Sport
Bluebirds begin second phase with important win
ALHAGI Touray Sisay’s goal two minutes into the second-half was enough to give Haverfordwest County an important 1-0 win over 10-man Barry Town United in our opening game of Phase Two in the JD Cymru Premier.
After a relatively even first-half at a sun-drenched Jenner Park, the striker found the net from a tight angle shortly after the interval, and it proved to be the winning goal as County recorded consecutive victories in the league for the first time this season.
The hosts had opportunities to level the scoring, and thought they had done so when Clayton Green’s header from close range was pushed onto the crossbar by the impressive Lee Idzi, with the officials ruling that the ball had not crossed the line.
This victory sees the Bluebirds leapfrog the Dragons into ninth place in the standings, three points behind Cardiff Metropolitan in seventh – who currently occupy top spot in the Play-Off Conference.
Manager Nicky Hayen made three changes to the side that beat Cefn Druids 2-0 last week, with captain Dylan Rees returning from suspension while Corey Shephard and Ricky Watts came into the midfield in place of Kurtis Rees and the injured Kieran Lewis.
The first opportunity of the game fell County’s way. Dylan Rees’ ball over the top picked out Touray Sisay, but the striker saw his shot from inside the area saved by Kelland Absalom.
The Bluebirds had been on the front foot in the opening 15 minutes, but they had to be alert defensively when Jordan Cotterill found space before seeing his shot blocked by Elliot Scotcher.
County’s best opportunity of the half fell to Jordan Davies. After squick interplay in the attacking third, the ball was worked to the unmarked striker on the right side of thee area, but his shot was parried onto Touray Sisay by Absalom, before rebounding back into his grasp.
On the half hour mark, Idzi pulled off an excellent diving save to deny Rhys Abbruzzese’s speculative effort from distance, before getting down well to save Rhys Kavanagh’s shot from close range shortly after as the team’s went into the break level at 0-0.
However, a matter of minutes after the restart, the Bluebirds countered at pace before the excellent Shephard slid a through ball into the path of Touray Sisay, which he calmly slotted between the legs of Absalom to give County the lead.
This goal gave Hayen’s side confidence, as they continued to be on the front foot and looked the likelier team to find the second goal of the afternoon.
But just before the hour mark, the Linnets thought they had drawn level. A free-kick from the right side was met by the head of captain Green, with the ball coming back off the right post and into the path of Idzi, who pushed it onto the crossbar before Scotcher hooked it to safety.
Gavin Chesterfield’s side claimed the ball had crossed the line, but the officials ruled otherwise and the score remained at 1-0.
Green was involved again five minutes later, again with a header, but this time he couldn’t direct it on target as the ball flew wide of the right post.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Cotterill was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Dylan Rees.
This allowed County to lower the tempo and see out the game relatively unthreatened in the closing stages, as Hayen’s side held on pick up a crucial three points.
Next up for the Bluebirds is Cefn Druids at the Ogi Bridge Meadow next Saturday, March 12 (Kick-off: 14:30). The game will see Hayen take to the home dugout for the first time since being unveiled as our new manager,
Sport
This weekend’s Division 4 West rugby roundup
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.
Sport
WRU to apologise over contract dispute but denies sexism claims
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.
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.”
Sport
Swansea sign free-agent defender Cyrus Christie
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.”
-
News6 days ago
£1.7bn boost for Welsh Government in UK Budget
-
Crime7 days ago
Carmarthen man jailed for 19 years after corrosive substance attack
-
News6 days ago
Pay boost announced for 2,600 workers in Pembrokeshire, as Budget unfolds
-
Crime7 days ago
Cannabis cultivation in Carmarthen worth £870,000 admitted
-
News7 days ago
Police appeal following fatal road traffic collision on A40
-
Business7 days ago
Tenby Imperial Hotel renovation plans get green light
-
Crime6 days ago
Coroners inquest opened and adjourned following death of schoolgirl, 12
-
Charity6 days ago
Two nights of rock ’n’ roll raise thousands for Paul Sartori Hospice