Sport

Neyland Youth beat Llangwm to lift Griffiths Plate

Published

3 years ago

April 17, 2022

NEYLAND Youth earned victory over rivals Llangwm to secure the Griffiths Cup Plate on Good Friday (Apr 15).

A wet and warm morning greeted the teams but with the rain easing by the 1pm Kick off, it left perfect conditions for the game and Neyland eventually came out victorious 27-3 in a competitive battle between the old rivals.

Historically ties between these two sides have been nip and tuck affairs with 1 score between them so it was Neyland who would have been delighted with their start.

A cagey opening few minutes were suddenly changed when Outside Half Tyler Sutton intercepted a pass from near halfway and speed away to score in the top left hand corner. Fletcher Picton narrowly failing with a difficult touchline conversion.

Playing down the slope and with the breeze Llangwm tried to use kicks to put the All Black’s under pressure – Iwan Davies and Harry Makepeace regularly gaining territory with long raking kicks but the cover of the Neyland back 3 – Liam Rees, Lucas Jones and Fergus Reynolds – meant they couldn’t ever turn the territory into points.

The Llangwm pack, led by Arwyn O’Loughlin and Joe Phillips also tried to create opportunities but the defence around the fringes from Neyland was superb throughout – big hits coming in from Seb McIntosh, Jack Rogers and the always energetic Jasper Endean, returning from a recent shoulder injury.

Midway through the half, ill-discipline at the breakdown gave Llangwm Scrum Half Davies an opportunity to strike 3 points and he duly obliged.

Llangwm continued to keep the pressure on but again the Neyland defence stood firm. Callum O’Riordan, returning from a season long sabbatical, was outstanding in the centre, driving into tackles and continually knocking Llangwm players backwards and causing knock ons.

The Neyland pack, led by Skipper Asha Gledhill, slowly started to exert more and more pressure on their bigger pack opponents.

As the half came to a close, Llangwm had an opportunity to go in front at the break but a long range penalty fell just short Leading at the break and with the slope and slight breeze with them, this had to make Neyland slight favourites going into the second half.

As the game went on the front row of Harvey Myles, Asha Gledhill and replacement Lloyd Stephens started to gain the upper hand in the scrums which enabled scrum half Rhys Power to dictate play and territory.

Llangwm continued to try to attack using forwards Jake Thomas, Fflyn Tjonk and ex All Black Aled Rogers but big defence from counterparts Toby Rees, Jack Rogers, and Zac Stewart continued to keep them out A powerful scrum from Neyland resulted in their second try when Seb McIntosh, who had switched to No 8, picked up and drove over the line from 5 yards out, Picton duly notching the conversion to put Neyland in front.

Llangwm continued to battle but by now Neyland tails were up and they sensed there were more tries in it for them.

The third try arrived not long after when another powerful scrum allowed Power to feed Man of the Match Sutton who dummied his way past the defence to slide home for his second and Neylands third try, Picton again adding the extras.

As the game entered the final stages a charged down kick by Llangwm centre Dom Asson almost resulted in a breakaway try but O’Riordan was back in place to gather and clear the danger with a superb counter attack down the touchline.

A huge penalty from almost halfway from Centre Fletcher Picton could have been the highlight of his day but he saved that for the very last play when tapping a penalty on the far side of the field, he pushed off the tired Llangwm defenders and sped to the line in the opposite corner.

Replacement kicker Liam Rees striking the post with the final kick of the match A deserved victory for Neyland in an entertaining match in front of the highest crowd for a game in Neyland for many a year.

Neyland: Liam Rees: Fergus Reynolds; Callum O’Riordan; Fletcher Picton; Lucas Jones: Tyler Sutton; Rhys Power: Harvey Myles; Sebastien McIntosh; Asha Gledhall: Lewis Scourfield; Toby Rees: Jack Rogers; Jasper Endean; Zac Stewart. Replacements: Lloyd Stephens; Owain Turner; Zac Evans; Dylan Evans; Bobby Jones; Finlay Picton; Coaches: Colin Picton; Ollie Rothero. Team Manager: Charlie Watts.

Llangwm: Harry Makepeace: Lucas Chamberlain; Ieuan Grey; Dom Asson; Oliver Kersey: Owen Phelps; Iwan Davies: Aled Rogers; Soloman Oxenham; Charlie Wilson: Jake Thomas; Flynn Tjonk: Evan Thomas; Arwyn O’Loughlin (Capt); Joe Phillips (VC). Replacements: Matthew Cole; Ioan Jarman; Ben Hawkins; Owen Evans; Leon Hood. Coaches: Dafydd Bowen; Jonathan Whitticombe; Jeff Asson. Team Manager: Jonathan Willington.

Sport

Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

1 day 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.

Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.