The South Wales Cricket Association campaign kicked off with a fascinating clash between last year’s Division One runners up, Gowerton, and Swansea, who were relegated from the Premier League.
At a damp Victoria Road, it was Swansea that came out on top prevailing by four wickets. Gowerton batted first and were dismissed for 165, Dwayne Bachelor, 57, and Sam Lyle, 33, were the most notable performers with the bat. The visitors' Johnny Hubschmid, 3-35, and Josh Tobin, 3-45, were the best with the ball.
Swansea reached the target in...
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Seagulls seal crown with classy display
Fishguard and Goodwick sealed the Division Five West title with a 46-13 victory over St Clears.
The Seagulls had to contend with the first half wing blowing a gale in their face, but blew away their opponents when playing with the advantage in the second half, running in seven tries in all including doubles for James Griffiths and Nathan Jenkins, while Gareth Adamson, Rhys Morgan and Dan Harries also touched down. Griffiths also had a fine day with the boot firing home a penalty and four conversions.
All of St Clears' points came before the...
Pontypridd finish top of the pile
Pontypridd finished top of the Welsh Premiership and will now face the winner of either Llanelli or Aberavon in the play–off final, after beating Llandovery 20-0 at Sardis Road.
A touchdown either side of the break from centre Dafydd Lockyer and veteran full-back Gareth Wyatt saw the hosts ease to victory, one which will give them home advantage for the championship decider on May 18.
Pontypridd went into the match knowing a victory would guarantee them top place in the league, while the Drovers also knew that a place in the play-offs was up...
Battle for promotion goes down to the wire
Pill Harrier and Senghenydd both remain in the hunt to clinch the runners up and final promotion spot in Division Three East.
Pill currently sit in the coveted final promotion spot and strengthened their position with a try bonus 36-8 triumph over Abertillery B G. The highfliers crossed four times through Dave Tovey, Dwayne Bailey, Brendan Lampitt and Curtis Watkins.
Senghenydd meanwhile, who travel to Pill Harriers next week in a promotion showdown, also bagged a valuable victory with a hard-fought 15-12 win over Pontypool. The Saints...
Glynneath bag back to back titles
Glynneath claimed back to back league titles once again, pipping rivals Kenfig Hill this time to bag the Two West crown, as they capitalised on the Mules' 15-10 defeat at Skewen with a try bonus 36-5 victory over Aberavon Quins.
Last year’s Three South West Champions put in a stylish performance as they crossed for six tries through Anthony Lee, Greg Roberts, Ashley Evans, Stuart Leach and a double from Kyle Roberts.
In the day's other fixture, Maesteg’s woeful season ended with a 32-17 defeat by Kidwelly at the Old Parish.
The Black and Ambers...
Ystrad seal Two East crown
Ystrad Rhondda capitalised on Penallta’s midweek slip up at Ynysybwl to secure the Division Two East title with a comfortable 26-13 home victory over Llantrisant.
Ystrad, who were relegated from One East last season, will be making an immediate return, as the hosts crossed four times through Neil Walker, Dan John, Alex Webber and Cain Rees, while Webber also added three conversions.
The Champions will play their final match of their campaign next week at Ynysybwl, with the hosts looking to clinch the fourth and final promotion place from...
Waterwheelers end season on a high
Tondu saved the best till last in their inaugural season in Division One West with a 40-10 win over UWIC.
It was the students that got off to the better start when full back Rhys Davies went over early on, but the Waterwheelers hit back, first through scrum half Dereck Treadwell touching down, and then prop Lloyd Elliot extended their lead just before the break, with outside half Paul Smithson adding the extras to both to take a 14-5 lead.
After the interval, it was all one way traffic with the hosts running in a further four tries through...
Steelmen retain title in style
Ebbw Vale retained the Division One East title in emphatic fashion with a 52-0 whitewash over strugglers Tredegar.
The Steelmen faithful had just a three mile trip to make to the Recreation Ground and they weren’t left disappointed, as their heroes wrapped up the try bonus point before the break crossing five times through a Wes Cunliffe double, with Dan Haymond, Dan Dearden and Gareth James also touching down. Dorian Jones added the extras to four.
After the interval they continued where they left off, running in a further three tries through...
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Tense title race enters home straight
THE race for top spot in Division Five West will go down to
the wire after leaders Fishguard and Nantgaredig in second both recorded huge
wins on Saturday.
Fishguard head their rivals by four points meaning they only
need to avoid defeat at St Clears next weekend to finish first.
