Sport

Tenby trounce Tycroes

Published

7 years ago

April 9, 2018

By Jonathan Twigg

TENBY TOURERS sponsored Tenby United completed their home fixtures on Saturday (Apr 7) with an emphatic 47-5 demolishment of relegated Tycroes, running in six tries alongside 17 points from the boot of full back Craig Barnett.

Referee Lloyd Hughes from Taibach, Port Talbot was empathetic in keeping the game flowing on an excellent surface despite the horrendous recent weather, allowing both teams the opportunity to run with ball in hand with advantage, his demeanour one of autocratic control which has seen the engineer perform at championship level this season.

The red and blacks have stumbled in recent times, perhaps due to a shortage of front row forwards since injury ruled prop out Lewis Davies, although the return of former player Andrew Evans from Loughborough has helped the home side.

They had to elect to go for a passive scrummage set piece for the final minutes of the game much to the disgruntlement of the travelling visiting support, meaning very little as the game had been comprehensively put to bed.

Hooker Joe Poole was the Heywood Butchers man of the match for his all round play which saw Tenby dominate the line out, his throwing accuracy supported by robust action on the fringes of the gain line and high tackle count, which undid the Ammanford village sides dominant start.

Poole, a student at Swansea University also had a magnetic pair of hands to offload passes before contact, a mantra which coaches Chris James and Andrew Morgan have instilled throughout the team.

Led by Johnnie Morgan at outside half it took a quarter of an hour for his side to open the scoring, weathering the black shirted visitors driving play, where they turned down three points from in front of the posts after outside half James Owen long range penalty attempt after three minutes bounced off the cross bar from the halfway line.

Man of the match: Tenby Hooker Joe Poole

Flanker Andrew Cooke, like Poole was in the thick of the defensive number 8 Darryl John was held up over the try line, the ensuing scrum set piece saw the home eight establish a game marker from which they had a platform from which to build, winger Jordan Asparrassa scooting down the touchline as he combined well with diminutive scrum half Matthew Morgan.

Both had excellent games running with ball in hand and willing to take the opposition on from the front foot, rewarded with touchdowns and without Poole’s work rate off the ball may well have tucked into the steaks from Heywoods Butchers themselves.

Skipper Luke Hansford scored the opening try just after the first quarter, as his fellow forwards controlled possession driving forward in pods, well drilled and setting the ball back on a plate for Morgan to use.

The flankers touchdown close to the posts came when he clambered through the strewn bodies to cross, full back Craig Barnett landing the conversion, which he did again four minutes later after robust centre Pat Roberts broke through some weak opposition tackling to run in from 20 metres as the ground beneath him held firm after the sterling work undertaken by Boots of Lydstep who manicure the ground.

A killer third try came two minutes before the interval, when Barnett entered the line at pace and timed his pass beautifully to draw the final man and allow winger Yannik Parker to pin back his ears and cross unopposed, Barnett completed the scoring meaning the second period was about the ‘Seasiders’ ensuring maximum points with a bonus point fourth try.

This was achieved within five minutes of the restart, centre Moritz Neuman the catalyst, working well with his skipper Morgan at outside half, Poole linking into the traffic alongside Roberts and number 8 Roy Osborne, who was credited with the all-important score.

An appreciative crowd led by the match sponsors Scaffold 2000 alongside the ‘scoreborad regulars’ minded little that Barnett’s conversion struck the left upright as Tycroes visibly tired allowing Tenby to dictate the play, at pace and with vision as the Morgan brothers, alongside Parker took opportunities to turn the opposition on their heels.

Evans and his fellow prop Ethan Morgan continue to ensure set piece parity as Luke Dedman and replacement second row Jack Clancy stood tall in the line out, Poole with a nigh on perfect throwing record and Cooke able to link play between forwards and backs superbly.

Centre Elean Griffiths was instrumental in stemming the tide for Tycroes, but neither he or his back three could stem the try count, Asparrassa showing a clear pair of heels to touchdown and scrum half Morgan breaking clear with runners either side as options, he sold a lovely dummy to full back Scott Bowen to race clear from 25 metres.

