40

 
Bargoed came to the Lewis Lloyd Ground with an unblemished record where they had won all their pool matches, plus play-off victories over Maesteg Quins and Ystrad Rhondda with an added bonus point – and this match was no exception as they did the donkey work in the first-half to lead 7-6 and they used the strong wind far better than The Otters to win with ease.
 

Amazing kicking by Gale

 
Narberth were boosted early on when full back Nick Gale kicked a monster 60-yard penalty via the back of the crossbar, but they tended to kick for position too much and lost key possession at ensuing lineouts and rucks against a big Bargoed pack which was led by No 8 Adam Powell, with support from a front row of Keagan Bale, Rhys Buckley and Kieran Brown.
 
They were all involved in the only try of the first half which stemmed from a clever kick and chase into The Otters’ 22 and from the ensuing line out won by Lewis Blacker it was Brown who was powered over near the posts from a controlled forward surge, giving No 10 Joshua Prosser the simplest of conversions.
 
Gale did manage another splendid penalty, this time from a kick of only 52 metres that soared between the posts, but other chances were few and far between as Callum Jones, Dwayne Dyer and Dylan Williams covered well for the visitors.
 

Bargoed use the elements to good effect

 
The second half saw Barcode utilise their pacy back row in support of backs ready to spread play wide and tries came at regular intervals from Callum and Steff Jones, Ronnie Kynes and Darren Humphries, plus a second for powerhouse prop Brown.
 
Prosser added four second-half conversions to complete the Bargoed points tally but it was Narberth who had the final word when replacement No 9 George McDonald sniped over for a good try which Gale converted – but on this evidence it will a battle between Bargoed and Neath to see who will eventually come out as winners of the competition.
 
Narberth: Nick Gale: Ashley Sutton; Matthew John; Joe Hutchings; Ryan Scourfield: Ianto Griffiths; Rhys Lane: Bradley Davies; Rhodri Owens; Tom Slater: Ryan Banner; Alex Jenkins: Rhys Williams; Guto Davies; Ritchie Rees (Capt). Replacements: Tom Clarke; Ifan James; Tom Kaijaks; George McDonald; Harrison Button.
 
Bargoed:  Callum Jones: Dylan Williams; Jordan Howells; Darren Humphries; Dwayne Dyer: Joshua Prosser; James Leadbetter: Keagan Bale; Rhys Buckley; Kieran Brown: Matthew Thomas; Lewis Blacker: James Locke; Ronnie Kynes; Adam Powell (Capt). Replacements: Jack Williams; Johnny Evans; Alex Gardener-Key; Lewis Johns; Steffan Jones.
 


 

WRU Plate – District H1:

 

Broadhurst brace secures Seasiders’ success

 

Tenby United 15 - Crymych 12

 
Two tries by talented young scrum half Cam Broadhurst helped gain a morale-boosting win over Crymych at Heywood Lane, the Seasiders holding a single-point lead at the interval and refusing to give anything away in an equally absorbing second half.
 
Broadhurst is one pf a number of young players beginning to make their mark and another pleasing feature for coach Jonathan Evans must be the fact that five of his pack are 21 or under and have had to play four teams with division one experience so this result bodes well for a league season to follow in division two.
 
Jack Broadhurst and Will Swales are 21,  Jack Brown (20), Jake Roberts (19) and Frankie Boyd (18) complete that quintet and against a strong side like The Preseli Men, whose squad also has its fair share of youngsters, it is small wonder at the closeness of the verdict after The Seasiders led by 8-7 at the oranges, moved on to lead 15-7 before a late surge by the visitors saw them score an unconverted try.
 

Nip and tuck throughout a cracking contest

 
It was Tenby who took an early lead with a penalty by centre Lloyd Thomas, but Crymych showed their pace behind the scrum as Osian Hill, and Tomi Jones put centre Ilan Phillips in for a try which outside half Adam Phillips converted.
 
Then Cam Broadhurst burst through for an unconverted try which went unconverted but was enough to give his side the narrowest of first innings leads.
 
The second half was equally hard-fought but The Seasiders looked to have done just enough when Broadhurst sniped over for his second score, this time converted by Lloyd Thomas – but it says something for the Preseli Men’s battling spirit that they had the final word when Adam Phillips scored an unconverted try which started from his own half – but Tenby kept their shape and made sure there were no further chances for the opposition to earn victory.
 
Tenby United: Gwinn Jones: Matthew Morgan; Dan Colley; Lloyd Thomas; Yannik Parker: Toby Lewis; Cam Broadhurst: Frankie Boyd; Dan Allen; Ethan Morgan: Luke Dedman (Capt); Jake Roberts: Jack Brown; Will Swales, Jack Broadhurst. Replacements: Rob Luly; Ieuan Badham; Taran Richards; Adam Quill; Gethin Bradney.
 
Crymych: Osian Hill: Gethin Gibby; Ilan Phillips; Tomi Jones; Declan Harries: Adam Phillips; Daf Phillips: Rhys Richards; Trystan Griffiths; Ryan Rees: Matthew Freebury; Llyr Davies: Carwyn Phillips (Capt); Rhydian Howells; Osian Davies. Replacements: Aled Hughes; Jason Nicholls; Rhys Davies; Gethin Davies; Ianto Davies.
 



 

Borderers prevent 100% record for Aber

 

Whitland 26 - Aberystwyth 17

 
A large crowd turned out to watch Whitland take on Aberystwyth at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn and it was The Borderers who lasted the pace better after being narrowly behind at the break to take away the Mid Wales’ club’s 100% record in the competition.
 
