Sport

Late drama and strong comebacks highlight Pembrokeshire rugby action

Published

12 months ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Premiership Division:

Cross Keys 30 – Narberth 24

NARBERTH nearly pulled off one of the season’s most memorable comebacks after trailing 30-7 at halftime. The Otters fought back fiercely in the second half, scoring 17 unanswered points with tries from No 8 Roy Osborne (2), centre Harrison Griffiths, and fly-half Jonathan Rogers. Despite their determined effort, they fell just six points short, securing two bonus points for scoring four tries and finishing within seven points. Skipper Tom Powell was named Narberth’s ‘Player of the Match.’ The Otters now face a crucial relegation battle against bottom-placed Newcastle.

Championship Division (West):

Tata Steel 42 – Crymych 5

Crymych faced a daunting challenge against league leaders Tata Steel, who dominated the match from start to finish. Crymych’s only points came from hooker Lee Griffiths, as they trailed 21-5 at halftime. Unable to break through Tata’s defense in the second half, they conceded another 21 points to lose 42-5.

Laugharne 41 – Whitland 12

Laugharne completed the double over Whitland with a comprehensive 41-12 victory in this local derby. The home side raced to a 22-0 halftime lead, and although Whitland managed to score two tries in the second half through Tom Hughes and Oli Bujega, Laugharne remained in control throughout. This win strengthens Laugharne’s position in second place in the section, behind Lampeter Town.

Division Two (West):

Fishguard & Goodwick 29 – Milford Haven 13

Fishguard & Goodwick secured a dominant win over Milford Haven, completing the double over their rivals. The Seagulls controlled possession and scored five tries, while Milford Haven managed just one. Fishguard’s tries came from Kial Keane, Cai Llewellyn, Liam Wilkes, Rhys Evans, and Rhys Lewis, with Mark Jones converting two. Milford Haven fought hard, with scrum-half James Trueman kicking two penalties and prop Dai Sweeny scoring their only try. Despite a late effort from Milford, Fishguard held on for the win.

Division Four (West) A:

Pembroke 29 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 28

In a thrilling local derby, Pembroke narrowly defeated Pembroke Dock Harlequins by a single point. The Quins led 28-21 in the final stages, but Pembroke mounted a late comeback. Danny Davies scored a try, and Jared Sherratt’s calm penalty in the dying moments secured the victory for Pembroke, who had earlier fallen behind to tries from Jack Price and Craig Barnett for the Quins. Pembroke took revenge for an earlier defeat to the Quins this season.

Division Three (West):

Tumble 31 – Haverfordwest 28

Tumble won a tightly contested match against Haverfordwest, who fought back until the final whistle. Haverfordwest’s tries came from Ollie Roberts, Guy Barrons, and Jack Codd, but Tumble’s attacking pressure, combined with solid defense, saw them hold on for a 31-28 victory. The win keeps Tumble in second place in the table.

WRU Division One Cup – Last 16:

Bridgend Athletic 24 – Tenby United 19

Tenby United came close to securing a quarter-final spot after leading 16-5 at halftime against Bridgend Athletic. However, they faltered in the second half as Bridgend Athletic turned the game around with four tries. Tenby could only manage a drop goal from Lloyd Thomas and one try in the second half, while Athletic scored through Ben Owen, Mike Powell, Tom Jenkins, and Geraint Richards, with Rhys Williams converting two.

Division Three Cup – Last 16:

Cardigan (Walkover) vs Newtown

Cardigan advanced to the quarter-finals of the WRU Division Three Cup after Newtown were unable to field a team, giving Cardigan a walkover despite Newtown’s home advantage.

WRU Division Four Cup – Last 16:

Dreigiau Emlyn 15 – Neyland 26

Neyland secured a hard-fought victory over Dreigiau Emlyn, leading 13-7 at halftime. Dreigiau Emlyn briefly took the lead early with a try from Sam Forrester-Evans, but Neyland responded with a penalty from Oli Rothero and tries from Owen Hamer and Patrick Bellerby. Despite a late penalty from Dreigiau Emlyn, Neyland held on for the win and remain the only Pembrokeshire club left in the competition.

Athletic Battle Hard Against League Leaders:

Pontyclun 26 – Narberth Athletic 19

Narberth Athletic played bravely against league leaders Pontyclun, scoring three tries through Llew Jones and Shane Rossiter (who also converted two), but fell short in a 26-19 defeat. Pontyclun capitalized on key penalties and tries from Ewan Jones and Joe Williams, as well as a flawless kicking display from Nicky Theaker, who slotted four penalties and two conversions.

Bulls Beaten by Better Side on the Day:

Tylorstown 32 – Teirw Crymych 17

Teirw Crymych’s strong first-half performance wasn’t enough to overcome Tylorstown, who scored 17 unanswered points in the second half. Crymych had led 17-15 at halftime, but Tylorstown dominated after the break, claiming a 32-17 victory to advance to the last eight of the competition.

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.