News

Pembroke 73 - Llangwm 8

Friday 4th May
Pembroke ended an intense week by taking another big step towards the Division Three West A title with a comfortable win over Llangwm at Crickmarren last night.

The Scarlets now need just four points from their remaining three league games to be crowned champions, while for The Wasps, the game signalled the end of a winless season but again they have won plaudits for battling to the finish despite struggling for numbers in recent weeks.

And it was actually the visitors who made the better start against a Pembroke team who looked rusty early on, as coaches Geraint Lewis and Kyle Davies were forced to rotate their squad following their epic National Bowl final on Sunday and win over Aberaeron on Wednesday night.

The Wasps had chances from a close range scrum and then lineout, but although the home pack held firm, a penalty from No 10 Luke Hayman put Richard Scriven’s side ahead.

But gradually The Scarlets got into their stride and second row Cyle Weatherall charged over in the corner for a try Shaun Dalling converted – before scrum half Tom Lewis rounded off a breathless passage of play by sniping under the posts after his side had counter attacked from their own 22.

Lewis himself added the extras, and Pembroke then sealed their try bonus point as second row Colman and then No 8 Sam Smith both charged over from close range – the latter remarkably notching his 40th try of the season.

Centre Fraser James grabbed the final score of the half as he cut through a gap in the Llangwm 22, and further conversions from Lewis and full back Ryan Wilkins made it 33-3 at half time.

And it was one-way traffic in the opening stages of the second half as replacement Jim Brace crashed over by the posts and flanker Rhodri Walters also scored after the tiring Wasps had ran out of defenders.

Another replacement in centre Dan Colley soon exerted his influence as he took a pop pass from Smith for his first try, with Lewis (2) and Wilkins converting all three tries between them.

Both Colman and Colley got their second scores to increase the lead to 64-3, before The Wasps grabbed the try their efforts deserved.

No 8 Josh Hicks was again prominent with his ball carrying throughout, and it was from one of his runs that the Llangwm pack battered away at the Pembroke line, before replacement scrum half Ian Griffiths picked up five metres out and dived over.

Griffiths also threatened again when he broke from his own 22 late on but when the move broke down, the home side countered and finished with a flourish as James went over from 40 metres for his second try, and Weatherall drop kicked over the conversion.

It means The Scarlets, who now have a Pembrokeshire KO Cup semi-final with Pembroke Dock Quins at Bierspool on Tuesday, are now almost certain to win the title and promotion – need just a single win from their three remaining league games against Cardigan (May 12th), Haverfordwest (May 16th) and current leaders Milford Haven (May 19th).

Pembroke: Ryan Wilkins, Shaun Dalling, Fraser James, Simon Hooper, Barry Alderman-John, Yori Roberts, Tom Lewis, Jamie Brayford, Seamus Wiseman, Dom Colman, Cyle Weatherall, Alex Wilks, Rhodri Walters, Billy Wood, Sam Smith.
Replacements: Jonny Palmer, Jim Brace, Scott Powell, James Davies, Dan Colley.

Llangwm: Fraser Watson, Daniel Morgan, Will Ridge, Danny Chesmer, Rhys Mason, Luke Hayman, Jo Kiff, Ieuan Power, Gethin Thomas, Dan Murphy, Gavin Jones, Gethin Bateman, Mike Cockburn, James Lewis, Josh Hicks.
Replacements: Ben Llewellyn, Rhodri Devonald, Lewis Murphy, Ian Griffiths

Pembrokeshiresport.com