SWALEC Division One West Round-up
The game of the weekend saw the top two in Division 1 West meet as Whitland and Llangennech did battle at Bank Road. It was hosts Llangennech who came out on top though, replacing Whitland at the top of the table after scoring five tries in a 39-16 win. Wing Mikey Davies crossed twice and front-row forwards Craig Kelly and Matthew Bowen also went over. Gareth Walters, Rhodri Jones and Aled Roberts all added points with the boot as they comfortably outscored travelling Whitland. Lee Granville scored a try and a conversion for the visitors but it was not enough.
UWIC suffered their second defeat in two weeks as they were beaten away at Carmarthen Athletic. Centre Viv Jenkins crossed twice for Athletic as did try-machine Pan Rashesha. Fly-half Stuart Morris added three conversions and a try of his own to seal a 26-20 win. Carmarthen were 21-3 up at half-time but UWIC fought back through tries by Dan Bibby and Jo Tomlinson to narrow the gap.
TATA Steel took advantage of the sides above them losing by claiming a high scoring 35-31 win over Waunarlwydd. Both teams secured a bonus point for scoring four tries with each side’s number 8 enjoying themselves. Robbie Morgan crossed twice for TATA as did Captain and opposite number for Waunarlwydd, Nathan Hart. Both kickers were also on form in a game described as a “try festival.” Jonny Davies kicked 11 points for Waunarlwydd but Dickie Bird’s four penalties and two conversions were the difference in the end.
Lowly Tondu claimed the scalp of Bridgend Athletic at the Old Fire Station. Steve Bevans, Joe Heatley and Mark Roberts all crossed for Tondu and Dean Thomas added 11 points with his boot to seal an ultimately comfortable 26-14 win.
The high scoring nature of this weekend’s games continued as Ammanford claimed a bonus point in a 37-21 win over Bonymaen. Wing Tom Rees grabbed a brace and Carywn Richards kicked 17 points for Ammanford as they extended their 14-6 half-time lead into a 16 point win. Centre Neil Wilcock crossed for Bonymaen and Richard kicked Cunniffe added three penalties and a conversion but they eventually fell short.
Elsewhere, Tom Brunnell scored two tries as Narbeth fought back from 14-8 down at half-time to claim a 27-17 win over Llanharan. Alex Jenkins and full-back Jonathan Morgan also went over for Nartbeth. Llanharan took advantage of their superior possession in the first period and moved ahead through tries from Captain David Atkins and Codey Rees. The second half saw Narbeth step things up a gear and an increase in possession saw the home side claim a 10 point win.
SWALEC Division One East round-up
Defending champions Ebbw Vale extended their lead at the summit of SWALEC Division One East with a comprehensive 39-17 win at struggling Mountain Ash.
The Steelmen secured yet another bonus point victory – their eighth in eleven matches – thanks to tries from Dai Jones, Dan Dearden, Tom Macpherson, Charlie Simpson and Ewan Hopkins. Ebbw extend their lead at the top of the table to four points, but were helped by the sin-binning of two Mount players.
Bargoed kept up the pressure on the leaders, though, after a 20-13 triumph at Merthyr. In a lacklustre encounter at the Wern, tries from full back Andrew McLaughlin and number 8 Lewis Wayman, combined with a strong defensive performance, gave the visitors their ninth win of the season.
Newbridge remain just a point behind Bargoed in third position after an unspectacular 18-3 success over mid-table Treorchy at the Welfare Ground.
The hosts’ first two tries were both scored by forwards, with prop Mike Hutchings and lock Geraint Weaver touching down. To add to the visiting Zebras’ woes, they had a player yellow-carded in the second half of an error-strewn contest.
Perhaps the most keenly anticipated contest of the day was Tredegar’s meeting with the Glamorgan Wanderers at the Recreation Ground, a contest between sides who, combined, had only managed one win so far this campaign.
Bottom side Tredegar took an eight-point lead into the half-time break, but ended the day further adrift at the foot of the table after two second-half tries from Owen Marshall and Dan Lovell saw the Wanderers sneak an 18-11 success.
Rumney belied their lowly position with a bonus-point 32-15 win over Beddau at Riverside Park. Tries from Mike Neill, Simon Barry, Gareth Stoppani and Danny Clark – who also added twelve points with the boot – helped the Cardiff outfit to their fourth win this season after a match in which they were never truly threatened.
Meanwhile, Blackwood were edged out 19-18 by visiting Gilfach Goch in a tight but dour affair at Glan-yr-Afon Park. Full back Lewis Williams scored all of Gilfach’s points, including two tries, in a match dominated by determined defensive play.
