Sport

Final heartache for brave Emlyn

Published

10 years ago

May 20, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Newcastle Emlyn 17

The team : A t the final whistle

Ystrad Rhondda 25

THE NEWCASTLE EMLYN team did themselves and the hundreds of fans who travelled up the M4 proud on Sunday (May 3) in their first ever appearance in the Millennium Stadium. With the lead changing hands seven times the result was in doubt up until the final few minutes of this cracking encounter. The greatest pity was that the second half was played in a torrential downpour with the WRU only deciding to close the roof at the end of the game.

Ystrad Rhondda in the end proved to be the more powerful side and deserved their victory, scoring three tries to Emlyn’s one. With the rain pouring down both sides deserved a great deal of credit for their intent to play in conditions which did not suit running rugby. It was possibly the red and whites that suffered most as they attempted to move the ball wide throughout the second half in their attempts to break down the well organised Ystrad defence.

All the early pressure came from Ystrad who started positively and declined two kickable penalties, as they went for a try from two line outs and two scrums on the Emlyn line. They undoubtedly thought they could target the Emlyn scrum but the fit again props Dai Jones and Gethin Davies, aided by hooker Alex Williams, proved to be very solid in the set piece. It was from a line out that Emlyn were in fact extremely fortunate not to concede a try with the video referee ruling that Emlyn number eight Brynmor Jones had been able to halt an Ystrad forward millimetres from the line.

After twelve minutes Emlyn were finally able to relieve the pressure when centre Viv Jenkins was able to intercept a pass and set up a ruck, allowing full back Shaun Leonard to clear the ball to the half way line. In fact, against the run of play, it was Leonard who opened the scoring with a long range penalty after Ystrad were penalised for a high tackle.

With both sides in second place in their respective leagues this game was always going to be a tight affair decided by the side who made the fewest mistakes or moments of individual brilliance. The moment of brilliance came from the Ystrad full back David Gratton. From the restart the Emlyn clearance kick was not particularly well directed allowing outside half Rhys Truelove to gather the ball on the half way line in the middle of the pitch. Gratton took the pass and ran at the advancing Emlyn defenders, he chipped over their heads, caught the ball and rounded the only remaining Emlyn defender to score an unconverted try in the corner.

To their credit Emlyn did not allow this defensive lapse to upset them and proceeded, courtesy of the boots of outside half Rhidian Harries and Shaun Leonard, to spend a great deal of the half in Ystrad territory. From a line out just outside the Ystrad twenty two, an accurate throw by Williams saw second row Arwel Davies deliver perfect ball from the top of his jump to scrum half Mike Jones. He fed Rhidian Harries who spotted a gap in the Ystrad defence and went straight through it. Unfortunately for him the supporting centre Alun Howells could not quite get clear of a defender as he desperately attempted to get close to Harries. The outside half’s run was brought to a halt some seven metres out and when Emlyn were penalised at the resulting ruck Harries was left stricken on the ground. After lengthy treatment Harries was eventually carried from the field on a stretcher and Steffan Evans came on as a replacement for him.

Territorially Emlyn dominated this half but found it virtually impossible to break down the Ystrad defence. They did have a golden opportunity when centre Alun Howells made a nice outside break and fed full back Leonard on the narrow side. Unfortunately Leonard decided to attempt to chip kick the ball over the head of the remaining defender instead of feeding unmarked winger Dan Davies. The kick was charged down and Ystrad were able to clear the danger.

With half time approaching Emlyn finally managed to score a try. From a ruck on the right hand side of the field the ball was passed to Leonard standing in the outside half position. The full back perfectly judged his cross kick for winger Dan Davies to catch and manage to squeeze over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Emlyn attacked from the start of the second half and were unfortunate when, after some excellent driving play by the forwards led by Arwel Davies, the slippery ball shot out of a ruck on the Ystrad side allowing them to clear the ball downfield. Leonard extended Emlyn’s lead to six points with a well struck penalty soon after the restart but the heavy rain was beginning to have an effect on the game as the ball, for handling purposes, became like a bar of soap.

