Sport

Otters seal bonus point victory

Published

8 years ago

October 30, 2017

By Jonathan Twigg

A GD Harries sponsored Narberth maintained their second place in the Championship at the Lewis Lloyd Ground on Saturday (October 28) with a bonus point 27-3 victory over bottom side Glynneath.

Head coach Sean Gale was delighted with the result saying his players ‘delivered all I asked of them’.

He added: “We were expecting a gritty performance from Glynneath but we knew we had a strong set piece which would allow us to maintain enough possession to press for victory. We are a developing side with many new faces gelling together and we are in the same position as last year. We could have been more clinical with our execution as we tried to keep the ball in hand but it’s important to remember we took maximum points.”

Defending into a strong breeze the dominant set piece came to the fore from the start as the Otters forwards disrupted their opponents scrum with captain Alex Jenkins and his fellow second row Ryan Banner winning the early line out battle.

Glynneath were robust in their tackling, rowing very close to a line which referee Chris Oliver monitored carefully. Full back Ianto Griffiths pinged over his first penalty attempt for an indiscretion after ten minutes when visiting hooker Craig Tennant was deemed to have committed a high a tackle.

Flanker Pat Roberts alongside props Bradley Davies and Tom Slater made inroads into the visitors’ territory and the pressure of swift hands and a visionary performance from outside half Jack Rogers eventually saw the game’s opening try just beyond the quarter of an hour mark.

Jenkins again won clean line out ball before picking up a pass after his fellow forwards went through several phases of gaining yards close to the halfway line. He made 20 metres before finding wing Liam Hutchings on the outside who drew the final man after a 25 metre blast, putting number 8 Richie Rees clear into the 22 and a 10-0 lead thanks to the trusty left boot of Griffiths extended.

Glynneath got themselves on the scoreboard five minutes later when centre Jack O’Reilly kicked a penalty in front of the posts after the home pack were guilty of putting hands in a ruck after Tennant and flanker James Perry drove the red and blacks back into the game.

Narberth’s game management suited the conditions as they defended a strong breeze, working around scrum half Nick Gales lead with close passing to their surrounding ‘pods’.

This frustrated the visitors with further indiscretions conceded as their passion affected their play and hooker Tennant saw yellow for holding the ball after a tackle ten metres short of his own line, from which Rogers set up an attacking line out.

The ball was moved around the field as the Otters burrowed for a try, which came with a minute of the half remaining.

Glynneath were punished after their scrum disintegrated without Tennant and Gale took a quick penalty to thrust towards the line, Roberts on his shoulder to set up time for Rogers to put a cross field kick into the hands of winger Hutchings to cross wide out, for a 15-3 half time lead.

An expectant home crowd anticipated the blue and blacks to cruise towards victory in the second period although this didn’t materialise as rugged defence accompanying a plethora of stoppages for injuries sustained by Glynneath prevented any continuity.

They failed to take the ball further than the home 22 yard line not allowing much action for the ‘Balcony sponsors’, The Glenn Hotel to watch over as their ‘mine host’ Slater plied his trade below.

For the final fifteen minutes the side who have popular entertainer Max Boyce as their President opted for uncontested scrums which diminished a threat from the back row of Roberts, Rees and flanker Tom Powell playing off the front foot.

Griffiths at full back was playing with a skills set which would fit at a higher level and the introduction of a dynamic replacement scrum half Lewys Gibby asked questions of a tiring side, with Hutchings and centre pairing Paul Davies and Joe Hutchings finding space to run into.

Replacement Ryan Davies finished off a move after man of the match Roberts again did the hard yards for a 20-3 lead and the finale was completed to cement the bonus point victory as the game edged towards its end as the flanker claimed a try of his own. He intercepted the ball as Glynneath ran the ball from deep and coasted in under the posts for Griffiths to convert.

Narberth make the trip to Port Talbot on Saturday (Nov 4) to take on Tata Steel, two places and two points below them.

Related Topics:Championship Glynneath Narberth pembrokeshire Rugby

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Implementation group announced to guide greyhound racing ban in Wales

Published

9 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Deputy First Minister outlines next steps towards ending the sport

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has announced the formation of a dedicated implementation group to oversee the transition towards a complete ban on greyhound racing in Wales.

The group was confirmed in a written statement issued on Friday (July 11) by Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs. It follows his previous statement made on June 24.

