Sport

Wales Sevens name squad for Dubai and Cape Town

Published

6 years ago

November 21, 2018

RICHIE Pugh has named his Wales Sevens squad that will travel to Dubai and Cape Town for his first season as head coach.

The former Sevens World Cup winner, who has stepped up from his assistant role since Gareth Williams took over as Wales U20 head coach, will hand World Rugby Sevens Series debuts to five players in Dubai next week – four of whom were recently part of the U20 programme.

Those four players join the programme from the regions, who view the sevens pathway as key to some of their young players’ development.

“Many will already know about Ryan Conbeer’s finishing exploits from a 15s perspective with Scarlets and Wales U20, and he’ll provide us with good firepower out wide. The Cardiff Blues pairing of Ben Jones and Dane Blacker in midfield are full of confidence and back themselves. Dragons’ Taine Basham up front has got a great skillset and footwork for a carrying back-rower.”

Scarlets’ Tomi Lewis has something of a head-start on his fellow young teammates, given the virtuoso display he put on in Dubai last season in scoring seven tries over the course of the weekend.

As part of their preparations for Dubai and Cape Town, the Wales squad partook in a training camp with European champions Ireland a week ago which saw them compete in live game situations (watch WRU TV’s snapshot of the day).

Eighteen-year-old Jay Jones was originally spotted playing at Rosslyn Park Sevens, and has progressed through the sevens development pathway – much to the delight of Pugh. “We’ve been fortunate to have someone like Jay in the squad, who’s not necessarily an academy player or linked with a region. He was part of the Great Britain U18 squad, has played Rugby Europe for us and is constantly putting his hand up, especially with his attacking performance against Ireland last week.”

Luke Treharne will captain his country, ably assisted by vice-captain Afon Bagshaw. Pugh says: “Luke has got a lot of experience and the players look up to him. He can lead the team well and knows what to expect on the big stage. He’s backed up by Afon, who’s been in the programme over a year now and leads from front. They both set the standards and along with the rest of our core players they’ve been supporting the new players really well.”

Pugh believes there’s a good balance in his squad for the first two legs of the series, with Dragons and Wales U20s’ Joe Goodchild waiting in the wings as a travelling reserve. “When you add in Ben Roach, Cai Devine, Owen Jenkins and Will Talbot-Davies, I’m hoping all their experience will spur the boys on come next Friday. It’ll be completely different to the cold climate we’ve been accustomed to lately, so we’ve got to get used to the heat of Dubai and Cape Town very quickly.”

Wales will have a training game against Scotland on Tuesday next week, and Pugh suggests that come their first pool game against world champions New Zealand, some of his players “will be thrown into the deep end of the World Series”, with USA and Spain also to come.

However, he adds: “We need to expose players to these experienced teams, put them under that level of pressure in a top-level environment. This is what sevens gives them an insight into, and it’s fantastic for their learning.”

Core Players: Afon Bagshaw (Vice-Captain), Cai Devine, Owen Jenkins, Jay Jones, Ben Roach, Luke Treharne (Captain). Cardiff Blues: Dane Blacker, Ben Jones. Dragons: Taine Basham, Joe Goodchild, Will Talbot-Davies. Scarlets: Ryan Conbeer, Tomi Lewis.

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Devonald’s hat-trick secures St Ishmaels’ dominant win over Herbrandston

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Herbrandston 0 – St Ishmaels 6

BRENNAN DEVONALD delivered a masterclass as St Ishmaels thrashed Herbrandston 6-0, with the skipper leading from the front and scoring a stunning hat-trick. The comprehensive victory propels St Ishmaels to eighth in the league table, while Herbrandston remain rooted to the bottom without a single point.

The visitors asserted their dominance from the outset. Devonald opened the scoring in the 9th minute, latching onto a pinpoint assist from Owen Lawrence. He doubled their lead just before halftime in the 40th minute, again set up by Lawrence, giving St Ishmaels a comfortable cushion at the break.

St Ishmaels maintained their momentum in the second half, adding four more goals to cap off a stellar team performance. Adam Kingsbeer’s clever play set up Ieuan Hawkins for the third, before Tom Williams capitalised on another opportunity to make it 4-0. Devonald sealed his hat-trick in the 85th minute with an expertly taken goal, and Joel Mills added the finishing touch in the dying moments, courtesy of an assist from Sol Goodall.

Team line-ups

Herbrandston: Adrian Rees, Oliver Robinson, Ethan Chalker, Scott Findlay, Dean John (Captain), Harley Barrett, Gedion Hockin, Leon Whatling, Scott Gillespie, Cian Davenport. Subs: Leo Duncan, Jacob James, Nico Cockrell.

St Ishmaels: Owen Thomas, Sol Goodall, Owen Lawrence, Finley Armstrong, Brennan Devonald (Captain), Adam Kingsbeer, Ieuan Hawkins, Joel Mills, Tom Williams, Daniel Coe, Nathan Thomas. Subs: Max Howells, Tyler Sheil.

