High-scoring rugby on display in Swalec leagues

There were some one-sided results throughout the Swalec leagues on Saturday (February 16), as a busy program could take place for the first time in weeks thanks to an upturn in the weather and the lack of Six Nations action.

In the Championship, it was defeat once more for Pontypool and Whitland, with the former downed at home against Newbridge, and the latter losing at near-neighbours Narberth.

Pontypool allowed Newbridge to cross their try line five times in a 33-5 defeat - Ryan Lee, Dwayne Dyer, Stuart Davies, Stefan Morgan and Jordan Richard all scoring. Ponty’s sole reply came from Luke Dickov, in what was their 16^th defeat in 17 league games this season.

Whitland twice took the lead at Narberth, but the boot of James Russell won it for the Otters 19-13. He kicked three penalties and converted Steve Martin’s try, while Scott Newton kicked two penalties and converted a Daffydd Williams try for the Borderers in what was the away side’s 14^th defeat of the season.

Elsewhere, Cardiff Met ran out 22-3 winners over Bridgend Athletic to cement third place in the table, with No8 Sam Cross grabbing two scores. A Steve Lewis penalty was all the Athletic responded with.

In Division One West, leaders Tondu ran out 27-3 winners at bottom club Aberavon Quins. They scored three tries through Nick Hopson, Matthew Phillips and Darren Thomas, while Paul Smithson converted all three and added two penalties.

Waunarlwydd in third closed the gap on second-placed Cwmllynfell with a 41-20 win over Ammanford, running in six tries.

In Division One East, Merthyr hammered bottom club Tredegar 62-0, with 11 tries scored in the process. Matthew Trowbridge grabbed a hat-trick and Jason Price and Arron Howard both crossed for braces. Josh Slye, John Chivers, Jason Pritchard and Lloyd Wood completed the rout, which was only Merthyr’s third win of the season and moved them above Mountain Ash in the table.

This was due to the Old Firm also falling to a heavy defeat, going down 51-17 at Rumney. The hosts ran in six tries, including a hat-trick for Tom Silver, in a game delayed for half an hour due to a bad injury to a Mountain Ash player. Wayne de Crue, Danny Clarke and Carl Fish also crossed for Rumney.

Some of the larger victories, other than Merthyr’s and Rumney’s, came further down the league pyramid.

In Division Two North, second placed COBRA picked up a 64-9 victory at Rhyl, running in six tries in the process, while in Two East, Fleur De Lys matched COBRA’s try-scoring exploits with six of their own in a 54-6 victory over Abercynon in a victory that moves them six points ahead of their opponents in the table.

The biggest win of the day went to Wrexham in Three North - the leaders ran in an impressive 20 tries and 10 conversions in a 120-0 thrashing of bottom club Holyhead.

Jonny Davies crossed for four and Andrew Clutton grabbed three. There were also braces for Kieron Morris and Jack Ratcliffe, while Jake Edwards, Rob Moore, Tom Crawford, Jamie Morris, Leighton Cox, James Price, Peter Doogan and Ben Cheesborough got the others.

Price kicked nine of the conversions for a personal points tally of 23, and Gavin Jones kicked the 10th.

The win sees Wrexham five points clear of Rhosllanerchrugog in second, while Holyhead remain rooted to the bottom of the table with 12 defeats from 12 matches.

Three South East leaders Dowlais won 41-13 away at Cardiff Quins, with Lloyd Morgan notching three of their six tries. Lloyd Hines, Christian Owen and Tom Griffin grabbed the others. Three East’s top side Newport HSOB ran in nine tries in a 57-12 win at Croesyceiliog.

Three West side Llanelli Wanderers ran in nine tries in a 53-20 win over second from bottom Milford Haven, with full back Nick Gale scoring a hat-trick. In Four East, Cwmbran hammered struggling Machen 49-0 with tries from Dai Thomas, Mike Davies (two), Michael Lang and Luke Brown, while Chepstow ran in eight tries in a 50-3 win over troubled Blaina.

Three South West leaders Trebanos ran out 41-7 winners over Resolven, where they scored seven tries, including a brace for Matthew Edwards. Rhodri Williams, Ross Jones, Rhys Thomas, Nick Danjanovic and Chris Jones grabbed the others.

Bryncoch bettered that result, winning 66-10 over basement side Aberavon Green Stars, running in 10 tries in the process. It was the visitors’ 13^th defeat in 14 games.

Dinas Powys notched 10 tries in a 69-0 win over Tonna in Five South Central. John Evans crossed for four tries, while David Lloyd, Gareth Williams, James Smith and Nathan Williams also scored.

Finally, in Six East, Girling also ran in 10 tries in a 73-10 win over bottom club Cwmcarn. Andy Bates and Dan Tucker each scored a brace, and Dan Howells, Adran Smith, Kyle King, Dion Perry, Grant Harrington and a penalty try added to the score.

Trefil also won 74-0 at Malpas in the same division, running in 10 tries of their own.