Barnett had converted before Tycores centre Matthew Lemon scrambled over wide out after some sustained driving from his forwards with number 8 John a strong ball carrier, some pride restored for the divisions bottom of the table side.

Coaches Chris James and Andrew Morgan have brought an attacking game plan to Heywood Lane over the past two seasons, encouraging the ball when possible to be kept out of contact areas and running space, Cooke and Roberts combining well which released Asparrassa once again, to score, Barnett missed the difficult conversion as Tenby had to opt for passive scrums for the final throws of the game and from a defensive set piece on their own five metre line Osborne picked up at the base and set his back division in motion.

Handling at pace with the vision to attack space they spread the ball through the hands and when play switched back across the field second row Deadman was able to race 20 metres from the half way line, drawing the cover defence and popping a pass to Osborne to round off a length of the field play which he started, Barnett adding the coup de grace before Hughes shrill blast ended the home fixtures for the season at Heywood Lane.

James on conclusion of the game said: “No negatives from the performance as we put together a complete team performance, where the players were never afraid to back their own skills set. We have been on a losing run stretching over the international period but always maintained confidence in our style of rugby and we can look forward to our final four fixtures on the road without fear.”

The first of those sees them travel to the Ranch on Saturday (Apr 21) to take on Llanelli Wanderers before heading to Parc Lloyd Thomas the week after to tackle Crymych, both sides sitting below Tenby in the league table and needing a full head of steam to overhaul them.

Related Topics:Heywood Lane League 2 West Rugby Tenby Tycroes

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Cycling stars set for Lloyds 2025 National Road Championships in Ceredigion

Published

3 hours ago

June 17, 2025

Herald Sport

WELSH cycling superstar Geraint Thomas is entered in the 2025 Lloyds National Road Championships in Ceredigion next week.

Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers), twice national champion, twice Olympic champion and 2018 Tour de France winner, is entered in the road race and time-trial in what would be his last National Road Championships, having announced he is retiring at the end of the year.

Twenty former cycling national road champions headline the provisional rider list for the championships in Ceredigion, which gets underway on Thursday, June 26. Riders will compete in both Aberaeron and Aberystwyth, with routes taking then both inland and along the coastal road.

Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) will be one to watch in the women’s elite road race and under-23 time-trial. Ferguson is fresh from an impressive 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women campaign where she claimed both the points classifications and best young rider jerseys, the best British rider accolade and a career-first stage win in Kelso.

Three-time national road race and 2022’s under-23 time-trial champion Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Picnic PostNL) is set to defend her title. Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek), who won the time-trial last year in preparation for her silver-medal winning performance in the Olympic time-trial, also returns.

Max Walker (EF Education–EasyPost) will be looking to go one better after winning silver last year in the national road elite time-trial, while Seb Grindley (Lidl – Trek Future Racing) will be keen to build on his junior silver at worlds last year in the under-23 time-trial.

Welsh riders include Owain Doull (EF Education – EasyPost), sisters Zoe (CANYON-SRAM zondacrypto) and Elynor Backstedt (UAE Team ADQ) and Elinor (Uno-X Mobility) and Megan Barker (Tekkerz CC).

Twice national champion, twice Olympic champion and 2018 Tour de France winner, Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) is entered in the road race and time-trial in his home country in what would be his last National Road Championships, after announcing he is due to retire at the end of the year.

Aberaeron’s hometown hero Josh Tarling (INEOS Grenadiers) is hoping to return to make it a hat-trick and defend his time-trial title from the previous two years, while Tomos Pattinson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development) will aim to defend his U23 men’s time-trial title from last year.

The 2025 Lloyds National Road Championships provides a fantastic platform for British riders to enjoy the home roads and experience the support of friends, family and local fans.

A total of 10 coveted national champion’s jerseys are up for grabs across three days of racing, with the time-trial on Thursday, June 26, the circuit race on Friday, June 27 and the road race concluding the action on Sunday, June 29.

Councillor Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council’s cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said: “We are pleased to see such an exciting line up for the Lloyds National Road Racing Championships and we look forward to welcoming the riders and supporters to Ceredigion.”

