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Hook and Llangwm seal Ormond Youth success

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HOOK and Llangwm won the 2018 Ormond Youth Cup on Sunday (Sept 2) as they beat last year’s winners Carew and Saundersfoot in the Final.

Rain had put the match in doubt but the excellent work from the Carew groundstaff meant the teams were able to get the game underway shortly before 1:30pm with a full game in prospect.

Carew and Saundersfoot won the toss but invited their opponents to bat with the ground still damp from a sprinkling of rain.

Despite that, openers Noah Davies and George James got their side off to an excellent start with a stand of 65 runs.

That was broken when Rhys Grigg bowled James on a score of 36 that included three fours and two sixes.

Soon after Tom Mansbridge had Aled Phelps caught by Lewis Catt, leaving Hook and Llangwm on 66-2 nearing the halfway stage.

Mansbridge then picked up his second wicket as Davies was stumped by Morgan Grieve on a score of 25.

Jack Nicholas then scored 20 to take his side to 100 but he was then bowled by John Mansbridge.

Keegan Codd added another ten runs to the total but he was also heading back to the pavilion when he was caught by Grieve off the bowling of Carl Thomas.

Harry Nicholas made a score of 8 before being caught by Elliot Waters off the bowling of John Mansbridge and Callum Jenkins was then caught by Catt off the bowling of Thomas.

Ben Fairburn and Finlay Elrick then finished not out as they guided their side to an opening total of 123-7.

Carew and Saundersfoot’s reply did not get off to the best of starts as Tom Mansbridge was bowled by Noah Davies with the fourth ball of the innings.

John Mansbridge and Morgan Grieve then got their side off the mark with a stand of 32 before something quite special happened.

Aled Phelps was brought on to bowl and with the second ball of his second over he had Mansbridge stumped by Jack Nicholas on a score of 16. Phelps then bowled Carl Thomas and Rhys Grigg to claim a sensational hat trick. He wasn’t finished there as he picked up a fourth wicket in a row, bowling Rhys Canton.

That saw the defending champions slip from 32-1 to 32-5 in one over and they were in need of some help.

Morgan Grieve did his best with a score of 31 but he was then bowled by Davies. Tudor Hurle and Lewis Catt both fell in similar fashion as they were stumped by Nicholas off the bowling of Ben Fairburn for scores of 11 and 4 respectively.

Harry Nicholas then picked up the wickets of Taran Richards and Morgan Broomhall to dismiss Carew and Saundersfoot for just 76, giving Hook and Llangwm a lead of 47 at the halfway point.

Hook and Llangwm set about trying to make Carew and Saundersfoot’s final target as big as they possibly could as Davies and James shared 47 runs for the opening wicket.

Davies made 18 but he was then caught by Canton off the bowling of Tom Mansbridge. James then shared another 35 runs with Aled Phelps before James was caught by Catt off the bowling of Mansbridge on a score of 40 that included one maximum.

Phelps then shared 40 runs with Jack Nicholas as Hook and Llangwm’s lead passed 150 runs. Phelps had played well for his score of 35 but he was then run out.

Keegan Codd was also run out on a score of 7 while Jack Nicholas finished not out on 18 to take his side to a total of 135-5, setting Carew and Saundersfoot 182 to win.

The Mansbridge duo then made a good start to their reply with Tom scoring 24 before he was caught by Fairburn off the bowling of Phelps.

John scored 21 before he was bowled by Phelps and Tudor Hurle was then caught and bowled by Callum Jenkins to leave them 54-3.

Morgan Grieve and Rhys Grigg then did their best to get Carew and Saundersfoot back on track with Grieve scoring 21 before he was caught by James off the bowling of Jenkins.

Keegan Codd then had Carl Thomas caught by Elrick on a score of 9 and Canton caught by James on a duck.

Harry Nicholas also bowled Lewis Catt on a score of 4 while Grigg had made his way to a score of 46 with three fours and two sixes before he was caught by Elrick, also off the bowling of Nicholas.

Nicholas then bowled Taran Richards as Carew and Saundersfoot finished their innings on 137-9, giving victory to Hook and Llangwm by 45 runs.

