Sport

Otters remain unbeaten after beating Trebanos

Published

4 years ago

September 13, 2021

Report by Club Chairman Rob Lewis

IN Saturday’s (Sept 11) Championship match Narberth’s First Team entertained visitors Trebanos in what is always a free flowing and close encounter.

After only five minutes Narberth were first on the score board. When a penalty was awarded to the home side for the visitors being offside at a ruck winger Nick Gale kicked the ball close to Trebanos’ 22 metre line. From the lineout the Otters set up a rolling maul and drove towards the visitors try line. Trebanos conceded a penalty and Gale again kicked for the corner. From the lineout the Otters again drove towards the visitors try line and Prop Tom Kaijaks powered over to score. Nick Gale kicked the conversion (7 -0).

Shortly afterwards a missed tackle in midfield saw Trebanos fly half Tom Dew break through and kick ahead. Fortunately, home fly half Ashley Sutton got to the ball first and put in a relieving kick downfield to avert a near score for the visitors.

Ten minutes later Trebanos again infringed at a breakdown and Narberth were awarded a penalty, but Gale narrowly missed the kick from about 40 metres out.

Narberth continued to attack with driving runs up field by their lively forwards but couldn’t break the visitors’ solid defence.

Then after quick ball from a lineout the ball spread across the Narberth back division and centre Jake Jenkins made a lovely outside break. He attempted to pass to his supporting winger Dafydd Pritchard but unfortunately the Trebanos winger got his hands on the ball first to avert a certain try.

However, the ball was carried over the Trebanos line resulting in a Narberth five metre scrum. The Otters continued to threaten the visitors’ line for a good ten minutes but just couldn’t manage to break down the Trebanos defence.

Then, from yet another attacking ruck the ball was spun wide to flanker Guto Davies who went over in the corner only for the referee to adjudge that there had been a forward pass. Narberth continued to have most of the possession and from a lineout on the Trebanos 22 metre line Narberth scrum half Rhys Lane made a decisive break. When tackled, the ball was quickly recycled, and hooker Rhodri Owens dashed down the blindside of the ensuing ruck and gave a lovely pass to winger Pritchard who scored in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful (12–0).

Within five minutes Trebanos were back on the attack and won a lineout on the Otters 22 metre line. They attempted to set up a rolling maul but when this failed, they moved the ball out and a fine angled run saw the Trebanos centre break through the Narberth defence and score near to the posts. Fly half Dew converted making the score (12–7).

This lifted the Trebanos team, and they spent some time in possession attacking the Otters line but excellent defence by the Narberth team kept them from scoring.

Eventually, however, the Otters were penalised for offside at a ruck and Dew was again successful with the kick (12–10). Then a further infringement at a ruck by the Trebanos hooker resulted in Narberth being awarded a penalty on the visitors ten metre line and this was kicked successfully by winger Gale to make the score 15–10.

Almost from the restart at a ruck on the Otters 22 metre line the Trebanos Second Row deliberately elbowed a Narberth forward with a direct blow to the head. The referee had no hesitation in issuing a red card reducing the visitors to 14 men for the rest of the game.

As often happens, this galvanised the Trebanos team and with some scintillating runs by Dew they were once again stretching the Narberth defence. Eventually Trebanos were awarded a penalty in front of the posts which Dew again kicked to bring the score at half time to 15–13.

Shortly after the restart Narberth managed to increase their lead once again. From a scrum the ball was moved wide to winger Gale who raced upfield only to be tackled close to the visitors try line. A series of scrums followed where the Otters held the ascendancy and eventually the ball was switched to the blind side of a ruck where captain and No.6 Richie Rees scored in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful (20–13).

Almost from the kick-off Narberth scored again. A relieving kick upfield saw the Trebanos full back drop the ball and it fell into the hands of Rees. He gave a quick pass to No.8 Steff Phillips who charged upfield and then passed to supporting flanker Guto Davies who was tackled just short of the visitors try line. From the resulting ruck the ball was quickly passed out wide and winger Dafydd Pritchard beat his opposite number with a great change of pace to score in the corner. The try went unconverted (25–13).

Narberth then made several changes with Rhys Williams replacing Lock Ryan Banner, Tom Clarke replacing hooker Rhodri Owens and Adam Thomas replacing Prop Bradley Davies.

Shortly afterwards Trebanos kicked a penalty for a Narberth infringement at a breakdown to narrow the score to 25–16.

Narberth once again got back on the attack and forward drives by Tom Kaijaks and Richie Rees took the Otters to within five metres of the Trebanos try line where they were awarded a scrum. At this point fly half Ashley Sutton was replaced by Jonathan Rogers.

