The Ironmen were given a good work out at home last weekend when last season’s British & Irish Cup semi-finalists Ealing Trailfinders headed to The Wern and emerged with a 52-24 triumph. It is all part of the countdown to their opening competitive fixture against Cross Keys at home in the East Section of the Premiership.
Part of the pre-season process is bedding in the new summer signings. Outside half Richard Powell has arrived from Bedwas, former Wales Under 21 centre Tom Riley has arrived from Newport and Wales Sevens wing Stefan Andrews, has joined from Aberavon.
Former Wales Under 20 prop Joe Rees has linked up with the champions, while three players who were playing Guinness PRO12 rugby last season, Ospreys flanker Joe Bearman, Scarlets tight head prop Pete Edwards and Dragons hooker Darran Harris have all headed to The Wern.
“It was a tough hit out at the weekend against a well organised Ealing team. Great to finally put the Merthyr shirt on after a tough pre-season,” said Andrews.
The 2016 Premiership champions, Ebbw Vale, followed up their four try triumph, 25-5, at Tata Steel with a 34-29 defeat at Chinnor last weekend. The Steelmen were 20-10 down at one stage, yet hit back to lead 22-20 and 27-20 in the closing stages before finally losing to a brilliant break away try by the home back division.
Pontypridd beat Abercmboi 76-0 in a testimonial game for Dafydd Lockyer, while Cross Keys went to Old Redcliffians and won 30-10 to make it two wins in a row in pre-season. Greg Woods’ side beating a Monmouthshire County XV earlier in the week in a game that raised £200 for the Welsh Charitable Trust.
Newport outside half Haydn Simons enjoyed himself in his side’s 80-7 win at Risca as he helped himself to 30 points. The 23-year-old, who played three games for the Black & Ambers last season, converted 10 of his side’s 12 tries, two of which he scored himself for a match tally of 30 points.
Centre Chay Smith helped himself to a quick-fire hat-trick at the start of the second half as Newport built on their 38-7 interval lead. Pick of the tries was Wes Cunliffe’s 80 metre run in the first half.
Wales Under 20 and Wales Sevens cap Owen Lane was the pick of the player’s in Cardiff’s 42-19 win over Taunton at Hyde Lane. He scored the last of the Blue & Blacks’ six tries, all of which were converted by Gareth Thompson, as he followed James Beal, Reuben Tucker, Codey Rees (2) and Will Rees Hole to the try line.
Neath team manager Martyn Morris was full of praise for his side after they beat Moseley 14-12 at The Gnoll. Scrum half Scott Gibson crossed for both home tries in a game that saw no points added to the scoreboard in a tight second period.
“The whole team showed tremendous spirit in digging out that win. It is early days, and the really important stuff is ahead of us, but the game was no soft option,” said Morris.
“Moseley were a big, physical and powerful team, but we tackled them to a stand-still. We also had the better of the scrums and showed plenty of ambition behind even on a wet night.
“The established players are maturing, beginning to understand the responsibility that comes with being a Neath player and the newcomers acquitted themselves equally as well and played their hearts out.
“We have been seeking players with resilience. In my day we called it ‘mental toughness’ – players who stick in there and see it through and it was a joy to see that against Moseley.”
It was Moseley’s first trip to Neath since 1991 and the home side made eight changes to the side that had beaten Ystalyfera 38-17 the previous weekend.
Bedwas blew away the cobwebs in their first pre-season friendly by running in six tries in a 32-10 win at newly promoted Rhydyfelin. There were two tries in each of the three periods of 30 minutes against the Championship outfit giving new head coach Ian Gardner a chance to run the rule over some new players.
Bedwas had two unconverted tries from Rory Budina in the opening period, with one for the home side by Garret Cann, and then Steffan Jones and Aaron Bramwell crossed in the second period. Jones got a second in the final 30 minutes and second row Gareth Allen completed the scoring for the visitors.
Former Bridgend Ravens wing Matthew Edwards came back to haunt his old team mates as he sped away for an 80th minute interception try that enabled Trebanos to bag a 12-12 home draw against the Premiership side.
Tries from new signing Aaron Grabham and Ryan Evans, the former converted by Evans, hoisted the Ravens into a 12-0 interval lead against last season’s Division 1 Central champions. But the dogged home team refused to buckle under pressure and dug deep to snatch two tries that earned them a share of the spoils.
