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Neyland win Duggie Morris

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NEYLAND once again claimed the Duggie Morris Cup as they beat Lawrenny by seven wickets in the final on Sunday (Jul 21).

A good crowd gathered at Oatfield Park in Burton and they saw the top two teams in Division 1 put on an exciting game.

At the interval, Neyland held a 13-run lead and they then bowled Lawrenny out to set themselves 104 to win.

Ashley Sutton and Andrew Miller were the heroes for Neyland as they saw them to their target and afterwards, Nick Koomen was named as man of the match.

Neyland decided to bowl first on winning the toss and that proved to be a good decision as Henry Durrant had Harry Thomas caught by Andrew Miller for a duck.

Kurtis Marsh got the scoreboard ticking but after he reached a score of 20, he was caught by Patrick Bellerby off the bowling of Miller.

Bellerby then took a superb catch on the boundary to give Patrick Hannon his first wicket and, more importantly, dismiss Brad McDermott-Jenkins.

That left Lawrenny on 41-3 but James Phillips and Steve Lewis shared 90 runs to give their side a decent first innings total.

Lewis finished unbeaten on 38 while James Phillips hit seven fours and two sixes in his score of 68 not out.

That saw Lawrenny to their total of 131-3 and they very nearly picked up a wicket as Neyland began their reply.

Koomen edged behind but keeper James Phillips could not take the catch.

He and Bellerby went on to share 47 runs for the first wicket but Koomen was then bowled by Jamie Lewis on a score of 37.

Bellerby and Ashley Sutton then shared 68 runs for the second wicket but Brad McDermott-Jenkins struck as he bowled Bellerby on a score of 47.

Lawrenny began to hit back as Henry Durrant was trapped leg before by Ryan Morton and the same bowler then had Nathan Banner caught by Joe Kidney.

Sutton finished unbeaten on 34 as Neyland reached 144-5 in their first twenty overs, giving them a 13-run lead at tea.

Lawrenny knew they would need to bat well to set Neyland a challenging target and they made a good start as openers Harry Thomas and Kurtis Marsh shared 54 runs for the first wicket.

Marsh made his way to a score of 23 but he then hit the ball to Geraint Rees off the bowling of Patrick Hannon.

Thomas was then bowled by Andrew Miller on a score of 24 and Hannon then had Brad McDermott-Jenkins caught by Nick Koomen.

Nick Koomen dives forward to take a catch

Hannon then had Ryan Morton caught by brother Sean who then stumped Thomas Cole to give Patrick his third wicket.

Nick Koomen then bowled Joe Kidney for a score of 20 and with the last two balls of the same over he bowled James Phillips and had Rob Williams caught by Sean Hannon for a golden duck.

With the first ball of his next over he had bowled James Buckle to claim an excellent hat trick.

Steve Lewis made a late score of 18 before he was caught by Koomen off the bowling of Nathan Banner but Lawrenny were bowled out for 117.

That meant they Neyland would need just 105 to win but Lawrenny made the breakthrough early on as Jamie Lewis bowled Patrick Bellerby.

Koomen made a score of 18 but he was then caught by James Phillips off the bowling of Jamie Lewis and when Brad McDermott-Jenkins bowled Nathan Banner, Lawrenny had hope with Neyland on 47-3.

However, Neyland had other ideas as Ashley Sutton and Andrew Miller steered their side towards victory.

Miller finished unbeaten on 30 while Sutton was not out on 36 as Neyland won the Duggie Morris for the sixth time in seven years.

Afterwards, Pembroke County Cricket Club Chairman Paul Webb thanked Burton for hosting the final as well as the scorers, umpires, sponsors and press and praised both teams for putting on an excellent final.

Speaking to the Herald, Neyland Captain Sean Hannon said: “Obviously delighted with the win, although we’ve won it a few times recently we don’t get bored of winning.

“Lawrenny are a good side so we were wary of the their threat. Being experienced in finals helped us I think as we knew how to handle the occasion, our players once again stood up in a big game.

“We fielded really well all day and that together with our running between the wickets was a big factor in the win. Lawrenny did well to restrict us to a 13 run lead as we were heading for a 20-30 run advantage so credit to them for that.

“The third innings was always going to be key and although their openers started well once the first wicket fell we knew we had to keep the pressure on and we did as the bowers done their job to leave us with a getable target.”

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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