Sport

Seasiders sink Aber

Published

8 years ago

October 3, 2017

By Jonathan Twigg

TENBY welcomed an Aberystwyth team, which boasted the best defensive record having conceded just one try on average in Division 1 West this season, to Heywood Lane on Saturday (Sept 30) and ran out 33-7 winners scoring four tries to secure maximum points in a fully committed performance.

Not having played each other for twelve seasons in a league fixture, home skipper Johnnie Morgan elected for his side to play against the elements in the first period, where heavy rain before kick-off and a driving wind off the sea meant the hosts would have to be at their best defensively to keep the ‘Bluebears’ at bay.

Tenby did more than that as they showed a willingness to move the Jewsons sponsored ball through the hands of their back division

The Aberystwyth side relied heavily on keeping the ball close to their pack of forwards although scrum half Gruf Jones was often passing over 20m to the aligned ‘pods’ which restricted the pace and drive which his side required to penetrate the stoic home defence, where young hooker Kyle Hamer and prop Rob Luly stood out alongside the back row of Andrew Cooke, Barry Parsons and number 8 Roy Osborn.

Using the wind, territory was with Aber during the first half with centre Tom Evans creating an opportunity through some strong running for wing Gwern Penri, who spilled the scoring pass with the line beckoning.

The handling error was something the visitors suffered from throughout the game and may have been a reason why they kept the ball tight, although both Jones and his half back partner Llyr Thomas may well reflect on their game management further.

Winger Josh Thomas, playing on permit from Whitland made ground into the home midfield close to the midway point of the first half, combining in midfield with Evans and linking in hooker Owain Bonsall to where a resultant penalty attempt by Thomas was missed.

The opening score of the game came after 22 minutes when Tenby second row Dewi Davies secured lineout ball outside his 22m line, allowing full back Morgan to clear the ball 40m upfield.

The home pack caught opposition full back Casmir Yandell on the halfway line and wrestled possession back to scrum half Matthew Morgan to make 15m as he danced around the periphery of the ensuing ruck.

His pass found the hands of supporting half back partner Ashley Sutton who escaped the clutches of would be tacklers to run in from 30m under the posts and convert his try’

The half continued in the same pattern for Aber as they tried to run ball back from their own half when perhaps some leadership from the half backs to play in the 22m may have reaped rewards; number 8 Lee Evan managed to put Carwyn Evans in space but his hands let him down, as did Penri when he had a 10m clear run to the line for him to spill the crucial pass.

Referee Justin Williams had given both sides every opportunity to play as he used advantage and consistently applied the laws for the teams to know who was in charge and following his whistle to start the second half, with the elements in their favour and leading 7-0 Tenby took advantage straight away from the kick off when Lee Gower spilled Sutton’s restart.

After several phases of play deep in their opponents 22, Sutton pinged a drop goal wide of the posts before a second try was scored through the hands of Yanik Parker.

The winger rounded off a move where Hamer, Clarke created a channel for centre Jack Guerreio to enter at pace and put Parker beyond the last defender although Sutton could add the extras as he pushed the conversion across the posts.

Aber, through Bonsall and Evans, had a pack of forwards which had parity with their home counterparts in the loose and at line outs, plus dominating the scrum, where they had considerable advantage to push the home eight backwards.

Not being able to capitalise on this, a third Tenby try arrived as they gained possession deep in their own half.

Mathew Morgan took the ball off Parker before centre Moritz Neuman was one on one against Yandell as Full-back Jonny Morgan appeared outside him to create the extra man and score under the posts. Sutton added the conversion for a confident home side to lead 19-0, putting behind them the three defeats they have encountered in a row,

The bonus point came for the now dominant home side, who had stopped another Aber forward drive through Evans, Bonsall and Robbie Parry, returning the ball to the opposition 22.

Second row Williams secured crucial ball and his fellow forwards went through four phases of controlled drives before Osborne burrowed his way over the line for Sutton to again convert.

Aber came back once again through Bonsall, whose efforts made him stand out for the visitors, from which the ball was recycled across the line.

Thomas was hauled down just short of the line by Sutton, as Tenby reshuffled their back line all game to let their heavy hitters cover the inside channels and Sutton didn’t let the side down with his tackle.

Tenby were guilty of some handling errors as they made replacements during the final quarter, and from one such misplay Aber had an attacking 5m scrum from which the home eight pushed through once again the home pack, which captain Lee ‘Truck’ Evans picked up at the base of the scrum and touch down for Thomas to drop through the conversion.

The restart for Aber was once again a disaster as prop Jamie Plumbridge and second row Bryn Shepherd lacked communication and the loose ball was thrust into the hands of a marauding Tenby pack.

Establishing a strong attacking platform through several rucks centre Neuman set up the final scoring move with a strong run, where Sutton looped around prop Rob Clarke to the offload the ball to replacement winger Jordan Asparrasa who potted over and Sutton added the coup de grace to a fine Tenby performance.

