PHOTO:
Prop Bradley Jenkins on a charge 

 

Championship:

 

Price powers Narberth to huge win

Narberth 73 - Dunvant 17

Six tries by outstanding centre Jack Price helped Narberth to a huge win over basement battlers Dunvant, who were at one time in the top echelon but have now fallen by the wayside and looking certs to drop down another section.

But the Swansea side played with great spirit and punished early slackness from The Otters by opening up a 12-point lead in the first eight minutes – and even the most die-hard home supporter wouldn’t have begrudged them a bonus point if they had managed another try!

Price intervenes in style

But then Price intervened as he scored three tries in each half and there was further good news for the home side as Pontypool above them and Tata Steel in third place, both lost.

The match was delayed for 30 minutes because of road works between Carmarthen and St Clears but when Dunvant finally arrived they had an excellent first-minute try by winger Mark Robins, converted by Sam Evans before the No 10 grabbed a solo score in the clubhouse corner.

But to Narberth’s credit they refused the option of easy penalty kicks and were rewarded as Price sped over for two tries before Liam Hutchings stormed up the right flank and Jonathan Rogers converted so that The Otters were 17-12 ahead after 20 minutes!

Tries aplenty for The Otters

With Adam Clark making a welcome return from injury and some rousing work by Pat Roberts, Steffan Phillips, Sean Jenkins and skipper Alex Jenkins, the platform was laid for further Otter scores as Phillips set up a third try for Price and Joe Hutchings joined his brother Liam on the scoresheet, both converted by Rogers.

Price added his fourth score at the start of the second period before flanker Adam Gregory replied for Dunvant – but Price sliced through for his fifth try and livewire replacement flanker Dewi Williams grabbed two tries in three minutes, all goaled by Rogers.

Another Price thrust gave him a double hat-trick and talented winger Gethin Gibby added his team’s 11th try to help his side to a high-scoring double since they had already won 50-20 in Dunvant – and they are now hot favourites for the runners-up spot!

Narberth: James Stephenson: Liam Hutchings; Joe Hutchings; Jack Price; Gethin Gibby: Jonathan Rogers; Lewys Gibby: Bradley Davies; Dan Smith; Tom Slater: Adam Clark, Alex Jenkins (Capt): Pat Roberts; Sean Jenkins; Steffan Phillips. Replacements: Ryan Rees; Jake Simm; Dewi Williams; Rhys Lane; Jack Parkinson.

PHOTO:
Flanker Steffan Phillips in the thick of things

 

Division One (West):

 

Crymych complete tight double

Crymych 21  - Llangennech 17

Crymych had already beaten Llangennech by 34-31 earlier in the season and they completed the double with an equally hard fought victory over the same opposition at Parc Lloyd Thomas.

Gavin Thomas and Jake Jenkins scored first half tries for The Preseli Men, both converted by talented young No 10 Jenkins, whilst hooker Rhodri Owen replied for Llangennech with a try converted by Carwyn Richards.

Crymych’s third try came from Dion Gibby and although the visitors managed a second try by Owen alongside a score for prop Liam Tobias, both conversions were missed by Richards and victory kept The Preseli Men firmly in fifth place, with a game in hand on the team above them.

PHOTO:
Dion Gibby - vital third try for Crymych

 

Borderers beaten by last-gasp try

Gorseinon 35 - Whitland 32

A last-ditch try by Gorseinon scrum half Jack Gronow from a tap and go penalty, which he also converted, denied Whitland victory over third-placed opposition in a topsy-turvy tussle where the lead changed hands several times and The Borderers showed they are better than their tenth spot would seem.

Whitland were just about holding on to their 32-28 lead when Gronow struck and although the Green & Whites will be disappointed by their set-back after recent good form they were offered consolation by the fact that they picked up two bonus points for scoring four tries and getting within seven points of the eventual winners in the final scoreline.

Another plus was the fact that Waunarlwydd and Loughor, two of the others in the bottom four, could only share 20 points and so picked up only a point apiece!

Gronow had already claimed a try in the first half alongside front row members Fenton Holder, Josh John and Rhys Richards, with Gronow and Liam Clayfield contributing  penalties and the latter also notching a couple of conversions.

For The Borderers, there were tries from pacy winger Sean Coles (2), Aaron Mayne and Nico Setaro, who also landed three conversions and two penalties  to keep his side out of the ‘dreaded drop zone’ with four games left, but with three of them at home!

PHOTO:
Aaron Mayne - another try for Whitland prop 

 

PHOTO:
Toby Smith breaks for Tenby
Picture by Brian McKehon

 

Division Two (West): 

 

Seasiders storm to local derby success

Tenby United 43 - Haverfordwest 10

Tenby United completed the double over old rivals Haverfordwest with this comfortable win where they ran in seven tries to The Blues’ one – and in doing so continued their real interest in promotion.

The Seasiders are currently fourth but with games in hand over the other contenders know that it is in their hands, whilst The Blues are sadly destined for Division Three again after just one season at this level.

The home side were quickly into their stride with tries by centre Johnny Morgan, loose head prop Dan McDermott, converted by full back Ashley Sutton, and outside half Toby Smith, who also added the extra points.

But Haverfordwest showed real resilience and fought back well with a try by centre Matthew Phillips, plus the conversion and penalty from Gareth John after good work by Lee Summons, Tom Parry, Jack Clancy and Kyle Williams.

These scores stung The Seasiders out of any possible complacency and they went in for the break at 29-10 thanks to unconverted tries by winger Greg Lees-Griffiths and second row Luke Dedman.

