Sport
All Blacks earn sweet revenge
NEYLAND made it through to the third round of the WRU National Bowl on Saturday (Oct 6) as they thumped Cefneithin 61-24 at the Athletic Ground.
The two sides met at the same stage just over a year ago and on that occasion it was the Carmarthenshire side who went through with a 25-3 win.
However, Neyland were in no mood for a repeat of that and it wasn’t long before they took the lead as Luke Griffiths-Dawes grabbed the opening try of the game which was then converted by Dillen McGaffin.
Alex Codd then went over for the second All Blacks try and McGaffin was on target once more to give the home side a 14-0 lead.
Cefneithin looked to bring themselves back in the game and after some good pressure, Jon Owen touched down but the conversion was missed.
Patrick Bellerby then got his first try of the afternoon as he took hold of the ball before crossing the whitewash. McGaffin then added the extras.
Codd then grabbed his second try following an excellent move and McGaffin was successful with his fourth conversion attempt.
It was 28-5 to the home side at the break but Cefneithin were not about to lie down and they did their best to keep the score down when play restarted.
However they were powerless to resist as Henry McBeth skipped a couple of tackles before touching down. McGaffin continued where he had left off with another conversion and Neyland held a 35-5 lead.
Neyland then had a man sent to the bin and worse was to follow as the referee awarded a penalty try for the visitors.
Dion Lewis then grabbed the Carmarthenshire side’s third try which was converted by Sion Lewis and suddenly, they were back in it with the score 35-19.
However, Neyland then turned on the style with a series of quick tries. First it was Codd who went over for his hat trick and George Evans, taking over kicking duties, converted.
McBeth scored his second try soon after but this time Evans was unable to add the extras.
They weren’t finished there as Bellerby went over once more and Evans’ conversion went through with a little help from the posts.
Matthew Green then touched over in the corner to score Cefneithin’s fourth try but the conversion was wide.
A yellow card for Neyland did not result in any further scores for the visitors as Neyland went in search of another try.
Having worked the ball to the left it was played to the right for Patrick Bellerby who dived over to score and Evans sent the conversion through the posts to make it 61-24.
It was another excellent win for Neyland and they now have a week off before their next fixture on Saturday (Oct 20), away to Llangwm.
Sport
Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award
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
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
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.
Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.
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