Sport
Judgement Day VI tickets on sale
JUDGEMENT DAY VI (JDVI) is on sale now and will be more accessible than ever before this season after a new partnership has been established for Welsh rugby with Amazon Tickets.
JDVI, the sixth annual regional double-header at Principality Stadium, has been confirmed for the afternoon of Saturday, April 28, (KOs 15.05 & 17:35), the final weekend of Guinness PRO14 Championship action before the knock-out stages.
Prices have been frozen again at £10-per-head for any seat in the ground at the derby day which sees the Dragons take on the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues face the Ospreys in back-to-back clashes in the capital.
The partnership with Amazon – who launched Amazon Tickets in the UK in 2015 to offer customers quick and easy booking, low and all-inclusive pricing and a trusted customer experience when booking tickets to the most popular and in demand music, theatre, comedy and live events across the UK – helps to further establish Judgement Day as a key event in the UK rugby calendar.
Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has had a magnificent year already, even by its own standards, with a sold-out Champions League Final and a world record indoor heavy-weight boxing crowd watching Anthony Joshua’s world title defence, just two of the highlights.
Welsh rugby is going from strength to strength too. The international side’s Under Armour Series is breaking records with two sell-outs on the cards (against New Zealand and Australia) this autumn.
There’s been healthy attendances at the four professional teams in both the Guinness PRO14 and European Rugby this season – with total attendances up by over 10,000 from the same point last season and crowds at this month’s popular Welsh derby contests also higher than last year.
Over 170,000 fans have attended Judgement Day across three years alone and a record attendance for any match involving a regional team was set in 2016 – when 68,262 watched the Ospreys beat the Blues 27-40, followed by a Scarlets’ 20-34 victory over the Dragons.
Last season Cardiff Blues triumphed over the Ospreys for the first time at the event 35-17 and the Dragons went down to their West Wales rivals a close-fought 16-21 in the second game of the day.
A major highlight of the Guinness PRO14 Championship season, Judgement Day will this year see the Scarlets and the Dragons kick off proceedings for the first time since year one (2013), on Saturday, April 28, (KO 15.05hrs).
The second fixture of the day sees the Blues take on the Ospreys (KO 17.35hrs), with supporters who buy before December 19, guaranteed to receive JDVI tickets ahead of Christmas Day (make sure you choose the Christmas post option on screen on completion of purchase).
“Judgement Day has become a must-see, must-visit fixture in the Welsh sporting calendar,” said WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips.
“It’s a true celebration of the very best of Welsh rugby when our international stars and their teammates come together under one roof to compete against each other in regional colours.
“It is a unique event which the players, coaches and supporters all look forward to in equal measure and we are set for another exciting day out at Principality Stadium on April 28.”
Tickets went on sale at 11am on Wednesday, November 1, and are available at Amazon tickets https://tickets.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0771RLK5R?ref_=aloc_wru_nov from www.wru.wales/tickets or via each of the four regions, prices are £10 for each seat in the ground with a £1-per-ticket online booking fee, as well as postage, payable at the time of purchase.
Season ticket holders for the Cardiff Blues and the Dragons should contact their respective ticket office to gain access to JDVI.
Mark Davies, Chief Executive of Pro Rugby Wales, which represents the four professional rugby teams said: “This season our double derby day at the national stadium will be the finale to the conference stages of the PRO14, so it will be an even bigger occasion for our rugby teams, players and supporters.
“The Judgement Day games will have so much on them with PRO14 Final series places or European Champions Cup play-off places potentially at stake – so critical for our teams and will be highly competitive rugby fixtures. Once again we are looking forward to this successful rugby spectacle in the capital which attracts wider audiences and one we are all proud to be a part of in partnership.”
Cardiff Blues coach, Danny Wilson said: “Derby matches are always the games we all look forward to in a season, but to finish the PRO14 fixtures with Judgement Day will be particularly exciting for all involved.”
