Sport

Girls’ rugby booms across Wales

Published

10 years ago

October 14, 2016

THE EXPERIMENT of introducing summer rugby for girls has been a resounding success, with female playing numbers in Wales more than doubling after just one season.

More than 2,000 girls regularly trained and played at the 27 new cluster centres for girls set up all over Wales for spring and summer 2016 and, in conjunction with additional playing opportunities at the 80 school club hubs around Wales, the number of women and girls playing the national sport has gone from a total of around 2,000, to more than 4,000 regular participants.

The cluster centres were so successful in creating a vibrant, sustainable environment for girls’ rugby that 15 new teams have already been established to allow girls to continue to play rugby in the traditional rugby season. These will fall into the Under 15, Under 18 and senior structures already in place, while the girls-only clusters will be back next spring for minis and juniors.

WRU National’s Women’s and Girls Manager, Caroline Spanton, said: “The clusters were set up to overcome some of the barriers girls felt were preventing them from enjoying rugby. Playing girls-only rugby in the summer months were key factors, combined with volunteers, parents, hub officers and WRU staff all pulling in the same direction to create a fun environment for girls from under nines to under 15s.

“The clusters were particularly popular for under nines to under 11s, and the figures for teenage girls has bucked the trend of girls dropping out of sport at that age. The clusters adopted a philosophy of stage not age, so if girls want to carry on playing touch or non-contact rugby, they can do so. We have catered for the demand from some new clusters to keep playing in the traditional season by setting up new under 15 and under 18 teams and ensuring they have everything in place to be sustainable.

“Girls clearly want to play rugby and we will keep working hard to ensure opportunities continue to increase for women and girls at all levels around Wales.”

The Arrows Under 18s in Pontypool is one of the new teams recently set up due to a strong desire from the players to carry on playing once the summer, cluster season ended.

Wales international prop Meg York coaches the side. “The vast majority of these players didn’t play rugby before the Arrows cluster centre was set up but enjoyed it so much that the girls begged us to set up an Under 15 and Under 18 side so that they could keep playing. The players are so enthusiastic, they just want to play rugby and since school has started back, they’ve brought their friends with them too, so numbers are increasing every week.

“They are so keen to learn and I certainly have my eyes on a number of players who could go on and play at a higher level. Coming from Pontypool myself, my idols were the Pontypool front row and if these girls see that I’ve achieved my dream of playing for Wales, hopefully they will see that it’s possible for them too; there is certainly no shortage of talent.”

Arrows player Nicole Smith said: “When I saw on Facebook that the Arrows cluster was setting up, I just had to get involved as I played rugby in primary school and thoroughly enjoyed it. Having Meg as a coach makes a huge difference as she gives us confidence and passes on her skills to us. I would love to play for the Dragons and Wales one day.”

Developing women’s and girls’ rugby at all levels is a key priority for the Welsh Rugby Union.

High profile appointments in the 15 and seven-a-side women’s game recently have been an indication of that at an elite level – along with WRU support for Jasmine Joyce and Laurie Harries to train with GB, Jaz Joyce going on to represent Team GB at the Olympics and a commitment to invest in Wales – places in the Women Sevens, with qualification for the Commonwealth Games and the World Sevens Series, are up for grabs.

At grassroots level, the 80 school club hub officers around Wales have hugely increased opportunities for girls to play rugby in school and helped to transfer girls to the clusters.

To find out about opportunities for women and girls to play rugby, email [email protected].

Sport

Pembrokeshire cricket results and tables – Week 5

Published

12 hours ago

May 24, 2026

Herald Sport

Week 5 of the Thomas Carroll Pembroke County Cricket League delivered some emphatic wins, standout individual performances and movement at the top of several divisions as clubs battled for early-season momentum.

Match	Result
Neyland v Burton	Neyland (152-7) beat Burton (151 all out) by 3 wickets
Narberth v Carew	Carew (163 all out) beat Narberth (119 all out) by 44 runs
Herbrandston v Cresselly	Cresselly (205 all out) beat Herbrandston (60 all out) by 145 runs
Whitland v Saundersfoot	Saundersfoot (265-8) beat Whitland (179 all out) by 86 runs
Lawrenny v St Ishmaels	St Ishmaels (148-9) beat Lawrenny (144 all out) by 1 wicket

Top performers:

Jon Mansbridge (Saundersfoot) – 120
Ethan Hall (Carew) – 60
Charlie Arthur (Cresselly) – 6-19
Alan Webster (Neyland) – 30 & 4-20

Division 1 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Carew	5	79
2	Saundersfoot	5	70
3	Neyland	5	65
4	Cresselly	5	51
5	St Ishmaels	5	40
6	Herbrandston	5	39
7	Burton	5	39
8	Narberth	5	34
9	Whitland	5	32
10	Lawrenny	5	23