The next score belonged to Ystrad when their outside half Truelove chipped over the Emlyn defenders in a pre-planned move from a ruck for right winger Mathew Hurley to gather the ball. The winger was brought down short of the line and through the excellent work of open-side Owain Powell, who was comfortably Emlyn’s best player, Emlyn managed to turn the ball over. Unfortunately a poor clearance kick gave the men from the Rhondda the opportunity to attack Emlyn on the narrow side and left winger Chris Clayton crossed for a try excellently converted from wide out by outside half Rhys Truelove.

Their one point lead was short lived as from the kick off they were penalised and Shaun Leonard regained the lead for Emlyn with a penalty goal. Coach Marc Lloyd now brought on replacement Luke Kendall and the big number eight with Premiership experience started to take the game to Ystrad with some powerful surging runs. Leonard extended Emlyn’s lead when after runs by Kendall and Alun Howells, Ystrad, defending desperately, were penalised for off side and he kicked another penalty to extend Emlyn’s lead to five points.

Emlyn’s cause was not then helped when scrum half Mike Jones had to leave the field with an injury, necessitating Powell having to move to scrum half with Gareth Patterson coming on as a flanker. Ystrad began to empty their bench and the strength on their bench became apparent as their forwards began to take greater control of the game. In second row Nathan Hughes, they had a fine line out forward who dominated the front of the line out supplying them with a constant stream of possession, allowing them to set up numerous driving line outs from deep inside their own twenty two metre area.

The weather then played its part in the next Ystrad try when from a line out inside their own twenty two, the Emlyn pack supplied excellent ball back for it to be cleared. Unfortunately the slippery ball was dropped five metres from their own line. From the resulting scrum Ystrad number eight Liam Davies bulldozed over for a try converted by Truelove to give them a two point lead.

Emlyn continued trying to move the ball wide and use their speedy backs although handling had become something of a lottery. An Emlyn move broke down just inside the Ystrad half and they fly-hacked the ball downfield. Leonard covering across just managed to get to the ball ahead of the chasing backs as the ball crossed the touchline. Unable to stop he kicked the ball into the crowd only to find that bizarrely the referee penalised him for kicking the ball away stopping Ystrad from taking a quick throw in ! This was despite the fact that it would have been an Emlyn throw. Truelove stepped up and increased Ystrad’s lead to five points.

Strong runs by Kendall brought Emlyn back into the Ystrad twenty two and the number eight was brought down short of the line on two occasions. Using the forwards effectively Emlyn set up a number of rucks and then moved the ball wide only for Dan Davies to be tackled into touch inches from the Ystrad line.

Another attack saw the slippery ball spilled by an Emlyn player, picked up by winger Hurley who looked certain to score but for a fine covering tackle by Shaun Leonard. With time running out Emlyn’s efforts became even more desperate but the Ystrad pack were now fully in control of the game. When Emlyn were penalised at a ruck in front of their posts Truelove stepped up to convert the kick and give them their winning eight point margin.

Emlyn Will now be concentrating on their remaining league fixtures as they look to clinch the Division One West crown.

TEAM:

15 Shaun Leonard 14 Owen Francis 13 Alun Howells 12 Viv Jenkins 11 Dan Davies 10 Rhidian Harries 9 Mike Jones: 1 Dai Jones 2 Alex Williams 3 Gethin Davies 4 Dyfed Morgan 5 Arwel Davies 6 Joel James 7 Owain Powell 8 Brynmor Jones

Replacements:

16 Jack Parry 17 Bedwyr Davies 18 Gareth Lloyd 19 Tefion Davies 20 Gareth Patterson 21 Luke Kendall 22 Steffan Evans

News

Wales hit rock bottom but there is hope

Published

16 hours ago

March 20, 2025

Jon Coles

THE HAMMERING the men’s senior international team took against England last Saturday (March 15) raised familiar questions about the decline of rugby union in Wales.

Identifying the problems and their causes has become a national pastime.

The WRU has been accused of neglecting the national team, the regions, and the community game and of not doing enough to secure the game’s future while the senior team was successful. All of those complaints have some foundation, with some better founded than others.