Aled Phelps was named man of the match for his four wickets in four balls and his score of 35 in the second innings.

Sport

This weekend’s Division 4 West rugby roundup

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THE latest fixtures in Division 4 West delivered intense clashes, narrow escapes, and exhilarating victories as teams showcased their determination and skill. Here’s a breakdown of the matches and standout moments.

Dreigiau Emlyn 7-10 St Davids

St Davids claimed a narrow 10-7 win over Dreigiau Emlyn in a hard-fought match. Celt Davies put Dreigiau Emlyn on the scoreboard with a try, converted by Llew Morgan. St Davids responded with tries from Ethan Griffiths and Dan Murphy, with Bob Froy converting one. Despite Dreigiau Emlyn’s strong defensive stand, St Davids held on for a slim victory.

Llangwm 23-21 Pembroke Dock

In a thrilling contest, Llangwm edged out Pembroke Dock by just two points, finishing 23-21. George James led Llangwm’s scoring with a try, two conversions, and three penalties. Gethin Thomas added a try, pushing Llangwm into a narrow lead. Pembroke Dock fought back with tries from Harry Owen, Danny Wilkes, and Morgan Rogers, all converted by Ben Hathaway. However, Llangwm’s precise penalty kicks clinched the close contest.

Llanybydder 24-31 Pembroke

Pembroke emerged victorious in a high-scoring 31-24 match against Llanybydder. Llanybydder displayed resilience with tries from Arwel Williams, Matthew Rollings, Ifan Mason-Evans, and Griff Morgans, two of which were converted by Rollings. Pembroke’s offense proved too strong, with tries from Robin Badham, Jack Oliver, Fraser James, Dai Rogers, and Toby Edwards, alongside three conversions by Josh Greenwood. Pembroke’s offensive depth secured the win in this lively encounter.

Neyland 20-23 Narberth Athletic

Narberth Athletic pulled off a close 23-20 victory over Neyland, with Shane Rossiter at the heart of the action, scoring all of Narberth’s points through three tries, two penalties, and a conversion. Neyland responded admirably, with tries from Luke Griffiths-Dawes (2) and Josh Watts, while Oli Rothero added a conversion and a penalty. Rossiter’s consistent performance under pressure proved decisive, securing Narberth Athletic’s hard-earned win.

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Sport

WRU to apologise over contract dispute but denies sexism claims

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THE WELSH RUGBY UNION has announced it will apologise for its handling of contract negotiations with the senior women’s team but refutes recent allegations of sexism.

WRU Chair Richard Collier-Keywood and Chief Executive Abi Tierney acknowledged significant failings in the process, admitting that it is “absolutely clear” the governing body owes an apology to the players.

WRU Chair Richard Collier-Keywood acknowledged ‘failings’ (Pic: BBC)

The BBC reported this week that a leaked email showed players were threatened with exclusion from both WXV2 and next year’s World Cup as talks deteriorated. On August 2, players were given a “final offer” ultimatum with a strict three-hour deadline. If they didn’t sign, matches against New Zealand, Scotland, and Australia were set to be cancelled, and contracts withdrawn.

This episode surfaces amid recent claims of sexism and inequality, less than a year after an independent review condemned the WRU’s internal culture following a BBC Wales investigation.

“This is not a good day for us; we totally accept that. We should have done better and didn’t, but we’ve learned our lessons and will keep trying to improve,” said Collier-Keywood.

The WRU is expected to publish recommendations from a review of the negotiation process later this month, which has been fast-tracked following a Telegraph report on Thursday.

Key findings of the report

The WRU has disclosed early findings, which include:

  • A failure to recognise the growth and change in the women’s professional game.
  • An error in issuing the three-hour signing deadline.
  • Strong differences on how to develop women’s rugby in Wales.
  • Players were inexperienced in negotiations and left isolated.
  • Players considered striking before a match against Scotland on September 6.
  • Poor communication and lack of transparency escalated tensions, worsened by inappropriate behaviour at various stages.

The report states that sexism was not a factor behind the failings.

“There are sweeping criticisms in the report along with clear recommendations for change,” Collier-Keywood said, emphasizing the need for an apology and further engagement with the national team.

