Sport

Wales take game to Armed Forces in special match

Published

7 years ago

November 10, 2017

WALES Women took the game to a determined UK Armed Forces side on Wednesday evening (Nov 8) at the Cardiff Arms Park, prevailing 39-22 in this special Remembrance Rugby fixture.

UKAF were evidently fired up in the opening exchanges (perhaps with memories from last year’s encounter still fresh in the mind), and attacked with gusto, with an equally zealous defense to boot.

That feistiness in the close quarters was found lacking out wide in the eighth minute, however, when North Walian speedster Jess Kavangh-Williams showed a clean pair of heels on halfway and sprinted all the way in for a try.

Alecs Donovan, the newcomer in the Welsh jersey, also looked lively in the early midfield exchanges, whilst flanker-turned-fly-half Lleucu George (pictured) was a creative as well as powerful presence with the ball in hand.

As the half-hour approached, patient work from the Welsh forwards paid dividends as they fashioned a score out wide through captain Carys Phillips for a 10-point lead.

It was then the turn of George, using all her considerable strength to fend off the UKAF defence and score from 5m out. Her successful conversion of her own try out wide was a striking effort.

UKAF weren’t to be humbled, and they struck back with aplomb through the evasiveness and sheer pace of centre Jade Mullen for a try which was converted by Wales’ very own Gemma Rowland just before the half-time break.

Two minutes into the second half, and Wales Women had got themselves into a good position deep inside UKAF territory, from where their driving maul allowed Phillips to touch down for her second try of the night.

The Welsh coaches made a raft of replacements in the 50th minute, which had the desired effect of re-energising an already high-tempo attack. Indeed, after five minutes of their introduction, they had once again breached the UKAF line – again by the indefatigable Phillips, who deservedly claimed her hat-trick.

The Armed Forces then showed that they too had try-scoring front rowers in their ranks, as loosehead Sarah Batley crashed over for her team’s second try with quarter of an hour left to play to make it 17-22.

Replacement back Rhi Nokes made a stirring impact late on as she broke away from the clutches of the UKAF defence to sprint away for a try, converted by Robyn Wilkins.

The last word was almost left to Kavanagh-Williams, who really put her stamp on the game with another scintillating try down the left wing with four minutes to go.

Then, with time already up on the clock, UKAF hit back with a mighty score from England hooker Amy Cokayne in what was a fitting end to a fiercely-fought contest between the two sides.

Related Topics:Armed Forces Rememberance match Wales Women

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Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

2 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

3 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.