For more information about the routes of all three stages, the race, host venues and participating teams, visit: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/nationalroadchampionships

The 2025 Lloyds National Road Championships starts with a challenging time-trial in Aberaeron on June 26. Starting in Ffos-y-Ffin, the elite women, under-23 women and under-23 open will take to 27km of road, while the elite open will have to battle over 41km.

Aberystwyth plays host to both the circuit race on June 27 and the road race on June 29, allowing fans to come down and watch their favourite national riders battle for the title.

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Pembrokeshire the location for second Pro Wrestling School

Published

19 hours ago

June 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Royal Imperial Wrestling expands community-focused initiative in South Wales

ROYAL IMPERIAL WRESTLING (RIW), a growing name in the UK’s professional wrestling community, has opened its latest wrestling training school in Camrose, Pembrokeshire, aiming to discover and nurture local wrestling talent.

The new facility officially opened on Sunday, June 15, offering people of all ages and abilities the opportunity to learn and participate in professional wrestling.

The Pembrokeshire school’s launch follows the successful opening of RIW’s first school in Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend, just five months ago. The Bridgend location has quickly become a thriving community hub, with more than twenty regular trainees and several sold-out wrestling shows.

The schools are run by experienced wrestlers Andrew Griffiths, PJ Schulz, and Zac Parton, who collectively bring 68 years of wrestling and martial arts expertise.

Speaking about the opening, co-owner Zac Parton said: “We are thrilled to launch our second school in another vibrant Welsh community. Our aim at RIW is to make wrestling accessible to everyone, regardless of age, gender, weight, ability, or neurodiversity. We’re committed to expanding further across Wales and making wrestling an inclusive and exciting part of community life.”

Local councillor Huw David (Cefn Cribwr, Kenfig Hill and Pyle ward) also praised the company’s efforts: “It’s fantastic to see Royal Imperial Wrestling quickly become such a valued and integral part of the community in Cefn Cribwr. Their events and training sessions have provided great entertainment and meaningful community engagement.”

RIW’s next event, Heatwave!, under its developmental sister brand Next-Gen Wrestling, takes place at Cefn Cribwr Community Centre on Saturday, June 28. Tickets are available online for £5.

For more information, visit the RIW Facebook page: facebook.com/RiwWales.

Sport

Wales to become first ‘Marmot Nation’ in drive to tackle health inequality

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2025

Herald Sport

Pioneering move builds on Torfaen success and Future Generations Act

WALES is set to become the world’s first official “Marmot Nation” as part of a bold new approach to tackling health inequalities, the Welsh Government has announced.

The initiative will see Wales adopt the eight Marmot Principles developed by renowned public health expert Professor Sir Michael Marmot. These principles aim to reduce the unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes that are influenced by social and economic factors—such as housing, employment, and access to services.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, confirmed the government will work closely with the Institute of Health Equity (IHE), led by Sir Michael, to embed health equity into policy-making across all government departments.

The move follows a successful pilot in Torfaen and the wider Gwent area, which became the first Marmot Region in Wales. Under the national plan, multiple communities across the country will now work to apply the same approach.

“This is a major step forward,” said Jeremy Miles. “We are placing health equity at the heart of government decision-making. By learning from the positive changes in Torfaen, we aim to support better health outcomes for people across Wales.”

The Marmot Principles focus on upstream action to address the social determinants of health. These include giving every child the best start in life, promoting fair employment and decent living standards, tackling discrimination, and supporting sustainable communities.

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, will formally announce the commitment at the Canada-UK Council’s launch of the Fairer Society, Healthier Lives report in Cardiff on Monday (June 16).

“Becoming a Marmot Nation is about acknowledging that health is shaped by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age,” she said. “By adopting these eight principles nationally, we are taking cross-government action to reduce inequalities and improve wellbeing for all.”

Sir Michael Marmot welcomed the announcement, saying: “Healthcare matters, but social circumstances matter more. Health equity must be a priority for all of government—not just the NHS. Wales is leading the way.”

The plan builds on Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act, which marked its tenth anniversary this year. The Act legally requires public bodies to consider long-term impacts and promote well-being in decision-making.

Professor Nicolas Maclean, UK Co-Chair of the Canada-UK Council, also praised the initiative: “This announcement sends a powerful message globally. Wales is setting an example for how governments can work to overcome unequal health outcomes.”