Sport

Skudder’s try hat trick in Blues victory

Published

8 years ago

September 27, 2017

Written by Jonathan Twigg

HAVERFORDWEST travelled to Pill Parks, Llangwm on Saturday (Sept 23) and returned with a convincing 54-5 victory to keep their 100% Division 3A West league record intact thanks to a hat trick of tries from winger Ben Skudder.

Skudder was part of a back division which dominated the game for the ‘Blues’ as outside half Matthew Davies pulled the strings for centre pairing of Gareth John and Dane Pindair to cause problems all afternoon for the hosts.

In fairness to the Wasps they battled hard to the end and ensured their more ‘millionaire’ opponents didn’t get it all their own way as the scoreline suggests, especially in the game’s opening quarter when outside half Louis Murphy had three kickable penalty attempts to chalk his side on the scoreboard.

Llangwm, whilst disjointed in their phased build up play drew the Haverfordwest defence line into conceding numerous penalties.

Time after time the visitors were guilty of being penalised for over running the offside line or holding in the tackle, with referee Davies warning skipper Alun Harries of his concern.

An outline of the Blue inability to master the referees requirement resulted in occasions where they were marched back 10m for verbally berating his decisions, where fifteen penalties were conceded in the first 25 minutes. From one such offence of not releasing the player in the tackle centre John was sin binned with his side leading 7-0, after he had converted a fine try by full back Ollie Hughes.

Davies had pushed a 25m drop out deep into the Llangwm half which saw home full back Steve Picton caught by hooker Ryan Palmer as he ran the ball back on 12 minutes. Second row Adam Williams picked up and drove on from the ruck, before a half break from scrum half Richard James saw Pindair break through two tackles on the crash ball. The Blues forwards quickly recycled the ball for Davies to put Hughes in space and he rounded the covering tackles wide out to score.

An impatient Haverfordwest prevented them delivering a much larger winning margin as they endeavoured to push boundaries in the aim of scoring from early phase possession. Coaches Bruce Evans and Simon Le Petit would have been frustrated with this lack of composure which saw promising attacking movements halted by handling errors.

With John out of the game following his tackle to stop home centre Josh Hicks strong run over 30m through the midfield, it did have the desired effect to settle their play into a composed rhythm.

This resulted in the second score of the half, an opening effort for Skudder who responded to James’ tap and go from a penalty following a scrum offence for pushing early by the home pack.

Ben Skudder: A hat trick of tries for the Blues

Davies accepted the ball from James feeding dynamic flanker Morgan Layton, who rumbled 15m upfield before Pindair’s quick hands put full back Hughes in space. He drew last man Picton with a beautiful timed pass to Skudder who raced over from 35m before Hughes slotted over the conversion in John’s absence.

Haverfordwest, buoyed by this second score when reduced to 14 men kept the same game plan causing Llangwm to miss tackles through Jack Griffiths, Hicks, Murphy and Picton which allowed Haverfordwest to dominate the territory as half time approached.

Back to full strength prop Ritchie Little was instrumental in setting a platform for Davies to dance over with five minutes of the half remaining, although John missed the simplest of his kicks to leave the half time score 19-0 in the Blues favour.

The second half started as the first had finished with the visitors on the front foot, although the game didn’t gain momentum with both packs at fault for ‘early engagement’ penalties which riled the partisan supporters of both camps.

Encounters between the two sides over the years have been feisty and the traditional ‘Bishop Cup’ fixtures on Boxing Day attracting four figures crowds revelling in their time out of the house during the Yule tide period. Banter at these games is second to none and both sides buy into the occasion and raise their game.

‘Harfat’ landed their bonus point try as the hour mark approached after Hicks was isolated in possession and the ball swiftly moved out to the hands of Davies and John for Pindair to put winger Rhys Baker over towards the play park corner for John to superbly convert, where he didn’t miss another kick all afternoon.

The versatile Hicks, playing at Centre having started the season as a second row was taking the game to the visitors, where the rest of the home side, second Row Ashley James and skipper James Lewis apart failed to respond. Hicks surprisingly lacked some football skills when leading the foot race with James as he was quickest to respond to his skipper and hooker Aled Morgans work on the ground.