However, to get to the root of the issues, it is necessary to strip away some of the myths surrounding Wales’s relationship with rugby. Starting with the most straightforward one: rugby is not Wales’s national game. Far more people play football in Wales than rugby, and football clubs are distributed more evenly across the country. Even in areas of Wales that are traditionally and strongly associated with rugby union, more people play soccer than rugby.

For a nation that harps on about the past’s glories, uniquely among Tier One rugby nations, Wales has failed to tap into the knowledge base of its former top international players. Consider the great Welsh teams of the 1970s: none of them went into top-class coaching. The WRU’s approach to amateurism was partly to blame for the loss of their knowledge. Still, even when the amateur game turned professional, the number of top-ranking players taking on senior roles in coaching and player development remained small.

That is not to say that having former players coaching and developing players is the answer to Welsh rugby’s woes. The challenges run far deeper. But there is hope.

HIT AND MISS PLAYER SELECTIONS WASTE TALENT

For young players, getting on the right development pathway often has more to do with whether your face (or your parents’ faces) fits. Staying on a player development pathway with regional academies is also fraught with difficulty.

Imagine the lunacy of losing promising players because they want to pursue an academic career away from Wales or take advantage of superior coaching and facilities in England. But that’s not only happened in Wales, it’s still happening.

One promising young player from Pembrokeshire spent a long time on The Scarlets development pathway. Nobody knows whether he would’ve made it to the top level. However, the Scarlets dropped him like a hot brick as soon as he made it clear he wanted to pursue his higher education outside Wales and not attend Coleg Sir Gar. Because of the way he was treated, that young player no longer plays at any level. He fell out of love with the game he’d played since he was six or seven years old.

At a more elevated level, the player who scored Italy’s final try against Ireland in Rome last weekend hails from Pembrokeshire. Stephen Varney made a couple of outings for the Scarlets Under-16s but was not picked up for further development with the West Wales region. Whichever way you cut it, dropping a player from a regional squad who ends up with a successful international career must raise questions about the selection processes and regions’ commitment to developing local talent instead of buying it in.

THE FUTURE COULD BE BRIGHT

Not all is doom and gloom.

One coach told us that, provided the current crop of young players (16 and under) is developed, they will have every chance of becoming world-beaters.

He told us: “There are a huge number of players coming through Haverfordwest High because they have an excellent coaching team that also coaches the Scarlets. However, funding was pulled for similar roles. So, a guy from Pembroke School in a similar role was let go despite being a very recent under-20s international who also coaches the county.

“The schools have the final say on the funding, so some choose to use it elsewhere or not have rugby programmes.

“At junior level, what I’ve tried to do is get in guys who are athletically promising and transfer their talents towards rugby. That means hoovering up all the talent that doesn’t go to other clubs or who fell out somewhere else. In many ways, a band of misfits taking a second chance are easier to coach and build a team ethic among. It takes time, but they’re already physically gifted, so they need time to play as much rugby as possible.

“I see my role as developing these guys for rugby further down the line. That’s how clubs should be, but they all want to win the next game. We won’t win every game now, but next year, we might win a few more, and the next year, we might win the cup.

“Everyone wants a quick fix, though. Local clubs will try to poach your vest talent (which happens all over Wales). That means lads who aren’t physically or mentally there yet get discarded. That’s where we come in.

“Most importantly, we look at the player as a whole. We have players who come from difficult educational and family backgrounds. They deserve a chance to enjoy rugby and be as good as they can while playing it. It’s about giving players a chance.”

WHY SIZE MATTERS

Another coach told us: “We have to accept that not every good player is going to make it at the professional level, let alone the international game. However, all players must be given the chance to make the most of what they have. That means focussing on skills and fitness. You can be the fastest runner on the field, but that’s no use unless you can catch, pass, and kick. You can be a mound of muscle and strong as an ox, but scrummaging and forward play require technical ability and nous, as well as strength.