They battered poor Llangwm 92-3 with 15 tries firmly underlining
their intent to hold onto the lead. James Griffiths and Mike Jenkins crossed
for hat-tricks, Gavin Walsh scored two tries and Richard Hunter, Dai Evans,
Simon James, Gwilyn Evans, Mark George and Rhys Morgan...
Hat-trick heroes give Wanderers title
HAT-TRICKS from fly-half Jonathan Griffiths and wing Karl
Evans helped Llanelli Wanderers clinch the Division Four West crown against
Burry Port.
The Wanderers have been involved in a titanic tussle with
Amman Utd all season and had to beat Burry Port with a bonus point to make sure
they could not be caught by their closest rivals who have one game remaining.
And Saturday’s 42-10 win was never in doubt as the home side
eased their supporters’ nerves with half a dozen tries, all of which were
converted by Rhys Phillips.
Llanybydder were also...
Llanishen wrap-up Three South East title
LLANISHEN are Division Three South East champions after they
beat Tonyrefail and Rhiwbina lost at Fairwater.
Only needing to avoid defeat in the Rhondda, Llanishen didn’t
leave anything to chance as they secured a bonus point in a 29-13 win.
Mike Carrol (2), Gareth Jones and Alex Edwards scored the
all-important tries for the Cardiff club while Rhiwbina were edged out 22-21 in
the Welsh capital.
Tries from Dan Murphy and Shaun Coughlin, along with three penalties
and a conversion by Richard Saltmarsh were not enough for Rhiwbina.
Michael Foley,...
Champions' unbeaten record still intact
MAESTEG Quins remain on course to win Division Three South
West without losing a single game after they saw off Brynamman 22-10.
It wasn’t vintage Quins and they didn’t manage to register
four tries for a bonus point but the victory made it 18 straight successes this
season with two matches to go.
Andrew Healy (2) and Nathan Morgan were the try scorers
while Gareth Lewis kicked seven points to ease his side past the visitors.
No doubt where the biggest score of the day was as
Ystalyfera battered Aberavon Green Stars 114-8 with Damian James the...
Glynneath seize chance to go top
GLYNNEATH took their chance to move top of Division Two West
with gusto, running in 10 tries to thrash visitors Aberystwyth 64-0.
With Kenfig Hill not playing on Saturday, Glynneath knew a
win would see them leapfrog their rivals – and they did so in emphatic fashion
by blitzing their West Wales opponents.
James McKenna was top try scorer with three, Stuart Leach
was next best with two and there were also tries for James Parry, James Pike,
Kyle Roberts, Anthony Lee and Ashley Evans.
Johnny Morgan got in on the act with seven conversions and
Glynneath...
Two East leaders still locked together
PENALLTA and Ystrad Rhondda cannot be separated at the top
of Division Two East with both sides locked together on 77 points with just a
few matches left.
Top spot is currently held by Penallta by virtue of the
number of games won – 17 to 16 – but that’s only because Ystrad Rhondda have
played one less than the Pitmen.
On Saturday, Penallta needed all their grit and determination
to come through a tough encounter with Heol y Cyw. Their 10-7 victory was down
to a try from Seb Toms and Jonny Wright’s conversion and penalty.
On the other hand,...
Late drama gives Bro win over battling Mold
BRO Ffestiniog cemented third place in Division One North as
they came from behind with a try three minutes from time to see off Mold 14-12.
No 8 Dewi James struck late on to draw the scores level and
give Huw James the easiest of conversions from in front of the posts to snatch
the win.
The sides couldn’t be separated in the first-half and they
went into the interval without a single point behind scored.
However, the hosts seized the initiative when winger Lee
Aspden scampered over and James converted. But Mold were back in it when the
impressive...
Tondu stun Athletic for shock victory
DESPITE being outscored five tries to three, Tondu produced
one of their best performances of the season as they defeated Carmarthen
Athletic 30-29 away from home.
The visitors, two places off the foot of the Division One West table,
fought back from a 20-12 half-time deficit with Paul Smithson grabbing a try,
three conversions and three penalties.
In fact, Tondu were the dominant side in the first 40
minutes as they bossed a Carmarthen team that had seven changes to the one that
beat UWIC a week before.
The hosts were punished for countless...
Steelmen made to wait for One East title
EBBW Vale will have to wait a little longer to sew up the
Division One East title after they were beaten by third-placed Newbridge at
home on Saturday.
The Steelmen have slipped to second following Bargoed’s
victory over Treorchy but the Eugene Cross Park side should regain top spot and
clinch the trophy next weekend when they take on lowly Tredegar.