The strong running centre did get his sides score on 65 minutes when a poor kick from Pindair was collected by number 8 Ian Griffiths who with his fellow back row of James Lewis, skipper and namesake, playing on permit from Whitland allowed Hicks some momentum in midfield. He left John and Skudder in his wake as he thundered over from 25m, with Picton missing the conversion.

The smarting Blues quickly regrouped after allowing their defences to be breached and two minutes later from a scrum, Davies and John combined to put Pindair into space and he broke a tackle from Gavin Jenkins to stroll in from 15m and the lead was 33-5.

With ten minutes remaining Skudder scored his second try after good work again by hooker Palmer on the floor ensured space was created wide out for Skudder to finish under the posts.

Home second row James again came to the fore, in his first game of the season to allow his side to gain territory from their limited possession, with the game drifting towards a mundane finish as fitness impacted on the skill level alongside the continual run of replacements.

The final score of the afternoon came with a minute of play remaining, after a mazy Baker run over 35m resulted in a Llangwm scrum as Josh Atherton was penalised for holding the ball.

The Blues pack managed to get ‘one against the head’ allowing skipper Harries to pick up from the base of the scrum, feeding the ball back inside to James to get a pass away to the ‘loitering’ Skudder who pinned back his ears over 20m for his hattrick and push the scoreboard over the 50 point mark.

Coaching gurus Evans and Le Petit were delighted with the win post-match, identifying the work rate of flanker Layton in the same breath as Skudder for his finishing and ball players Davies and Hughes for their awareness in getting the ball wide to players in space. “We didn’t want to get embroiled in a dog fight, which many of these local derbies can become” said Evans. “Our game plan was disrupted, maybe by the occasion as we weren’t willing to build the phases required to create the scoring opportunities.”

Related Topics:Haverfordwest Llangwm pembrokeshire Rugby

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Haverfordwest sailor leads global team to historic victory in Korea

Published

1 day ago

March 18, 2026

Herald Sport

Lou Boorman celebrates home port win in round-the-world yacht race

A HAVERFORDWEST-born sailor has led her team to a landmark victory on the global stage, winning a major leg of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race as it arrived in South Korea.

Lou Boorman, aged 23, skippered Team Tongyeong to first place as the fleet sailed into the Korean port city this week (Mar 16), marking a historic moment for the race.

The win is particularly significant as it is the first time the round-the-world event has ever stopped in Korea – and the home team claimed the top spot.

Speaking from the yacht after crossing the finish line, Lou said: “We did it, we performed under the pressure! To get a win into our home port, I can die happy!”

From Pembrokeshire to the world stage

Lou, who grew up in Haverfordwest, has quickly risen through the ranks of competitive sailing. Before taking on the challenge of leading a Clipper Race team, she had already secured titles as British, Irish and Welsh Female Champion.

Now skippering one of the race’s international teams, she is responsible not only for navigation and strategy, but also for leading a diverse crew – many of whom had never sailed before joining the race.

The Clipper Race is one of the toughest endurance challenges in sport, covering 40,000 nautical miles over eleven months, with crews facing extreme weather conditions ranging from freezing Pacific crossings to equatorial heat.

High-stakes gamble pays off

Team Tongyeong took a major risk during this stage, playing its ‘Joker’ card – a race tactic that doubles points if successful.

The gamble paid off, earning the team maximum points and securing their place at the top of the leaderboard.

Lou said: “We’ve worked really hard and put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Going into our home port there is a lot of pressure to perform, and we added to that pressure by playing our Joker – and we got twenty points, so I’m very proud of the team.”

This marks the team’s second win in recent stages, building momentum as they pass the halfway point of the global race.

Life at sea and leadership challenges

Reflecting on her journey so far, Lou highlighted the challenges of leadership as much as the physical demands of sailing.

She said: “Sometimes the sailing comes second to the people because they are the important ones. To lead them through that is one of the toughest things I’ve ever done, but it’s also one of the most rewarding.”

She added: “My favourite thing about sailing is the magic of the sea, the stars, the storms and the remoteness. I feel free and at my happiest at sea.”

Global race continues

The Clipper Race fleet will remain in Tongyeong for a week of cultural events before setting off across the North Pacific towards Seattle.

The race will later visit Panama, Washington DC, and Oban before returning to Portsmouth this summer, completing a full circumnavigation of the globe.