Dragons coach Bernard Jackman, said: “It will be my first Judgement Day event, but I’ve heard great things. There is obviously a lot of rugby to be played between now and then but it’s an event we are all looking forward to.”
Sport
Clarby stand in the way of Goodwick double
Two thrilling semi finals last weekend has meant Goodwick United and Clarbeston Road will meet in the senior cup final this coming Saturday.
Goodwick faced Pennar Robins in their semi final who pushed the champions very hard. Carl Vincent will be disappointed but proud of the Robins as they gave a great account of themselves. However in the end Goodwick’s quality and experience just was too much for Vincent’s team.
The other semi was an absolute thriller, and after a nail biting game Matthew Fox’ Clarby progressed to the final. A offside call has sparked a lot of debate around the county. However it seems that linesman Jenkins made an absolute perfect call so credit to him for that.
Both teams would have wanted a nice week of preparation for the final, maybe without any games to play. Unfortunately this hasn’t been possible due to the fixture backlog and both outfits have played already this week.
Goodwick will be favourites of course, however if anyone can upset the apple cart Saturday it’s this Clarbeston Road team. Fox’ outfit have impressed over and over this season. Without too much pressure on them, they are in a good place going into the final.
The double at one staged looked like the minimum Goodwick would be aiming for this season. However losses in other cup competitions, means its Senior Cup success or just the league title for the outstanding team of the season. Oddly becoming champions with no cup success maybe seen as a huge disappointment considering their dominance this season. A unique pressure. However if anyone can handle that pressure it’s O’Sullivans outfit.
Sport
Swifts eyes on double.
Monkton Swifts reserves have blown away the second division this season and now have the double in their sights. They face Merlins Bridge reserves in the semi final of the second division cup and lived up to their favourites tag.
Swifts won comfortably with key player Butland getting three assists and Josh Sture grabbing a brace. Waterman and Rhys Sture added the other goals as outstanding Monkton won 4-0.
Herbrandston and Johnston played in the other semi final and this was a much harder fixture to call. The promoted Herbie a younger and perhaps less physical outfit in comparison to the Tigers. Johnston quickly took control of the game when they found themselves two up after just 29 minutes.
However when Scott Murray was shown a red card just eight minutes later, Herbie would have been confident of staging a comeback. Despite being a man light, Johnston held Herbie until the final minute of the 90, when Alex Ouzman gave Herbie late hope. The Tigers held firm however and progress to the final where they will be underdogs. A tag that I’m sure the players and manager Steven Allen won’t mind too much.
Sport
Tenby hit five against downbeat Bridge
On a beautiful day in Tenby, the hosts welcomed Merlins Bridge to The Clicketts, fresh from their West Wales semi final defeat midweek.
The Bridge squad was missing some influential players after picking up some injuries and the visiting team asked questions over the fitness of the pitch, which, according to the Bridge management, was too hard.
The referee waved these away and the game was on, with the Tenby squad clearly thinking they were already in the heads of the Bridge team.
Almost straight from Kick off Tenby set their stall out with some great attacking play, which Jerome Mansbridge benefitted from in just the second minute putting the home team ahead.
The bridge players weren’t at the races and Tenby capitalised scoring a further 4 first half goals, including a Mansbridge hat trick, leaving the away team bewildered and 5-0 down at half time.
What could have been a hugely embarrassing defeat for a team that harboured title hopes at the beginning of the season, turned around somewhat at half time, when Dai Davies, the club captain, almost singlehandedly dragged them to a much higher level in the second half, ensuring his players kept their discipline and worked hard against a very good Tenby team. Undoubtedly Merlin’s Bridge were the better team in the second period, but the damage had already been done in the first half, and despite Bridges best efforts, the score remained 5-0 to the home team.
In a game which saw Tenby jump to 4th in the league, they can be hugely proud of their season and will look to build on that for their next in Division one.
A fantastic game on a beautiful day with a good home crowd watching, the team from the Clicketts will be justifiably happy with their afternoons work.
Tenby 5-0 Merlins Bridge.
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