Home coach Chris James was jubilant in his post-match analysis ‘as his side stood up to the task. We worked hard on our defence game this week in training after some less than brilliant performances which have cost us dearly, but today we were excellent. Johnnie [Morgan] elected to play into the elements on winning the toss and it set us up from the start, with strong tackles and a well organised defence line.”

James went on that to say: “We worked hard to gain parity against a renowned physical visiting set of forwards and we were able to develop as the second half went on, so much so we dictated much of the final part of the game when the heavens opened.

Prop Rob Luly epitomised our work rate as he kept his composure in our under pressure scrum whilst also being a stand out performer in the loose, so he will enjoy the steaks provided by Heywoods Butchers as he was deservedly man of the match.”

Tenby head to Llanelli Wanderers tomorrow (Oct 7) in a WRU Plate match against a side they defeated 42-23 on the opening day of the season.

Aber head coach Andrew Barlow acknowledged his side “didn’t take advantage of the wind in the first half as we tried to run from deep when perhaps we should have played the percentage game more.

“It hasn’t helped that we have a few injuries in our back line and today we had a back three who not trained together, but no excuses as we were roundly defeated against a side who play good rugby on an outstanding surface, despite the weather.”

Related Topics:Aberystwyth pembrokeshire Rugby Tenby

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Awards celebrate all that is good about Pembrokeshire sport

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Herald Sport

PEMBROKESHIRE’S sporting community came together on Friday evening as Folly Farm hosted the annual Sport Pembrokeshire Awards – a night dedicated to honouring achievements across every level, age group and discipline.

The awards recognise exceptional performances, inspiring journeys and the volunteers who keep local sport thriving behind the scenes. The ceremony was once again presented by Ceri Coleman-Phillips of BBC Wales Sport, supported by Cris Tomos.

Lifetime honour for Premier League star

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pembrokeshire’s own Simon Davies.
The former Wales winger enjoyed a distinguished Premier League career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

Davies scored in the 2010 Europa League final for Fulham, won fifty-eight caps for Wales – scoring six – and captained his country during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He was named Welsh Footballer of the Year in 2002 and Fulham’s player of the season in 2007–08. After leaving the club in 2013, he returned to his boyhood side Solva AFC, famously paying £3 subs to play against St Ishmaels.

Special recognition for Wales Women’s Street Football Team

Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas introduced the evening’s Special Award, honouring the players of the Wales Women’s Street Football Team for their remarkable run to the quarter-finals of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo.

The squad trains in Haverfordwest and included five outstanding Pembrokeshire players – co-captains Tor Planner and Marie Tilley, alongside Claire Mantripp, Sam Lewtas and Bryony Davies. All have overcome personal challenges, including homelessness, mental health difficulties and social exclusion, yet wore the Welsh jersey with pride on the world stage.

The team was led by manager Jo Price, former Wales and Arsenal goalkeeper.
Support staff included Anji Tinley, Manager of the Garth Youth & Community Project and a Pembrokeshire County Councillor.

Cruising Free honoured after rowing the Atlantic

The Chairman’s Award for 2025 was presented by Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Cllr Maureen Bowen to ‘Cruising Free’ of Neyland Rowing Club, who achieved one of the world’s toughest endurance feats – rowing 3,200 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sophie Pierce, Janine Williams, Miyah Periam and Polly Zipperlan completed the gruelling crossing from Lanzarote to Antigua, raising money for cystic fibrosis and the Paul Sartori Foundation.

At 32, Sophie became the first person with cystic fibrosis to row an ocean, while 70-year-old Janine became the oldest woman ever to complete the challenge. The team’s achievement was hailed as a powerful example of determination, unity and courage.

Parkrun pioneers win School Award

The School Award went to the Federation of Tavernspite and Templeton Schools – the first Parkrun School in the UK.

The federation has built a Parkrun curriculum with Parkrun UK, using the weekly event to boost physical activity, support wellbeing, and develop leadership through the Parkrun Ambassador scheme. The schools were praised for exceptional inclusion, providing adapted PE equipment, wheelchair races and strong support for disadvantaged pupils. Estyn has highlighted their work as best practice.

A strong year for Pembrokeshire sport

Summing up the event, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said:
“My congratulations go to everyone who won awards and all those nominated. We are so lucky to have such a strong sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire, and my thanks go to all those who work so hard to ensure people of all ages and abilities can take part in the sports they love. Thanks also to our sponsors Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio for supporting this celebration each year.”