For Pembrokeshire, Lou’s achievement puts a local name firmly on the world sailing map – and highlights the global reach of talent from West Wales.

Sport

New2Golf scheme returns to South Pembrokeshire Golf Club

Published

2 days ago

March 17, 2026

Herald Sport

Six-week beginner programme offers affordable route into the sport

SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE GOLF CLUB is preparing to launch its popular New2Golf scheme for 2026, with the latest intake starting on Monday (Apr 13).

Now in its eighth year at the Pembroke Dock course, the initiative offers a low-cost and welcoming introduction to golf. All equipment and professional tuition are included for a small fee, making it accessible to people of all ages and abilities – including complete beginners who have never picked up a club before.

The scheme is also ideal for those who have previously played golf and are looking to return to the game after a break.

Participants will receive coaching from qualified golf professionals at the club’s practice ground during early evening sessions over a six-week period. There will also be an option to continue with further sessions after the initial programme.

Golf provides a great opportunity to stay active, enjoy the outdoors and meet new people. As a low-impact sport, it allows players to gradually build fitness while learning new skills. Whether approached competitively or socially, it offers a relaxed and enjoyable way to spend time outdoors.

Last year’s New2Golf intake ranged in age from eight to 70, highlighting the sport’s broad appeal and accessibility.

Located in Pennar, Pembroke Dock, South Pembrokeshire Golf Club enjoys scenic views over the Haven waterway. The club has a thriving membership across junior, ladies’, men’s and seniors’ sections, and prides itself on being friendly and supportive to new players.

Members regularly help newcomers develop their skills on the course, offering guidance on rules, techniques and course play.

The clubhouse also serves as a social hub, offering home-cooked food, a bar and meeting facilities, with a busy calendar of events throughout the year.

Anyone who has ever considered taking up golf – or returning to the sport – is encouraged to get involved.

For more information or to enrol in the 2026 New2Golf scheme, contact [email protected] or visit the Wales Golf website.

New2Golf is organised and supported by Wales Golf.

Sport

Bluebirds leave it late to beat Cardiff Met at the Meadow

Published

2 days ago

March 17, 2026

Herald Sport

Jones strike secures vital win as County stay top of play-off conference

HAVERFORDWEST County returned to winning ways on Friday (Mar 13) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cardiff Metropolitan at the Ogi Bridge Meadow.

Substitute OWAIN JONES proved the difference, scoring with ten minutes remaining to seal all three points for the Bluebirds in front of a crowd of more than 500.

The result means County maintain their four-point lead at the top of the JD Cymru Premier Play-Off Conference with just four games left to play.

Slow first half

Chances were limited during a quiet opening period, with neither side able to gain control.

The game was disrupted by a lengthy 12-minute stoppage after Cardiff Met striker Lewis Rees required treatment following a collision with Panashe Makwiramiti.

When play resumed, both sides struggled to build momentum. Dylan Rees came closest for the hosts before the break, first delivering a dangerous cross that narrowly missed teammates before seeing a long-range effort drift just wide.

Cardiff Met’s best opportunity came late in the half when Dixon Kabongo fired over from inside the area.

***Kyle Kenniford advances away from Lifumpa Mwandwe. (Pic by Lewis Mitchell/FAW)***

Pressure builds after break

County looked sharper after the restart and began to apply sustained pressure.

Greg Walters saw a header deflected wide early in the second half, before the hosts had the ball in the net moments later, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Dan Hawkins then forced a low save from goalkeeper Ewan Griffiths, while Walters again went close with an effort from inside the box.

With chances continuing to come and go, manager Tony Pennock turned to his bench, introducing Owain Jones and Iori Humphreys midway through the half.

Jones strikes late

The breakthrough finally came on 80 minutes.

A corner caused confusion in the Cardiff Met defence, and the ball fell kindly for JONES, who bundled it over the line from close range to send the home supporters into celebration.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser late on, but Ifan Knott was rarely troubled as County held firm through the closing stages.

The victory sees Haverfordwest County strengthen their position at the top of the Play-Off Conference as they head into the final weeks of the season.

They are back in action on Saturday (Mar 21) when they travel to Bala Town.

Cover image:

Greg Walters shifts the ball away from Cardiff Metropolitan captain CJ Craven. (Pic by Lewis Mitchell/FAW)