Sport

Mariners battle past Wasps

Published

8 years ago

January 30, 2018

MILFORD Haven kept hold of top spot in League 3 West A as they made their way to a 34-12 win away at Llangwm on Saturday (Jan 27).

The main pitch at Pill Parks was unplayable due to the heavy rain but the reserve pitch was deemed playable by the referee.

There was a scrappy start to the game with both sides guilty of giving the ball away while Llangwm also defended well in the opening stages.

Indeed, the home side could have taken the lead with just five minutes on the clock but Luke Hayman’s penalty went wide of the posts.

Milford began to put the pressure on after that miss and came close with a driving maul but gave the ball back to the home side following an infringement.

Llangwm had the lineout but Milford stole the ball back and a good run from Jimmy Thomas almost got them but he was halted and passed to Jamie Lewis but Llangwm did well to tackle him out of play.

They continued to look for the opening score and it finally came with seventeen minutes on the clock as Craig Smith found Dan McClelland who in turn fed the ball out wide for Lee Riley who scored down the right hand side.

A last ditch tackle to try and prevent the try resulted in Riley needing treatment and he was taken off to be replaced by Craig Barnett.

The conversion from McClelland was wide but it wasn’t long before they doubled their lead as another maul saw them go over the line with Captain Adam Rees credited with the touch down.

McClelland again tried his luck in the difficult conditions and was unlucky to see his kick bounce down off the crossbar.

There followed a period of play where neither side could gain the upper hand with Milford again going close after Llangwm were penalised for pulling the man down only for the home side to win the ball back and clear their lines.

With the first half coming to a close the Mariners looked to increase their lead once more and they were rewarded when Mark Wonnacott forced his way over for the try.

McClelland’s conversion was again wide and the referee blew for half time with the Mariners leading 0-15.

Llangwm had a good spell at the start of the second half and Milford had to be at their best to keep the home side out.

Having weathered the early storm Jimmy Thomas was sent free to score his side’s fourth try to earn a crucial bonus point and McClelland was successful with his first conversion from four attempts.

Four minutes later they had another try as Ben Groves found Barnett who in turn found Thomas once more who went over for his second try of the game. The conversion again went wide of the posts.

Llangwm again looked to respond with Josh Hicks going on a bursting run only to be halted by the Milford defence.

The home side battled well and came agonising close to a first score of the afternoon but they lost the ball with the line just inches away.

Milford then picked the ball up and Barnett found Craig Smith who ran half the length of the field, despite cries of a forward pass from the home bench, to score and McClelland added the extras for a 34-0 lead.

The Wasps never gave up and with five minutes to go their play was rewarded as they were gifted the ball by a knock on from Milford whilst defending their own try line.

Try: Llangwm score the first of their two tries

From the resulting scrum, Dan Chesmer made a burst for the line and bundled his way over, much to the delight of the home crowd. Hayman then added the conversion to add some respectability to the scoreline.

There was still time for another try and Jason Mock made his way over and although Hayman missed the conversion, the score was no more than they had deserved.

The win for the Mariners keeps them top of the table with second placed Pembroke just four points behind.

Llangwm are next in action on Saturday, February 10, when they travel to Pembroke while Milford’s next game takes place on Saturday, February 17, when they host Cardigan.

Related Topics:League 3 West A Llangwm Milford Haven Pill Parks Rugby

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Sport Pembrokeshire Awards finalists announced

Published

2 days ago

November 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FINALISTS for this year’s Sport Pembrokeshire Awards have been revealed, with 39 individuals and clubs shortlisted for honours at the annual celebration of local sporting achievement.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “A big thank you to everyone who sent in nominations. The judging panel had an extremely tough task narrowing down such a strong field of candidates.

“Pembrokeshire continues to punch above its weight when it comes to sporting prowess, and I’m sure the awards will once again showcase both on-field success and the incredible efforts of the volunteers and coaches who make it all possible.”

The winners will be unveiled at a gala ceremony at Folly Farm on November 28, organised by Sport Pembrokeshire.

The event is sponsored by Valero, Folly Farm, and Pure West Radio, and will also see the presentation of three special accolades — the School Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Chairman’s Special Achievement Award.

The awards recognise those who have excelled in sport over the past year or dedicated their time to coaching, organising, and supporting grassroots sport across the county.