Match	Result
Llechryd v Hook	Hook (140-9) beat Llechryd (136-7) by 1 wicket
Haverfordwest v Johnston	Johnston (114-6) beat Haverfordwest (113-8) by 4 wickets
Fishguard v Llangwm	Fishguard (158-8) beat Llangwm (157-8) by 2 wickets
Cresselly II v Pembroke	Pembroke (235-7) beat Cresselly II (130 all out) by 105 runs
Llanrhian v Pembroke Dock	Pembroke Dock (104 all out) beat Llanrhian (92 all out) by 12 runs

Top performers:

Jack Harries (Pembroke) – 102
Steve Mills (Johnston) – 59* & 4-8
Jack Jones (Llanrhian) – 66*

Division 2 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Johnston	5	78
2	Pembroke	5	71
3	Haverfordwest	5	67
4	Cresselly II	5	64
5	Hook	5	62
6	Pembroke Dock	5	52
7	Fishguard	5	42
8	Llanrhian	5	37
9	Llangwm	5	30
10	Llechryd	5	30

</details> <details> <summary>Division 3 results</summary>

Match	Result
Pembroke II v Haverfordwest II	Pembroke II (179-4) beat Haverfordwest II (178-5) by 6 wickets
Burton II v Hundleton	Burton II (121 all out) beat Hundleton (113 all out) by 8 runs
Carew II v Kilgetty	Kilgetty (178-2) beat Carew II (174-5) by 8 wickets
Lamphey v Laugharne	Laugharne (259-5) beat Lamphey (190 all out) by 69 runs
Saundersfoot II v Stackpole	Saundersfoot II (143-4) beat Stackpole (142-6) by 6 wickets

Division 3 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Kilgetty	5	78
2	Laugharne	5	66
3	Carew II	5	62
4	Lamphey	5	54
5	Saundersfoot II	5	53
6	Hundleton	5	52
7	Burton II	4	52
8	Pembroke II	5	37
9	Haverfordwest II	5	30
10	Stackpole	4	20

</details> <details> <summary>Division 4 results</summary>

Match	Result
Haverfordwest III v Herbrandston II	Herbrandston II (99 all out) beat Haverfordwest III (65 all out) by 34 runs
Hook II v Lawrenny II	Lawrenny II (148-7) beat Hook II (136-7) by 12 runs
Crymych v Llechryd II	Crymych (253-5) beat Llechryd II (131-7) by 122 runs
Carew III v Narberth II	Narberth II (77-1) beat Carew III (76 all out) by 9 wickets
St Ishmaels II v Neyland II	St Ishmaels II (166-8) beat Neyland II (139 all out) by 27 runs

Division 4 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Narberth II	5	87
2	Lawrenny II	5	74
3	Hook II	5	65
4	Crymych	5	60
5	St Ishmaels II	5	55

</details> <details> <summary>Division 5 & 6 results</summary>

Division 5

Cresselly III beat Hundleton II by 81 runs
Llangwm II beat Llanrhian II by 9 wickets
Whitland II beat Pembroke Dock II by 85 runs

Division 5 leaders:

Cresselly III – 86 pts
Whitland II – 72 pts
Llanrhian II – 67 pts

Division 6

Neyland III beat H’West/Cresselly by 9 wickets
Haverfordwest IV beat Kilgetty II by 8 wickets
Laugharne II beat Whitland III by 143 runs

Division 6 leaders:

Whitland III – 71 pts
Lamphey II – 56 pts
Neyland III – 55 pts

Sport

Three days of world-class motorsport set to return to Mid Wales this September

Published

3 days ago

May 21, 2026

Herald Sport

Expanded Rali Ceredigion event to bring elite rally drivers, historic cars and millions for the local economy

THE ROAR of rally engines will return to Mid Wales this autumn as the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion makes its much-anticipated comeback from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6.

Now firmly established as one of the biggest events on the UK motorsport calendar, the rally will once again bring world-class competition to the roads of Ceredigion and Powys, with drivers competing across three major championships.

The event will host rounds of the FIA European Rally Championship, the British Rally Championship and the European Historic Rally Championship, the latter making its first appearance at the Welsh event.

Organisers say the addition of historic rally cars will add a new attraction for spectators, with iconic vehicles from previous generations expected to take part alongside today’s top competitors.

Expanded programme planned

Building on the success of previous years, the 2026 event will begin with a ceremonial start and rally showcase on Aberystwyth promenade on Thursday evening (Sept 3), before competitive stages get underway across Mid Wales throughout the weekend.

The rally has grown into a major tourism and economic boost for the region, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and putting local communities, businesses and landscapes in front of an international audience.

Figures from last year’s event showed a total economic impact of £11.6 million, including an estimated £5.59 million in direct spending, with businesses across the region reporting increased visitor numbers, overnight stays and higher spending.

