Sport

Conbeer’s stunning try draws O’Driscoll comparisons

Published

9 years ago

January 28, 2016

Ryan Conbeer: Drawing comparisons with Brian O’Driscoll

A SENSATIONAL solo try from Scarlets Under 18’s winger Ryan Conbeer has drawn comparisons to rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll’s score in the first Lions test against Australia in 2001, after it was shared online via social media.

The 16-year-old ran the length of the field and through an outrageous sidestep at blistering pace to send the covering fullback the wrong way, in almost identical fashion to O’Driscoll, who throughout a glittering career sent many an opponent the wrong way with his trademark step. As well as drawing high praise from supporters and users of social media it has also drawn the attention of Welsh legend Jonathan Davies who labelled it a ‘great try’ whilst O’Driscoll himself got in on the conversation, dismissing the comparisons by suggesting the Tenby wingers score was better than his own with the quip, ‘only 40 metres longer’.

Former Greenhill School pupil Conbeer is widely regarded as a star of the future after some sensational performances for both his club and country, and the rapid winger was a winner of The Pembrokeshire Herald Young Sporting Champion award in association with Dragon LNG in 2015. After playing in the Wellington Festival in a trial game for Wales Under 16’s, a regular blogger on the BBC ScrumV rugby forum posted a glowing reference for the Tenby youngster, describing Ryan as having ‘pace to burn’, going on to say that he ‘tackled well and took a brilliant try by using fancy footwork and going outside his opposite number. Really impressed – look out for the name’.

Ryan started out playing for Tenby U10’s and quickly progressed to the U11’s District team that toured Barcelona, under the watchful eye of coach Kenny Davies. From here he made his way into the Dyfed U11’s team before earning his first cap for the U11’s West Wales side. With such a strong CV by the age of 11, Ryan decided to make the move to Narberth to play his club rugby for the Under 12’s and continued to impress for the Scarlets feeder club. After, representing the district he was subsequently picked up by the region. At the age of 14 he was picked to play for the Scarlets U16’s side, which was testament to his raw ability. Now 16, he has played for the Scarlets U16’s West side, coached by Barry John and Jonny Llewellyn-Evans.

Ryan has gone on to gain his first Welsh cap, in a game versus England, and made many more appearances since. Having now earned an academy contract with the Scarlets he recently moved to study at Coleg Sir Gar. He hopes his commitment will help him to become a professional player and that one day he will realise his dream and gain a cap for the full international side.

Sport

Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.

Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.

This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.

Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.

The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.

PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl

Published

4 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NFL teams

12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.

The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:

Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.

The national anthem and halftime show

Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.

It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.

How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?

The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.

Will you be tuning in?

With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?

Sport

Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.

Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.

Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.

St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.

Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.