Full list of winners

Girls U16: Ava Tyrie (Brazilian Ju Jitsu – Pembroke MMA)
Boys U16: Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Club of the Year: Milford Haven Hockey Club (MAIN PHOTO)
Junior Disability: Jake Evans (Llangwm RFC)
Young Volunteer: Alannah Heasman (Haverfordwest High School)
Junior Team: Merlin’s Bridge FC Under-14s 2024/25
Unsung Hero: Jenny Lewis (Clarbeston Road AFC)
Senior Team: Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club
Male Achievement: Liam Bradley (Triathlon)
Female Achievement: Sanna Duthie (Running)
Disability Sport: Rachel Bailey (Boccia)
Club Organiser: Silfan Rhys-Jones (Fishguard Table Tennis Club)
Coach of the Year: James North (Kilgetty AFC)
School Award: Tavernspite & Templeton Federation of Schools
Chairman’s Award: Cruising Free (Neyland Rowing Club)
Special Award: Street Football Wales
Lifetime Achievement: Simon Davies (Wales, Spurs, Fulham, Everton & Solva AFC)

Sport

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Week ten results

Published

4 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

The Friendly League continues as Reynalton close the gap on leaders East Williamston

THE LATEST round of fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League produced another mix of tight contests and emphatic victories.

Kilgetty were beaten 8–2 at home by Hundleton, while Reynalton delivered the standout performance of the week with a 10–0 win over East Williamston. Llanteg also impressed, defeating Carew 8–2.

Elsewhere, St Twynnells claimed a 7–3 win away at the Badgers, and Lamphey ran out 7–3 winners against St Johns. Cosheston had the bye.

League table – Week ten

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
East Williamston	8	7	0	1	+130	62
Reynalton	8	5	1	2	+64	50
Hundleton	8	4	1	3	+3	42
Llanteg	8	4	0	4	–5	41
Badgers	9	3	1	5	–21	41
St Johns	8	3	1	4	–6	38
St Twynnells	8	4	0	4	–34	37
Lamphey	9	4	0	5	–15	36
Kilgetty	9	4	0	5	–49	36
Cosheston	8	3	0	5	–13	35
Carew	7	3	0	4	–54	32

Reynalton’s dominant win means they move within touching distance of leaders East Williamston, setting up an intriguing second half to the season.

Sport

South Africa run riot as Wales suffer record defeat in Cardiff

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

Wales 0–73 South Africa
WALES endured one of the heaviest defeats in their history on Saturday as world champions South Africa ran in 11 tries at the Principality Stadium, producing a brutal 73-0 demolition that exposed the gulf between the sides and underlined the scale of the rebuilding task facing Welsh rugby.

The fixture, arranged outside the international window, left Wales without several first-choice players and short on experience. South Africa, by contrast, arrived in Cardiff at full strength and in ruthless form. What followed was a one-sided contest from the opening minutes to the final whistle.

First-half dominance

The Springboks established their authority early, their scrum immediately overpowering the Welsh pack and setting the tone for the afternoon. Tries from Gerhard Steenekamp, Ethan Hooker and Jasper Wiese put the visitors 21-0 ahead, with Wales struggling to exit their own half and repeatedly conceding penalties under pressure.

Wales’ lineout functioned reasonably well and there were brief flashes of ambition from Joe Hawkins, Joe Roberts and Rio Dyer, but every half-chance dissolved through handling errors or South Africa’s suffocating defensive line. A late surge from the Boks saw Morne van den Berg cross just before the break for a 28-0 half-time lead.

Second-half collapse

Any hopes of containment disappeared after the interval. South Africa emptied their bench—bringing on yet more power—and immediately cut through Wales again. Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (twice), Canan Moodie, Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth all scored in a relentless second half.

Wales’ discipline faltered under the pressure. Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright were both shown yellow cards, with Wainwright’s high tackle sent to the bunker for review. South Africa’s own discipline cracked late on when Etzebeth received a straight red card for making contact with the eye area of Alex Mann—an incident captain Siya Kolisi later claimed was accidental.

Reaction

Player of the match Andre Esterhuizen, who produced a series of thunderous carries and turnovers, said the Springboks “worked really hard” to complete their Autumn clean sweep, praising Wales for “never giving up”.

Kolisi was gracious in victory but said he did not want the Etzebeth incident to overshadow the performance, adding: “The only way a team gets better is by playing the best. Wales will be stronger for facing this.”

Former Wales captain Dan Biggar, working as a pundit, was blunt in his assessment. “There are players there that aren’t at this level now, and may not play this level again,” he said. “I don’t think anyone learned anything from that.”

A difficult day for Welsh rugby

For Wales, the defeat will strengthen scrutiny of the WRU’s scheduling and long-term planning. A young and inexperienced squad battled gamely in patches—Mann, Hawkins and Dyer among those showing fight—but the mismatch was stark.

A crowd of around 50,000, well below capacity, reflected the mood of supporters as another bruising year for Welsh rugby nears its end.

Head coach Warren Gatland will now attempt to piece together the positives from a chastening afternoon, but the bigger questions facing the structure of the game in Wales remain unanswered.