Council backs return of event

The Leader of Ceredigion County Council, Cllr Bryan Davies said: “We’re proud to welcome Rali Ceredigion back to the county for 2026. The event continues to grow year on year, bringing significant benefits to our communities, local businesses and the wider economy.

“With an expanded programme and the addition of the European Historic Rally Championship, this year’s event promises to attract even more visitors to the region.

“As a council, our focus is on working closely with organisers and partners to ensure residents are well informed and that the event is delivered safely and successfully for everyone.”

Organisers are working alongside Ceredigion County Council, Powys County Council and emergency services to ensure the event is delivered safely, with details of road closures, timings and routes expected to be released in the coming months.

Historic rally cars to join line-up

Rali Ceredigion Director Charlie Jukes said organisers were excited to expand the event once again.

He said: “The addition of the European Historic Rally Championship is a fantastic development, adding even more variety and appeal for fans, with a wider range of iconic rally cars expected to take part.

“Rali Ceredigion continues to grow in scale and reputation and we’re proud to work alongside local authorities, partners and communities to deliver an event that showcases the very best of the region and generates a significant positive impact.”

Residents and businesses are being encouraged to plan ahead, with community engagement activity expected to begin before the summer.

Photo caption:

Rally return: Last year’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion attracted thousands of spectators and delivered a major boost to the local economy (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Vikings make history with cup final win

Published

3 days ago

May 21, 2026

Herald Sport

HAKIN UNITED have made Pembrokeshire football history after retaining the West Wales Intermediate Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Penlan at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Ashley Bevan’s first-half goal proved decisive on Thursday evening as Scott Davies’ side became the first Pembrokeshire team to win the competition in back-to-back seasons.

It was another memorable night for the Vikings, who have now reached three finals in four years and added the cup to their league success to complete an outstanding double.

Penlan began strongly, with Kyle Hughes seeing a deflected effort drift narrowly wide before Kieran Jenkins curled a shot into the arms of Hakin goalkeeper Rory Williams.

Williams was called into action again after a defensive mistake allowed Jenkins a sight of goal, while at the other end Jack Britton was unable to generate enough power on a header inside the area.

Hakin grew into the contest, with Camron Thomas and Bevan both seeing efforts blocked following a half-cleared corner.

Williams then produced one of the key moments of the match, racing from his area to make a perfectly-timed sliding challenge as Penlan threatened to break through.

Ben Aldred went close with a rising 25-yard strike which flew over the bar, before the game became increasingly scrappy, with Britton and Jordan Kilby both booked for late challenges.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute. Shane Walsh made ground down the left and squared the ball across the area for Bevan, who slid in to finish and give Hakin a 1-0 half-time lead.

There was a brief delay after the interval while the stadium lights were switched on, before Penlan pushed for an equaliser.

Dylyn Perkins had a shot blocked by Britton, while Bevan remained a constant threat for Hakin and later fired over after Kieran King’s cross was only partly cleared.

Hakin suffered a blow when Aldred landed awkwardly after clearing a dangerous Perkins free-kick and was forced off. Craig Nicholson came on and slotted into a solid defensive line alongside Jay Power, King and the impressive Camron Thomas.

Penlan defender Jack Jenkins was booked for bringing down Bevan from behind, while Hakin substitute Liam Parks almost added a second when he latched onto a through ball over goalkeeper Luke Davies, only to lose his footing at the vital moment.

Parks later cut the ball back for Mason Dolling, whose low effort flashed just wide.

Penlan’s hopes suffered a late setback when substitute Anthony Finselbach was shown a straight red card by referee Ben Williams for a challenge on Matthew Broome.

At the final whistle, Hakin’s players and supporters celebrated a famous victory.

The Vikings have now won the West Wales Intermediate Cup five times and sit third on the all-time winners’ list, behind West End and Ragged School, who have lifted the trophy seven times each.

Penlan: Luke Davies, Jenson Lorey, Corey Young (Jaye Tebay 89), Liam Logan (captain), Jack Jenkins, Jamie James, Kyle Hughes, Navan Green (Anthony Finselbach 76), Thomas Davies, Kieran Jenkins, Dylan Perkins (Jayden Blackmore 76).

Substitutes not used: Robert Shannon, Kian Finselbach.

Hakin United: Rory Williams, Kieran King, Camron Thomas, Ben Aldred (Craig Nicholson 70), Jay Power, Jack Britton, Cameron Brunton (Mason Dolling 59), Jordan Kilby (Mark Jones 90), Ashley Bevan (Liam Parks 74), Ryan Wilson (captain), Shane Walsh (Matthew Broome 83).

Referee: Ben Williams.

Assistants: Cilan Thomas and Nick Pryor.

Fourth official: Kevin Price.