Finalists (in alphabetical order)

Girls U16

Mary Falconer (Climbing)
Cerys Griffiths (Swimming)
Ava Tyrie (MMA)

Boys U16

Conor Cremona (Weightlifting)
Elijah Jones (Surfing)
Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Club of the Year

Carew Sports Club
Chaos Netball Club
Milford Haven Hockey Club

Junior Disability Award

Jake Evans (Llangwm RFC)
Jack Gray (Fishguard Thunderbolts)
Ella Meacham (Windswept Watersports)

Young Volunteer of the Year

Enfys Battelley-de Torres (Camrose AFC)
Alannah Field (Fishguard & Goodwick Hockey Club)
Alannah Heasman (Haverfordwest High School / Pembrokeshire College)

Junior Team

BJJ Pembrokeshire Junior MMA Team
HHVCS Year 7 Girls Rugby
Merlins Bridge FC Under-14s

Unsung Hero

Sarah Bagley (Windswept Watersports)
Geoff Daye (Lamphey Cricket Club)
Jenny Lewis (Clarbeston Road AFC)

Senior Team

East Williamston Short Mat Bowls Club
Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club
Pembrokeshire Hockey Club – Ladies 1s

Male Achievement

Llew Bevan (Darts)
Liam Bradley (Triathlon)
Reuben Lerwill (Gymnastics)

Female Achievement

Sanna Duthie (Running)
Ria Jones (Judo)
Amelia Nuttall (Sailing)

Disability Sport Award

Rachel Bailey (Boccia)
Evelyn Thomas (Weightlifting)
Hannah Webster (CrossFit)

Club Organiser

Huw Jones (Haverfordwest Golf Club)
Leanne Jones (Camrose AFC)
Silfan Rhys-Jones (Fishguard Table Tennis Club)

Coach of the Year

Jamie Barrellie (Tenby Sharks Girls Rugby)
Rob Codd (Fishguard & Goodwick Hockey Club)
James North (Kilgetty AFC)

Sport

BBC Cymru Wales to show festive Welsh URC derbies free-to-air

Published

4 days ago

November 13, 2025

Herald Sport

WELSH rugby fans are set for a strong line-up of festive fixtures after BBC Cymru Wales confirmed it will broadcast three BKT United Rugby Championship derbies over Christmas and New Year.

The matches will be shown live on Scrum V Live as part of a co-exclusive agreement with Premier Sports, meaning both broadcasters will carry the games simultaneously. The fixtures include Cardiff v Scarlets on Thursday, 19 December at 7:45pm, Cardiff v Dragons on Boxing Day at 3:00pm, and Ospreys v Cardiff on New Year’s Day at 5:30pm.

All three programmes will be presented by Catrin Heledd, with commentary from Gareth Rhys Owen. Former Wales stars Alun Wyn Jones and Jonathan “Fox” Davies are among the guests lined up to offer analysis.

Garmon Rhys, Interim Director of BBC Cymru Wales, said the broadcaster was pleased to showcase the festive derbies once again. He said the games had become a key part of many Welsh households’ Christmas sporting traditions and praised the production teams delivering the live coverage.

United Rugby Championship chief executive Martin Anayi welcomed the arrangement, describing the derbies as an important part of the Welsh rugby calendar and saying the partnership would help the matches reach as wide an audience as possible.

Sport

Euro 2028: Historic opportunity for Wales to shine on world stage

Published

4 days ago

November 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Calls for investment in transport as Principality Stadium confirmed as host

Wales is set to take centre stage in 2028 after UEFA confirmed that Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will host matches – including the opening game – of the Euro 2028 tournament.

The announcement has been welcomed across Welsh football, with senior figures saying the event will deliver a major boost to the economy, raise Wales’ global profile, and give supporters the chance to witness elite tournament football on home soil for the first time.

The Principality Stadium, which can host more than 70,000 spectators, was selected as part of the UK and Ireland joint bid. It will be the first time Wales has staged fixtures at a major men’s international tournament.

Transport concerns raised

Responding to the news, the Welsh Conservatives urged ministers in Cardiff Bay to address long-standing transport capacity issues and reconsider proposals for a tourism levy, arguing that both could affect the fan experience during the tournament.

Gareth Davies MS, the party’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and Sport, said: “This is fantastic news for Wales and will be a huge boost for the economy in Cardiff and beyond. It’s a brilliant opportunity to showcase our culture and our ability to host major international events on the world stage.

“We’ve already proven our credentials with the UEFA Champions League Final in 2017, and on an even bigger stage, I’m confident we can deliver an even better tournament experience.”

He added that Euro 2028 will be “a historic opportunity for Welsh fans to experience a major international tournament on home soil – something that will inspire a new generation of supporters and players alike.”

Davies said the Welsh Government should “rethink their toxic tourism tax to ensure visitors and fans can experience the best of Welsh hospitality.”

Background

The UK and Ireland were confirmed as hosts of Euro 2028 in October 2023 after Turkey withdrew from the bidding process. The tournament is expected to generate hundreds of millions of pounds in economic activity across the host nations through tourism, accommodation, transport, and hospitality spending.

Cardiff previously hosted the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final, the world’s largest annual sporting event, drawing an estimated 300,000 visitors to the city and providing a major test of transport and policing capabilities.

Exact fixtures for Euro 2028 will be confirmed closer to the tournament, but Cardiff’s opening match is expected to attract international attention and bring tens of thousands of overseas supporters to Wales.

Welsh Government ministers have previously said the tournament will be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to showcase Wales on a global platform.