Sport

Rugby season arrives

Published

3 years ago

August 31, 2018

PEMBROKESHIRE rugby teams will get their seasons underway on Saturday, September 1, with all hoping to have a successful season.

Championship side Narberth had an excellent 2017/18 campaign, finishing second in the table behind runaway leaders Pontypool.

They had 14 wins from their 22 games and they will be looking to go one better this time around. Narberth have played two friendlies prior to the season beating Felinfoel 29-0 and Principality Premiership side Llanelli 17-12.

The Otters begin their season away to Beddau and have already named their team with Nick Gale, Jack Price, Jonathan Rogers and Tom Powell all starting.

In League 1 West, last season’s escape artists Crymych will be looking to achieve a finish similar if not higher than the sixth place they achieved in May.

Crymych were bottom of the table at the end of 2017 with just one win but a remarkable second half of the season saw them pick up ten wins to secure their place in the Division.

They also welcome back Tristan Lewis from Whitland and on Saturday, they get their campaign underway against Tenby United in an exciting Pembrokeshire derby.

Return: Lloyd Thomas

Tenby have had a busy pre-season, making a number of new signings including Lloyd Thomas, a former youth product, who returns at Outside Half. Lloyd transferred to Mahurangi Rugby Club in New Zealand in 2013, representing their premier team 84 times in the North Harbour league and became a firm favourite.

19 year old Second Row Tom Barrass, in his first year out of youth has followed Ossie Boswell from Pembroke Dock to Tenby United having impressed during his 1st XV appearances last season.

Jack Broadhurst, last season’s Narberth Youth Captain and Player of the Year, has also signed having previously represented the Swifts section before heading to Narberth.

Whitland, promoted from League 2 West last season, will be looking to get their season off to a flying start when they take on Gorseinon at home on Saturday.

Gorseinon finished fifth last season and will provide a good test for the Borderers on their return to league 1.

Marc Jones will captain the side for tomorrow’s opener, with Nico Setaro, Scott Buird, Jack Mason and Josh Thomas all in the starting XV.

Fishguard finished last season in ninth place in League 2 West and they will be aiming to achieve a higher finish this time around.

The Seagulls won 18-14 in the Pembrokeshire Cup against Haverfordwest on Tuesday, providing a good test before the start of the season.

Pembroke won the League 3 West A title with just one defeat to their name and they will be eager to get underway in League 2 on Saturday.

Pembroke have welcomed back James Skeels, Daffy Lewis and Mark Williams to their squad and they will be aiming to replicate the achievements of Saturday’s opponents St Clears in their first season at this level.

St Clears enjoyed a successful first season in League 2 last time around and they will be aiming to improve on their eighth place finish.

The Saints parted ways with Head Coach Mike Jones in the summer but have welcomed Tim Poole as their new first team coach with Lee Glanville joining as Defence coach and Rhodri Jones as attack coach.

League 3 West A will once again be a tightly contested league this season with Milford Haven, Laugharne and Haverfordwest again in contention for promotion.

Milford finished second last season and with Pembroke now a league above, they will aiming to get off to a good start against Pembroke Dock Quins at Bierspool.

Nathan Williams has returned to lead Milford while Jamie Lewis will captain the side on the pitch and they will be hoping to have a successful season.

Likewise will be the Quins who had six wins to their name last season but they will be looking to improve on their eighth place finish.

Haverfordwest will also be aiming for a return to League 2 and will be led by captain Matthew Clark.

He is joined by fellow new signings Adam Clark, Craig Barnett, Ashley George, Jamie Barnett, Jack Clancy, Kern Cunningham and Jamie Plumb. All will be hoping they can help the Blues to improve on their fifth place finish from last season.

They begin against a Llangwm side who will be determined to get off the mark early in the season.

The Wasps played Neyland in the Pembrokeshire Cup on Tuesday and pushed them all the way before succumbing to a 29-10 defeat.

Neyland will also be looking to get the season off to a good start on Saturday but they face a long trip to Ceredigion to take on Tregaron.

They had an excellent 2017/18 season with ten wins from their twenty games to achieve a sixth place finish but level on points with Haverfordwest and they will be aiming to improve on that.

St Davids are without a game this weekend but they get their season underway next week (Sept 8) when they travel to Llangwm.

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Sport

Blues battle to win over Aberaeron in KO Cup

Published

6 hours ago

October 21, 2021

James Hemingray

HAVERFORDWEST booked their place in the quarter finals of the Pembrokeshire KO Cup, where they will meet Pembroke Dock Harlequins, after beating Aberaeron on Wednesday night (Oct 20).

Despite the atrocious weather conditions, which saw rain batter the Pembroke Road playing surface for much of the game, both sides played an excellent game.

In the end it was the Blues who came out on top with a 44-6 win.

Outside Half Jake Morgan got the Blues rolling early on with a penalty and Rhys Baker then scored the game’s first try to make it 8-0.

Second Row Jack Clancy got his name on the score sheet but the conversion was missed.

Aberaeron then got themselves on the board with a penalty but the Blues were soon back on the attack with Will Blackburn next to go over.

That was converted by Morgan to give the home side a 20-3 lead.

Lewis Tingay and Rhys Baker added further tries for the Blues while Aber added a further penalty as the sides went in at half time with the score reading 30-6.

Early in the second half Tingay added his second try of the night and Morgan added the conversion.

That all but ended any hopes the away side had of getting themselves back in the game and the Blues continued to play despite the pouring rain.

Tingay then completed his hat trick with a try under the posts giving Morgan a simple conversion to make it 44-6.

There was no scoring in the final twenty minutes but the Blues had done the job and booked their place in the last eight.

Their quarter final with the Quins will be played on or before January 22.

Sport

Pembrokeshire Schools Under 10s get season up and running

Published

2 days ago

October 20, 2021

James Hemingray

PEMBROKESHIRE Schools Under 10s played their first game of the new season last Sunday (Oct 17) against a strong OT Academy Squad.

The Pembrokeshire boys played four small sided games, drawing one and losing three. The boys are next in action next month when they hope to play Carmarthenshire Schools.

Pembrokeshire Schools Under 10s: Spencer James (Cleddau Reach), Noah Bicknell (Prendergast), Harri Jones (Holy Name), Jamie Cook (Pembroke Dock), Toby Jones (Holy Name), Isaac Jenkins (Narberth), Iori Williams (Narberth), Cai Price (Ysgol Caer Elen), Celt Edwards (Frenni), Joe Davies (Ysgol Glannau Gwaun), Jaden Petrie (Prendergast), Logan Lewis (Pembroke Dock), Zach Loveridge (Waldo Williams), James Burns (Lamphey).