The newly formed group will include representatives from the greyhound racing industry, animal welfare charities, local authorities, and veterinary professionals. Its purpose is to ensure that the phase-out of greyhound racing is delivered in a way that prioritises animal welfare, supports those affected by the changes, and minimises disruption to local communities.

Dr Emily Blackwell, Senior Lecturer in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Bristol Veterinary School, has been appointed Chair of the group. She will be supported by two veterinary surgeons, representatives of Valley Stadium—the only remaining greyhound racing track in Wales—members of the Cut the Chase Coalition, and various animal welfare organisations.

The group met for the first time on Friday to begin outlining its remit and planning its work schedule.

Mr Irranca-Davies said: “Legislation to ban greyhound racing in Wales will be introduced this autumn. In the meantime, we must ensure that the transition is well-planned and fair to all involved. This includes safeguarding the welfare of dogs currently within the industry and supporting owners and local communities as we move away from the practice.”

He added: “Wales aspires to be a leader in animal health and welfare. Ending greyhound racing is a step in that direction. The implementation group’s expertise will be vital in helping us achieve this goal.”

The Welsh Government says the group will continue to meet over the coming months as it prepares for the introduction of the ban later this year.

Sport

IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea to make Welsh history this weekend

Published

3 days ago

July 10, 2025

Herald Sport

World-class triathletes descend on South Wales as Swansea hosts its first-ever IRONMAN Pro Series event

WALES will play host to a major milestone in triathlon history this weekend as IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea becomes the first-ever IRONMAN Pro Series event to take place on Welsh soil.

The race, held on Sunday (July 13), marks the twelfth stop on the 2025 global tour and is expected to draw thousands of spectators to the Swansea seafront. More than 60 professional athletes and over 2,500 age-group competitors will take part in the prestigious swim-bike-run event.

Among the elite contenders is reigning Swansea champion Harry Palmer (GBR), making his season debut, alongside Kat Matthews, the 2024 IRONMAN Pro Series champion, and Kristian Høgenhaug (DEN), who finished third in last year’s standings.

With $50,000 in prize money and up to 2,500 series points at stake, the event carries serious weight for those chasing the overall series crown and qualification slots for the 2025 IRONMAN World Championships in Nice and Kona.

Race day will begin at 7:00am with the professional men’s start, followed by the pro women at 7:05am, and the mass start for age-group athletes at 7:10am. The course features a scenic but challenging route, with a city-centre finish expected to be buzzing with spectators.

The event will also be broadcast live across the world on platforms including YouTube, DAZN, Outside TV (US and Canada), and ESPN via Disney+ (Latin America and Caribbean).

Speaking ahead of the event, organisers said Swansea had earned its place on the global calendar. “Bringing the Pro Series to Wales is a huge moment for triathlon in the UK, and especially for South Wales,” a spokesperson said.

A free-to-attend Pro Athlete Panel will take place at 2:00pm on Friday (July 11) at the Waterfront Museum’s Ocean Room, offering the public a chance to meet some of the sport’s biggest stars.

Among those set to speak are Germany’s Anne Reischmann, who currently leads the 2025 standings, and Britain’s Lizzie Rayner, who already has two podium finishes this year.

The oldest registered athlete is David Ransom, aged 77, while the youngest is 18-year-old Jaden Morgan, highlighting the sport’s wide appeal.

Media wishing to attend must register in advance, with accreditation closing on Friday. Race-day walk-ins will not be granted access to restricted areas.

Education

Pupils’ multi-sports event hits the target

Published

5 days ago

July 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MORE than 60 pupils have enjoyed trying out a range of different sports in a special
Sport Pembrokeshire event held last month

The event was held at Ysgol Glannau Gwaun with 65 pupils
from Years, 4,5 and 6 and the ALN unit taking part.

The sessions were run by local community clubs and Young Ambassadors from
Ysgol Bro Gwaun with pupils getting to enjoy rugby, cricket, hockey, archery and golf.
Sharon Osborne from Ysgol Glannau Gwaun, said: “Thanks to Sport Pembrokeshire
for organising a fantastic morning of activities for our pupils. They all thoroughly
enjoyed themselves.”

Dan Bellis of Sport Pembrokeshire, added: “A big thanks to Fishguard & Goodwick
Hockey Club, Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club and the Young Ambassadors
from Ysgol Bro Gwaun for putting on a fabulous morning of activities in glorious
sunshine!

“A big well done to all the pupils from Ysgol Glannau Gwaun for their effort and
enthusiasm throughout the morning.”