But there was also another cause for celebration because Whitland welcomed back former scrum half Mike Phillips for a bringing down of his curtain as a player and there was a fairy tale ending because the ex-Wales and British Lion competed strongly for 65 minutes before being replaced by Josh Thomas and walking off to a standing ovation.
 
But it was the classy Matthew Hughes who caught the eye in a first half where he scored two cracking tries and converted one of them as outside half for Aber – and The Borderers’ response was a try by skipper Marc Jones from his hooker’s berth and a penalty by No 10 Nico Setaro.
 
The second period was just as nip and tuck, but all Aber could muster was a try by Carwyn Evans and with the Whitland pack firing on all cylinders their backs came more and more into the game and talented young winger Ollie Hughes sped through for two tries.

Outside half Nico Setaro landed one conversion to go with a dropped goal to set the seal on a great win.




 
Coach Gareth Bennett told us,

“It was great to have Mike (Phillips) back with us for the day and he really enjoyed the welcome from our fantastic crowd. We had a smashing hour for both teams after the game at our suite at the ground and then went down to our clubhouse, where the match ball as auctioned and funds raised for the ‘Follow Your Dreams’ charity where he is a patron.

“We expected a good match against Aber, where my old coach Iestyn Thomas (in Llandovery) is in charge now, and they also played their part in a memorable day for Whitland RFC.”
 
Whitland: Nico Setaro: Jonathan Thomas; Dylan Richards; Aron Ebsworth: Scott Newton; Mike Phillips: Tom Finnucane; Marc Jones (Capt); Ceirian Evans: Raff Williams; Dai Ebsworth: James Thomas; Jack Richards; Jack Mason. Replacements: Tristan Lewis; Iwan Lewis; Benjy Kirk; Danny Evans; Josh Thomas.



 
 

Scarlets v Seagulls - Match postponed

 

Pembroke v Fishguard & Goodwick

** Match postponed because of illness in the Seagulls’ squad
 
 

WRU Bowl – District H1:

 

Cardigan too strong for struggling Saints

 

St Davids 7 - Cardigan 45

 
Cardigan rounded off their WRU Bowl campaign with a convincing win at St Davids.
 
Both squads were depleted for a game played in gale force winds, but there was still a sizeable crowd which included Welsh international Gareth Davies, who was down to support The Teifisiders.
 
And it was the visitors who defied playing into the wind to lead 12-0 at the break, with winger Alun Jenkins rounding off an overlap to score first before No 10 Luke Rogers converted.
 
Centre Kieran Greenland then burst over for the second try, but despite further pressure the Saints held firm to still be in the contest at the break.
 

Teifisiders keep tight control

 
Early in the second half it was Rogers who weaved over from close range, although he tainted the moment somewhat by missing the conversion from under the posts.
 
The hosts, for whom Jack Clancy stood out on permit, were then camped on the opposition line only for Cardigan to win turnover ball and go the length of the field as full back Carwyn Vaughan rounded things off in the corner.
 
Vaughan promptly went over again for a try that Rogers converted, and the outside half also added the extras to further tries from No 8 Tom Taylor and winger Jenkins.
 
The Saints had a spell of their own before the end though and having missed a series of chances from close range lineouts, grabbed a try when back-row forward Josh Strangward touched down from a rolling maul and scrum half Ollie Owen converted from out wide.
 

Coaches’ feelings:

 
Afterwards, Cardigan coach Tudor Harries had mixed feelings "It was very scrappy," he told Pembrokeshire Sport.
 
"From our point of view, we played a lot of good stuff and scored a few tremendous tries, but some of our decision making was also very poor. Some of our play was erratic."
 
Meanwhile, St Davids player-coach Gethin Bateman conceded the game was destined to be a struggle: "We lost two players this morning which didn't help. Our performance wasn't great, but it will be a different side which starts the league campaign in two weeks' time."
 
 

Pembrokeshire Knockout Cup:

 

Mariners too strong for struggling Wasps

 

Llangwm 0 - Milford Haven 50

Llangwm battled with their usual vigour against Milford Haven at Pill Parks but in the final analysis it was The Mariners who held all the aces as their great pace on the ball and ability to turn defence in attack saw them 31-0 at half time before adding another 19 unanswered points thereafter.
 
18-year-old winger Ieuan Davies and flanker Ryan Mansell led the Milford try glut with a brace apiece, joined by second rower Zac Davies, centres Dan Jenkins and James Williams, whilst scrum half James Trueman linked well with half back partner Kyran Gray, as well as scoring a try and slotting five conversions.
 
For Llangwm, prop Ieuan Power carried well, and Yale Grice tackled hard in midfield, with half backs David Lewis and Luke Hayman trying hard to gain momentum with insufficient quality ball.
 
Second row David Round, popularly known as ‘Square’ for obvious reasons, also relished the challenge of taking on his old team-mates, and no-one could accuse The Wasps of a lack of effort but in the final analysis it was Milford Haven who marched comfortably into the second round, where they will entertain Crymych.
 
Llangwm: Ewan Griffiths: Dan Morgan, Yale Grice; Rhys Cooper; Jack Roberts: Luke Hayman; David Lewis: Ieuan Power; Phil Llewellyn (Capt); Callum Jenkins: David Round; David Reynolds: James Lewis; Michael Phillips; Jason Mock. Replacements: Andrew Milward; James Griffiths; Louis Murphy; Matthew Rees.
 
Milford Haven: Lee Riley: Ieuan Evans; James Williams; Dan Jenkins; Dave Edwards: Kyran Gray; James Trueman: Aaron Mayne; Luke Ryan; Ben Jenkins: Jay Goodall; Chris Hall: Ryan Mansell (Capt); Sam Dolling; Zac Davies. Replacements: Kyle Hamer; Dewi Williams; Scott Buirds; Jimmy Buirds; Dan Birch.