‘Sexism not apparent’

Independent board members Alison Thorne and Claire Donovan, who conducted the review, stated that while inappropriate behaviour was noted, sexism was not evident.

“After more than 50 hours of discussions with everyone involved, I did not sense that sexism was part of the issue,” said Donovan. Reflecting on her own 15-year rugby career, she acknowledged the past prevalence of sexism but said the grievances in this case appeared to stem from “a lack of respect and understanding of power dynamics.”

The WRU has also committed an additional £6 million toward women’s and girls’ rugby over the next five years, raising the total investment to £26 million.

Accusations of ‘blackmail’

Despite the WRU awarding 37 full-time contracts, Jess Kavanagh, a former Wales wing, criticised the WRU, suggesting the contract process bordered on “blackmail.” She questioned if the WRU had genuinely learned from past mistakes.

“We’ve heard apologies for years about various issues in the WRU, but apologies mean nothing until we see real change,” Kavanagh said. “Being forced to sign a contract under threat – that’s blackmail. In 2024, that should not happen in any workplace.”

Performance impact

Wales’ performance has suffered during the dispute, with the team finishing at the bottom of the 2024 Women’s Six Nations, managing only one win against Italy. Collier-Keywood acknowledged that the tension surrounding contracts may have contributed to the poor performance.

“There was unnecessary stress, which I believe affected performance. People were distracted, and that’s on us,” he stated.

The contracts were eventually signed just before Wales traveled to South Africa for WXV2 in September, although they lost their opening two matches.

The Welsh government, previously critical of the WRU over a misogyny scandal last year, expressed concern over these latest issues, calling for an urgent meeting with the WRU.

A spokesperson added: “We expect our national sporting bodies to lead by example.”

Government response

On Monday (Nov 5) Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, Skills & Social Partnership made a statement in The Senedd. He said: “Today, I met with the Chair of the Welsh Rugby Union, Richard Collier-Keywood, Chief Executive Officer, Abi Tierney, and Nigel Walker, Executive Director of Rugby. This meeting was arranged urgently following media focus over the weekend regarding allegations of sexism faced by the women’s national team in their contract negotiations.

“I expressed my disappointment that Welsh rugby was in the headlines for the wrong reasons, especially in the context of recent history. The aim of the meeting was to seek clarity around the circumstances that have taken place in relation to contract negotiations for women’s players and how improvements to existing process can be taken forward more positively in future.

“The WRU is in the process of concluding an internal review and has already accepted some failings of process and areas for improvement have been identified. I have not yet seen a draft of the review, but a summary has been published by the WRU. The WRU will be looking to meet with the players shortly to issue an apology for those aspects of the process that fell below the standards we would all expect.

“Over coming days, I will be seeking to understand various perspectives on this process and to satisfy myself that lessons are being learned. I am offering to meet with the players to understand directly from them the nature of their concerns and see how we can help all parties move forward constructively. I will also be seeking a meeting with the review’s authors.

“I want to see Welsh rugby, at all levels, grow and thrive. I am committed to working closely with the WRU and the players to deliver a successful sustainable game in Wales which provides better outcomes for everyone.

“I will keep members updated as we make progress matters over the coming weeks.”

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Sport

Swansea sign free-agent defender Cyrus Christie

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SWANSEA CITY have bolstered their defence with the signing of 32-year-old Cyrus Christie on a contract until the end of the season.

The former Hull City defender, who has been a free agent since his departure at the close of last season, has been training with Swansea since early October. Head coach Luke Williams views Christie as a versatile addition, capable of covering any position across the backline.

Christie returns to Swansea for a second stint, having previously impressed during a loan spell in the second half of the 2021-22 season. During that period, he made 23 appearances and scored three goals after joining from Fulham. While former Swansea boss Russell Martin had shown interest in making Christie’s move permanent, the Republic of Ireland international ultimately opted to sign with Hull City.

“He is experienced at this level, a powerful athlete who can both defend and attack, so I am really happy,” Williams commented. “We lack some Championship experience, and Christie provides a physical presence that’s especially valuable in the absence of players like Ben Cabango and Harry Darling.”

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