The Narberth pack drove Trebanos back towards their line and Scrum Half Rhys Lane picked up the ball and looked to have grounded the ball over the line, but the referee was unsighted and ruled that he had been held up over the line.

Narberth then made their final change replacing Lane with George MacDonald. With very little time left Narberth were again pressing very close to the Trebanos try line and were awarded a scrum. No.8 Steff Phillips picked the ball up and went to the blindside and passed to the supporting MacDonald who unfortunately was adjudged to have stepped into touch before crossing the try line.

Trebanos continued to throw everything into attack to try and gain a losing bonus point, but the Otters defence held firm, and the game came to a close with the score remaining at 25–16.

In the Clubhouse after the game Match Sponsor Graham Searle awarded the Man of the Match to captain Richard Rees.

News

Awards celebrate all that is good about Pembrokeshire sport

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Herald Sport

PEMBROKESHIRE’S sporting community came together on Friday evening as Folly Farm hosted the annual Sport Pembrokeshire Awards – a night dedicated to honouring achievements across every level, age group and discipline.

The awards recognise exceptional performances, inspiring journeys and the volunteers who keep local sport thriving behind the scenes. The ceremony was once again presented by Ceri Coleman-Phillips of BBC Wales Sport, supported by Cris Tomos.

Lifetime honour for Premier League star

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pembrokeshire’s own Simon Davies.
The former Wales winger enjoyed a distinguished Premier League career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

Davies scored in the 2010 Europa League final for Fulham, won fifty-eight caps for Wales – scoring six – and captained his country during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He was named Welsh Footballer of the Year in 2002 and Fulham’s player of the season in 2007–08. After leaving the club in 2013, he returned to his boyhood side Solva AFC, famously paying £3 subs to play against St Ishmaels.

Special recognition for Wales Women’s Street Football Team

Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas introduced the evening’s Special Award, honouring the players of the Wales Women’s Street Football Team for their remarkable run to the quarter-finals of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo.

The squad trains in Haverfordwest and included five outstanding Pembrokeshire players – co-captains Tor Planner and Marie Tilley, alongside Claire Mantripp, Sam Lewtas and Bryony Davies. All have overcome personal challenges, including homelessness, mental health difficulties and social exclusion, yet wore the Welsh jersey with pride on the world stage.

The team was led by manager Jo Price, former Wales and Arsenal goalkeeper.
Support staff included Anji Tinley, Manager of the Garth Youth & Community Project and a Pembrokeshire County Councillor.

Cruising Free honoured after rowing the Atlantic

The Chairman’s Award for 2025 was presented by Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Cllr Maureen Bowen to ‘Cruising Free’ of Neyland Rowing Club, who achieved one of the world’s toughest endurance feats – rowing 3,200 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sophie Pierce, Janine Williams, Miyah Periam and Polly Zipperlan completed the gruelling crossing from Lanzarote to Antigua, raising money for cystic fibrosis and the Paul Sartori Foundation.

At 32, Sophie became the first person with cystic fibrosis to row an ocean, while 70-year-old Janine became the oldest woman ever to complete the challenge. The team’s achievement was hailed as a powerful example of determination, unity and courage.

Parkrun pioneers win School Award

The School Award went to the Federation of Tavernspite and Templeton Schools – the first Parkrun School in the UK.

The federation has built a Parkrun curriculum with Parkrun UK, using the weekly event to boost physical activity, support wellbeing, and develop leadership through the Parkrun Ambassador scheme. The schools were praised for exceptional inclusion, providing adapted PE equipment, wheelchair races and strong support for disadvantaged pupils. Estyn has highlighted their work as best practice.

A strong year for Pembrokeshire sport

Summing up the event, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said:
“My congratulations go to everyone who won awards and all those nominated. We are so lucky to have such a strong sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire, and my thanks go to all those who work so hard to ensure people of all ages and abilities can take part in the sports they love. Thanks also to our sponsors Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio for supporting this celebration each year.”