Sport

Dominant wins for Pembrokeshire sides in West Wales Intermediate Cup round 3

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Goodwick United 7-0 Carew

Goodwick United put on a commanding performance with a 7-0 triumph over Carew. The home side proved too powerful for their opponents, with Rhys Dalling and Rhys Jones each bagging two goals. Matty Delaney, Will Haworth, and Daniel Bryce also got their names on the scoresheet. As one of Pembrokeshire’s top teams, Goodwick will aim to build on this dominant win as they progress to the next round.

Hakin United 13-0 Clydach Sports

Hakin United were in ruthless form as they dispatched Clydach Sports 13-0. Jack Britton led the charge with an impressive five-goal haul, while Liam Parks netted a hat-trick. Jack Griffiths, Jay Kilby, Kieran King, Justin Harding, and Mason Dolling all contributed to the comprehensive scoreline. Hakin, one of the premier teams in Pembrokeshire, will be keen to continue their pursuit of the cup after this emphatic victory.

Merlins Bridge 7-3 Treboeth United

Merlins Bridge secured a thrilling 7-3 victory over Treboeth United in an exciting encounter. Nathan Evans was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick, while Tom Jago, Jason Griffiths, Hayden Dimond, and Ashton Plunkett all found the back of the net. Treboeth’s Liam Manning, Cori Jones, and Matthew Colley fought valiantly but could not prevent the home side from taking the win. Merlins Bridge will be pleased with their attacking display and will look to build on this result.

Monkton Swifts 5-4 Clarbeston Road

In a dramatic local derby, Monkton Swifts edged out Clarbeston Road 5-4 in a high-scoring affair. Dylan Davies was the standout performer with four goals, and Liam Butland added another. Clarbeston Road fought hard with goals from Laurie Haworth, Matthew Davies, Greg Brown, and Ben John, but it was the Swifts who held on to secure the victory. Monkton will be happy to progress after such a closely contested match.

Neyland 1-2 Cwm Wanderers

Neyland were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Cwm Wanderers in a closely contested match. Ben Gale scored for Neyland, but goals from Joseff Shaw and Corey Raven-Sayce gave the visitors the edge. Despite a valiant effort from Neyland, Cwm Wanderers held firm to secure the win and advance to the next round.

Plough Colts 0-2 Pennar Robins

Pennar Robins comfortably saw off Plough Colts 2-0, with Kieran Smith and Jamie Wilkes scoring the goals. Pennar demonstrated their class and will look to carry this momentum forward into the next round.

Tenby 2-0 Blaen-y-Maes

Tenby continued their fine form with a 2-0 victory over Blaen-y-Maes. Sam Butler and Scott Ferney were on target for Tenby, who have been one of the most impressive sides this season. This win further cements Tenby’s status as one of the top contenders in the competition.

Analysis:

Pembrokeshire’s leading teams, Goodwick United and Hakin United, demonstrated their superiority with commanding wins, while Tenby showed their credentials with a solid 2-0 victory. With such dominant performances, Goodwick and Hakin are likely to be among the favourites to claim the title, with Tenby also emerging as a serious contender in this year’s West Wales Intermediate Cup.

Sport

Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Broad Haven 4-4 Solva

In an exhilarating, high-scoring encounter, Broad Haven played out a 4-4 draw with Solva. Marco Valentine netted twice for Broad Haven, with Owen Sheppard and Shane Howells also getting on the scoresheet. Solva responded through Josh Bland, who scored a hat-trick, and Lucas Price, ensuring the points were shared in this thrilling clash.

Camrose 1-3 Fishguard Sports

Fishguard Sports claimed a 3-1 victory over Camrose, with a clinical display of attacking play. Andrew John scored the only goal for Camrose, but Fishguard’s offensive strength proved overwhelming. Anthony Couzens, Luke Thomas, and Ieuan Llewellyn all found the net to guide their side to victory.

Carew II 0-2 Hakin United II

Hakin United II earned a solid 2-0 win over Carew II. Rowan Dixon and Tom Edmonds were the scorers for the visitors, with Carew struggling to break down Hakin’s defense. It was a well-executed performance that saw Hakin advance with all three points.

Johnston P-P Merlins Bridge II

The match between Johnston and Merlins Bridge II was postponed, with no further details available at the time of writing.

Lawrenny 1-6 Narberth

Narberth cruised to a commanding 6-1 victory over Lawrenny. Owen James scored the lone goal for Lawrenny, but Narberth’s attacking prowess was on full display as Steffan Williams scored twice, and Ashley Williams, Chris Brown, Conor Bowen, and Ryan Williams each found the back of the net in a comprehensive win.

Analysis:

The 14th December 2024 fixtures saw a blend of thrilling draws and dominant victories. Broad Haven and Solva shared the spoils in an action-packed 4-4 draw, while Fishguard Sports, Hakin United II, and Narberth all secured convincing wins. Narberth’s 6-1 triumph over Lawrenny was the standout result of the day, highlighting their attacking firepower.