Haverfordwest competed well up front in the second period but it was Tenby who added further tries by winger Mark Heywood and replacement flanker Charlie Patching, both converted by Smith, and this bonus-point win was just what they wanted to stay in contention.
 
Tenby United: Ashley Sutton; Greg Lees Griffiths; Jonny Morgan; Scott James; Mark Heywood; Toby Smith; Matthew Morgan: Dan McDermott; Joe Poole; Ethan Morgan: Mike Davis; Luke Dedman: Andrew Cooke; Luke Hansford (Capt); Barry Parsons. Replacements:  Dan Allen; Rob Luly; Harry Bolton; Charlie Patching; Connor Ennis.

Haverfordwest: Danny Morgan:  Gareth John; Matthew Phillips; Gareth Owen; Steve Thomas: Tom Parry; Lee Summons: Ben Llewellyn Jamie Zambas Terry Lovell Jack Clancy Kyle Williams Ryan Palmer Morgan Layton Liam Brown. Replacements: Rich Little, Ieuan Williams, Adam Williams, Matthew Davies.
 
 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Ten-try Scarlets too strong for Laugharne

Pembroke 62 - Laugharne 26

Pembroke showed something like their best form after the disappointment of defeat at St Clears, running in ten tries to easily beat a Laugharne side they had struggled to overcome by 32-25 in their away match.

Yet it was ‘The Boathouse Boys’ who took an early lead with an excellent try from No 8 Mike Williams, who also added a second alongside others from winger Steve Bevan and centre Stephen Thomas, who also added three conversions.

Pembroke led 19-14 at half time thanks to tries from full back Luke Hartland, centre Tom Kinnear, who was voted man of the match, and Scott Powell, two of them converted by Hartland.

But whatever coach Geraint Lewis said at the interval certainly worked because The Scarlets raised the tempo and after Sam Smith had bulldozed his way through for a try there was a hat-trick for winger Simon Stanford, another for Hartland, who also ended up with a tally of six conversions.

Powerful second row Will Edwards finished the try scoring with a move that started near the Scarlets’ own 22 and Pembroke moved into third place in the table as a result of this terrific all-round squad display.
 

PHOTO:
Luke Hartland - 22 points for young Pembroke full back

 

Saints take another step towards title

St Clears 59 - Neyland 8

St Clears took another important step towards the silverware and promotion as they used their forward power, plus the pace of their backs, to complete an emphatic win over a makeshift Neyland side which never gave up trying but were always under the cosh.

Mark Riley, who normally plays at 9 or 10 for The All Blacks, turned out in the back row and slotted a penalty whilst busy scrum half Chris Morgan claimed Neyland’s only try.

But The Carmarthenshire Saints were already 28-8 ahead at the interval and took control afterwards as their tries came from props Gareth Jones and Andrew Howells, centres Lee Glanville and Mike Georgiou, outstanding No 8 Tom Rees (2), scrum half Llyr Ebsworth and skipper Matthew Lewis.

There were seven conversions from talented young full back Geraint Jones to round off the scoring and now coach Michael Jones will be looking ahead to Saturday’s final big match at home to second-placed Cardigan, who are 11 points adrift but have three vital games in hand!

PHOTO:
Mike Georgiou - amongst the try scorers for St Clears

 

Quins miss out in a Bierspool thriller

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 26 - Tregaron 31

Pembroke Dock Harlequins produced a battling Bierspool performance against Tregaron and after conceding early points came back to within a single score of victory – but in the final analysis had to settle for the considerable compensation of two bonus points as reward for their efforts.

Ossie Boswell has served the Quins superbly as player and coach and he deserves a medal for making sure that his side have fulfilled all their fixtures but even Mr Boswell must have feared the worst against the Mid Walians as they conceded 21 points without reply through Tregaron tries from right winger Hefin Ebenezer, centre Rhydian Jones and Dorian Jones, all converted by No 10 Gwion Phillips.

But The Quins fought back to trail by only seven points near the oranges thanks to tries from scrum half Blake Hughes (after some good work on debut by young full back Will Nicot as he beat three players before finding Hughes at his shoulder) before Steff Halwood added a second from close range, both converted by Aaron John.

But there was still time for Tregaron to score a fourth try by Llion Jones, again converted by Phillips.
Quins’ skipper Thomas Doyle powered his way over for an unconverted try but Tregaron responded with a Phillips’ penalty before Geraint Powell scored a try, converted by John, which earned The Quins their bonus points.

PHOTO:
Thomas Doyle - try for skipper earned Quins two bonus points

 

National Bowl Semi-Final:

 

Brave Teifisiders miss out in Lampeter

Amman United 29 - Cardigan 3

Cardigan’s hopes of a Principality Stadium Final of the National Bowl Competition were ruined at the neutral venue of Lampeter as they went down to defeat against a powerful Amman United side which is top of Division Three (West) B, having won all their matches so far.

The opposition had the luxury of having former top Welsh try scorer Shane Williams on the bench and he was called into action in the first five minutes after an injury and played for the rest of the match at full back alongside his brother Dean, who was playing on the right wing and scored one of their five tries.

But it was the Amman pack power which formed the basis of their success as they led 15-3 at half time, with a Llyr Jones’ penalty the only Cardigan score against tries from loose head prop Liam Morgan and flanker Alan Lewis to with a conversion and penalty by Joe Foster.

Cardigan never gave up trying as Llyr Jones and flanker Gethin Jones caught the eye but Amman centre Mather Bradley and Dean Williams added further tries, both converted by Foster to give their team a deserved final appearance against Caerphilly, who beat Cilfynydd 20-14 in the other semi-final.