Ebbw had led 10-0 at half-time against Newbridge but the
visitors fought back to secure a 19-16 success with Darren Hughes and Andrew
Bevan scoring their tries and fly-half Neil Burnett kicking three...
Friday, 20 April 2012
Division One East Predictions
Bargoed v Treorchy
Bargoed will be looking to secure second spot in the league with the final match of their campaign. The highfliers could move above leaders Ebbw Vale but with the Steelmen having a game in hand, Bargoed know that they are unlikely to take home the crown. The Zebras defeated the hosts in the reverse, but their last match was at the end of March and the lack of regular rugby may hinder their performance. There is no doubt that both sides will be well up for this contest as it brings their respective seasons to a close and I...
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Cofis captain hoping success breeds success
CAERNARFON skipper Rhys Evans hopes back-to-back Division
One North titles can breed success in the next generation of players coming
through the club’s ranks.
The Cofis sealed the One North crown back in March, making
it their third league title in five seasons, and were presented with their trophy following last
Saturday’s North Wales Senior Cup semi-final defeat at home to local rivals Bro
Ffestiniog.
Caernarfon were
the first team in the Swalec National League to get their hands on silverware
this season after a victory over Bala as rivals...
New mum Lauren lifts County Championship
NEWPORT super mum Lauren Hillier added another Monmouthshire Ladies
County Championship to her collection just 10 weeks after giving birth to new
son Milo.
Hillier, who had won the title several times as Lauren Diggle, beat
two former champions in the shape of Danielle Cobley and Jessica Evans on her
way to lifting the trophy with a 7&6 thumping of the latter at St.
Mellons.
Hillier and runner-up Evans had been the form players in the silver
division qualifying round as they carded the best gross scores to start the
matchplay stages...
This weekend's Premiership Predictions
FOUR clubs are vying for three places in the end-of-season
Welsh Premiership championship play-offs ahead of the last set of weekend
fixtures.
Current leaders and play-off champions last term, Llanelli,
Aberavon, Llandovery, and 2011 regular season table-toppers Pontypridd are the
only teams that can triumph this year.
Whoever finishes top of the table goes straight through to
the championship play-off final next month while the sides in second and third
must meet to decide who plays them.
In the last campaign, Pontypridd, despite heading the
standings...
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Ponty remain on course to retain Cup
Pontypridd will return
to the Millennium Stadium next month to try and retain the Swalec Cup after
overcoming plucky Newbridge 28-24 in a pulsating semi-final at the Arms Park
yesterday.
The holders sneaked
past the Division One East side to secure a return to the capital on Bank
Holiday Monday May 7.
But title-chasing
Ponty were pushed all the way by a mightily impressive Newbridge, who ended the
game on the front foot.
Pontypridd deservedly
led 18-8 at the break but they didn’t have things all their own way against the
Division One East...
Cross Keys scrape past Steelmen on try count
Ebbw Vale’s giant-killing run in this
season’s Swalec Cup came to an end at Rodney Parade as Cross Keys scraped
through to next month’s final on try count.
The Steelmen looked on course for their
fourth Premiership scalp on the trot and a showdown with Pontypridd at the
Millennium Stadium as they led 19-16 with five minutes left.
But the Division One East leaders, who
had accounted for Swansea, Carmarthen Quins and Newport in previous rounds,
were denied when Cross Keys fly-half Dean Gunter landed a late penalty to tie
the scores.
And,...
Glyncoch defy odds to make Bowl final
Glyncoch’s fairytale will have a Millennium Stadium ending after all, with the Six Central side booking their place in the Swalec Bowl final with a narrow 24-21 victory over Four East’s Talywain at Blackwood.
The lower league outfit crossed twice through second row Lloyd Allen and back row Gareth Way, while Lee Goodard had a fine day with the boot, nothcing up 14 points through a conversion, drop goal and three penalties.
In the final, they will meet another Four East outfit New Tredegar after they saw off Five South West’s Tycroes 38-31 in...
Pitmen cruise into Plate final
Scrum-half Chris Thomas in full flight on his way to grabbing a brace
Photo courtesy of Penallta RFC
Penallta clinched their first trip to the Millennium Stadium, bagging a Swalec Plate final berth with a comprehensive 30-3 victory over Bethesda at Newtown.
With a large travelling contingent in great voice, the Pitmen got off to a perfect start when Penallta put Pesda under huge pressure at a defensive scrum and when the ball came loose after...
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