With reigning champions Bargoed struggling at the wrong end of the table this season after two successive defeats, it is Merthyr who currently sit proudly at the top with a maximum 10 points. Swansea and Tata Steel are also unbeaten after two rounds with 10 points apiece, but with fewer tries.
Merthyr waltzed to the top of the Championship table as they dished out a 51-5 beating to newcomers Beddau at the weekend. A week after they beat Bargoed on their own patch, the world came crashing down around Beddau in their first home game as they conceded six tries and had Simon Grainger dismissed for trampling.
Matthew Trowbridge, Nick Griffiths, Osian Davies, Louis Jones, Andrew Brown and Dean Gunter, who also picked up a yellow card, crossed for the Merthyr tries and full back Matthew Jarvis converted the lot and added three penalties for a match tally of 21 points. The Beddau try was scored by Bradley Coombes.
Pontypool’s run of bad luck with injuries took another turn for the worse as they saw centre Mark Thorley and back row man Nathan Hudd taken to hospital in their 33-16 home defeat to Swansea. That takes their injury list up 16 strong, with Hudd suffering a suspected broken arm
The All Whites picked up a bonus point with tries from Sam Kiley, Ian Brooks, Richard Thomas and Jed Evans, with Josh Flye following up his hat-trick of tries last weekend with 13 points with three penalties and two conversions.
James Lang was the hero for RGC 1404 as he kept his nerve to kick a fifth penalty that earned the north Walians a dramatic 27-25 home win over Bargoed. There were also tries for Carwyn ap Myrddin and Huw Worthington for the home side, while the champions slipped to their second successive defeat.
Newbridge were good value for their 19-13 away win against Cardiff Met, with the students suffering from having to field almost a completely new side this season. Geraint Weaver, Rhys Humphries and Luke Leddington crossed for the visitors’ tries and Matthew Jones fired home two conversions.
Outside half Lewis Evans inspired Bridgend Athletic to a 29-10 bonus point victory over Llanharan with a personal contribution of 19 points, while Newcastle Emlyn tasted defeat for the first time following their promotion from Division 1 West as they were edged out 22-20 by visitors Glynneath.
Tata Steel held their nerve to defeat Narberth 29-28. Tries from Jon Phillips, James Locke and two from Steve Lewis helped the home side into a big first half lead, before Narberth surged back with tries from Ianto Griffiths, Liam Hutchings and Ollie Evans.
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