Full list of winners

Girls U16: Ava Tyrie (Brazilian Ju Jitsu – Pembroke MMA)
Boys U16: Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Club of the Year: Milford Haven Hockey Club (MAIN PHOTO)
Junior Disability: Jake Evans (Llangwm RFC)
Young Volunteer: Alannah Heasman (Haverfordwest High School)
Junior Team: Merlin’s Bridge FC Under-14s 2024/25
Unsung Hero: Jenny Lewis (Clarbeston Road AFC)
Senior Team: Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club
Male Achievement: Liam Bradley (Triathlon)
Female Achievement: Sanna Duthie (Running)
Disability Sport: Rachel Bailey (Boccia)
Club Organiser: Silfan Rhys-Jones (Fishguard Table Tennis Club)
Coach of the Year: James North (Kilgetty AFC)
School Award: Tavernspite & Templeton Federation of Schools
Chairman’s Award: Cruising Free (Neyland Rowing Club)
Special Award: Street Football Wales
Lifetime Achievement: Simon Davies (Wales, Spurs, Fulham, Everton & Solva AFC)

Sport

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Week ten results

Published

4 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

The Friendly League continues as Reynalton close the gap on leaders East Williamston

THE LATEST round of fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League produced another mix of tight contests and emphatic victories.

Kilgetty were beaten 8–2 at home by Hundleton, while Reynalton delivered the standout performance of the week with a 10–0 win over East Williamston. Llanteg also impressed, defeating Carew 8–2.

Elsewhere, St Twynnells claimed a 7–3 win away at the Badgers, and Lamphey ran out 7–3 winners against St Johns. Cosheston had the bye.

League table – Week ten

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
East Williamston	8	7	0	1	+130	62
Reynalton	8	5	1	2	+64	50
Hundleton	8	4	1	3	+3	42
Llanteg	8	4	0	4	–5	41
Badgers	9	3	1	5	–21	41
St Johns	8	3	1	4	–6	38
St Twynnells	8	4	0	4	–34	37
Lamphey	9	4	0	5	–15	36
Kilgetty	9	4	0	5	–49	36
Cosheston	8	3	0	5	–13	35
Carew	7	3	0	4	–54	32

Reynalton’s dominant win means they move within touching distance of leaders East Williamston, setting up an intriguing second half to the season.

Sport

South Africa run riot as Wales suffer record defeat in Cardiff

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

Wales 0–73 South Africa
WALES endured one of the heaviest defeats in their history on Saturday as world champions South Africa ran in 11 tries at the Principality Stadium, producing a brutal 73-0 demolition that exposed the gulf between the sides and underlined the scale of the rebuilding task facing Welsh rugby.

The fixture, arranged outside the international window, left Wales without several first-choice players and short on experience. South Africa, by contrast, arrived in Cardiff at full strength and in ruthless form. What followed was a one-sided contest from the opening minutes to the final whistle.

First-half dominance

The Springboks established their authority early, their scrum immediately overpowering the Welsh pack and setting the tone for the afternoon. Tries from Gerhard Steenekamp, Ethan Hooker and Jasper Wiese put the visitors 21-0 ahead, with Wales struggling to exit their own half and repeatedly conceding penalties under pressure.

Wales’ lineout functioned reasonably well and there were brief flashes of ambition from Joe Hawkins, Joe Roberts and Rio Dyer, but every half-chance dissolved through handling errors or South Africa’s suffocating defensive line. A late surge from the Boks saw Morne van den Berg cross just before the break for a 28-0 half-time lead.

Second-half collapse

Any hopes of containment disappeared after the interval. South Africa emptied their bench—bringing on yet more power—and immediately cut through Wales again. Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (twice), Canan Moodie, Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth all scored in a relentless second half.

Wales’ discipline faltered under the pressure. Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright were both shown yellow cards, with Wainwright’s high tackle sent to the bunker for review. South Africa’s own discipline cracked late on when Etzebeth received a straight red card for making contact with the eye area of Alex Mann—an incident captain Siya Kolisi later claimed was accidental.

Reaction

Player of the match Andre Esterhuizen, who produced a series of thunderous carries and turnovers, said the Springboks “worked really hard” to complete their Autumn clean sweep, praising Wales for “never giving up”.

Kolisi was gracious in victory but said he did not want the Etzebeth incident to overshadow the performance, adding: “The only way a team gets better is by playing the best. Wales will be stronger for facing this.”

Former Wales captain Dan Biggar, working as a pundit, was blunt in his assessment. “There are players there that aren’t at this level now, and may not play this level again,” he said. “I don’t think anyone learned anything from that.”

A difficult day for Welsh rugby

For Wales, the defeat will strengthen scrutiny of the WRU’s scheduling and long-term planning. A young and inexperienced squad battled gamely in patches—Mann, Hawkins and Dyer among those showing fight—but the mismatch was stark.

A crowd of around 50,000, well below capacity, reflected the mood of supporters as another bruising year for Welsh rugby nears its end.

Head coach Warren Gatland will now attempt to piece together the positives from a chastening afternoon, but the bigger questions facing the structure of the game in Wales remain unanswered.