“The best players need to be big enough, fast enough, and have the physical assets that allow them to compete at the top level. If you can’t compete physically, you’re already lost. Look at the Welsh backs last weekend. I don’t doubt they’re good players. I don’t doubt their skill. But compared to the English backs, they were tiny. If you are thirteen stone and quick, you’re going to get smashed by a player who is just as quick but three stone heavier and six inches taller. You have to be a once-in-a-generation world-class player like Shane Williams to buck that reality.”

One coach told us their approach would be: “Bring back the A team. Have a head of coaching who oversees the age group, regional and possible future A team coaches. Have the same in strength and conditioning. If you’re playing professional rugby, why are you not fit enough or strong enough to play international rugby?”

They continued: “Everyone playing the pro game should be physically able to play for Wales. It’s madness that they can’t. It’s their job, for Christ’s sake!

“Wales had a guy doing that, and when we became successful, they got rid of him; that’s typically Welsh.

“In New Zealand or South Africa, every pro player can play international rugby. Why are Welsh players having to do so much extra work on their fitness and skills once selected? It’s farcical.”

Sport

Pembrokeshire First Division round-up

Published

3 days ago

March 18, 2025

Herald Sport

Hakin United secure hard-fought win over Carew

Hakin United 3-1 Carew

HAKIN UNITED overcame a determined Carew side at the Obs, with two late goals securing the victory.

Ryan Wilson opened the scoring in the 16th minute, volleying home from a Jack Britton corner. Carew responded before halftime when Marcus Griffiths won and converted a penalty after being brought down by Mark Jones.

Jones made amends in the second half, setting up Shane Walsh to restore Hakin’s lead in the 77th minute. In stoppage time, Britton played in Alfie Stotter, who sealed the win with a delicate chip.

Goodwick United close in on league title

Goodwick United 5-0 Kilgetty

Goodwick United moved one step closer to retaining their league title with a commanding win over 10-man Kilgetty.

Will Haworth opened the scoring just before halftime with an overhead kick, and moments later, Nathan Greene doubled the lead with a powerful header from a Jonny Horgan corner.

Kilgetty’s hopes faded further in the second half when Kyle Marsh was sent off for a second booking. Goodwick capitalised, adding goals through Rhys Jones, substitute Kieran Blundell, and a second for Haworth to complete the rout.

They now need just one more win from their final three games to secure the championship.

Pennar Robins run riot as Herbrandston’s season ends in heavy defeat

Herbrandston 0-15 Pennar Robins

Relegated Herbrandston endured a crushing defeat in their final game, as Pennar Robins ran rampant with 15 unanswered goals.

Ben Adams led the charge with five, while Jack Jones netted four. Cameron Brunton added a hat-trick, with Noah Davison, Nick Willis, and Liam Williams also on the scoresheet.

Despite a difficult season, credit must go to Herbrandston and their leadership, with the club now looking ahead to a fresh start in August.

Sport

Ten-man Milford stun holders Clarby to reach Senior Cup final

Published

3 days ago

March 18, 2025

Herald Sport

Milford United 2-1 Clarbeston Road
MILFORD UNITED booked their place in the Senior Cup final with a spirited and fearless performance, overcoming defending champions Clarbeston Road in a dramatic semi-final at Bridge Meadow.

With both sides having beaten each other in the league, a competitive encounter was expected, and The Robins wasted no time in making their mark. Young Jack Dyer fired them into the lead in the fourth minute with a superb volley, setting the tone for an intense battle.

Milford had a golden chance to double their advantage just before the half-hour mark, but Clarby held firm, ensuring the deficit remained at one goal heading into the break.

Half-time: Milford United 1-0 Clarbeston Road

Clarby came out strongly in the second half, piling on the pressure from the restart. Milford goalkeeper Charlie Malloy produced a series of crucial saves, but in the 62nd minute, Clarby found the breakthrough, levelling the game at 1-1.

Moments later, Milford were dealt a major blow when captain Scott Griffiths was shown a straight red card, leaving them to battle the remainder of the match with ten men.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, The Robins showed incredible resolve, and in the 82nd minute, Scott Reid fired home from close range to restore Milford’s lead—sparking wild celebrations among their supporters.

Milford saw out the closing stages with a determined defensive effort, securing a hard-fought victory that showcased their grit and resilience.