Sport

Wales duo return to boost Scarlets side for Benetton clash

Published

4 years ago

February 20, 2021

WALES internationals Jake Ball and Ryan Elias have been included in the Scarlets team to take on Benetton for the resumption of Guinness PRO14 action on Saturday (15:00 Premier Sports).

Ball and Elias have been released from Wales’ Six Nations squad to get some game-time during the fallow week of the tournament and are among five personnel changes to the Scarlets starting line-up.

Steff Evans has recovered from a dead leg and returns to the No. 11 jersey, taking his place in a back three that also includes fellow Wales international Johnny McNicholl and Ryan Conbeer.

Tyler Morgan and skipper Steff Hughes continue in midfield, while Sam Costelow and Dane Blacker are again the starting half-backs.

Elias packs down alongside Phil Price and Javan Sebastian in the front row, while Ball starts next to Morgan Jones at lock.

In the back row, Sione Kalamfoni and Jac Morgan have been cleared to play. Kalamafoni has recovered from the head knock sustained at home to Cardiff Blues, while Morgan has overcome a knee injury and is set for his first appearance since the Champions Cup win over Bath in December.

Uzair Cassiem switches from No. 8 to blindside flanker.

On the bench, prop Steff Thomas is set for his PRO14 debut and he joins Marc Jones, the fit-again Pieter Scholtz, Sam Lousi and Ed Kennedy as the forward cover.

Will Homer, Dan Jones and Paul Asquith are the backline subs.

Head coach Glenn Delaney said: “We have had a productive few weeks since the Leinster game. It is important that we are patient and we have to build ourselves into the contest, which we did well in a tight affair in horrendous conditions out in Treviso. We need to get the right level of application and we need to execute.

“There is a huge amount to play for in these final four games. Champions Cup places are on the line and it is going to be a real scrap in our Conference.”

Scarlets v Benetton (Parc y Scarlets, 15:00, Premier Sports)
15 Johnny McNicholl; 14 Ryan Conbeer, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Steff Hughes (capt), 11 Steff Evans; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Dane Blacker; 1 Phil Price, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Javan Sebastian, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Morgan Jones, 6 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Sione Kalamafoni.
Reps: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Pieter Scholtz, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Ed Kennedy, 21 Will Homer, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Paul Asquith.

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Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

2 days ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

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

Published

3 days ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

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.