Premiership review

NEWPORT 9 SWANSEA 3

NEWPORT sealed a fourth consecutive win in the Principality Premiership after a tough victory over Swansea at a rain-soaked Rodney Parade, writes Jay Bayford.

Matt O’Brien guided the Black and Ambers to victory with three first-half penalties with the weather disrupting their normal free-flowing brand of rugby.

The first half was a largely forgettable encounter as the players battled hard against the atrocious conditions.

The rain started hours before kick off and the downpour grew heavier as the half went on. The strong winds added an extra layer of difficulty in an already challenging environment.

Swansea debutant Steffen Williams went closest for the visitors when he tried his luck with a drop goal but the blustery conditions ensured he didn’t hit the target.

At the other end, reliable kicker O’Brien was handed a golden opportunity with a close-range penalty and he fired Newport ahead with a simple kick.

He was more ambitious moments later with an effort from just inside his own half that fell narrowly short but more ill-discipline from Swansea gave him easier efforts and he took advantage to extend the hosts’ lead to nine points at the break.

The rain subsided at half time, which allowed both teams to express themselves more.

Swansea adapted better but Williams missed a guilt-edged penalty to haul them back in the game.

However, with 20 minutes left on the clock, he redeemed himself from the tee to set up a thrilling finale.

But with the weather no longer restricting them, Newport were able to throw the ball about and controlled the latter stages of the game.

The visitors almost snatched the victory at the death after forming a dangerous maul but an offside call came to Newport’s rescue and the Black and Ambers saw out the win.

CROSS KEYS 5 LLANELLI 5

THE spoils were shared at Pandy Park in the Principality Premiership match between Cross Keys and Llanelli on Friday night, but there was one winner - the weather, writes Ian Golden.

Conditions were horrendous, as heavy teaming rain swept throughout the entire first half, this being just a continuation of the storms that plagued the whole of South Wales in the hours before the game, making the pitch heavy before we started.

Llanelli took the lead on 11 minutes in the only possible way anyone could score a try, Taylor Davies rolled his way over from a maul following a line-out. Ioan Hughes missed the conversion attempt.

Keys did their best to get a try back with the rain, far more than the Llanelli backs, proving to be the obstacle. Leon Andrews kicked well to the Llanelli five-metre line and the move was initially successful as Keys won the line-out. However the slippery ball was soon dropped and that was it for that attack – the home side’s best of the first half.

So despite 75% of the first half action being in Llanelli’s half, the visitors trudged into the dry changing rooms 5-0 up at the break.

The rain slowed down a bit at half-time, then miraculously came to a stop in the 45th minute, allowing the teams to attempt a bit more running rugby.

All each side needed to do was to get the ball out to the wingers and we could have had a bit more action. The centre of the field, especially in the half Keys were attacking in the first period, was a mudbath, but the flanks still had a good bit of grass.

Hughes missed a penalty on the hour mark as he looked to extend Llanelli’s lead, but it was Keys who eventually levelled, Dylan Fidler crossing in the corner on 68 minutes with Jason Tovey’s conversion attempt short of the sticks.

It was now next score the winner. Llanelli’s Declan Hughes missed two penalty attempts, Keys infringed a little into their opponents’ half, but as the rain resumed with a minute to go, time ran out for both sides.

LLANDOVERY 15 EBBW VALE 9

In wild and windy conditions at Church Bank fourth placed Llandovery earned their seventh win in 10 games at the expense of third placed Ebbw Vale, writes Huw S Thomas.

The game passed a 2 pm pitch inspection but the expected driving rain and high winds made life extremely difficult for both sides.

The Steelmen held a slender 9-5 interval lead and as well as they defended in the second half, it was the Drovers whofinished far the stronger for a narrow win.

Fly half Rhys Jones stroked over a penalty from half way to put Ebbw into an immediate lead but a driving maul by the Drovers pack soon saw Scarlets hooker Marc Jones get the touchdown.

Jones made it 6-5 with another easy, albeit long distance penalty before being off target with one from the half way line.

Ebbw’s wind assisted kicking game kept the Drovers under pressure and a third Jones penalty stretched the lead.

Llandovery’s fierce chop tackling kept their line intact as half time approached in the pouring rain.

The Ebbw scrum looked strong after the restart and with Llandovery kicking for position erratic, there was little to choose between the sides.

Captain Ronny Kynes was in the thick of everything and the Young brothers Lewis and Owen also worked hard in the loose as the game went into the last quarter.

Out of the blue, the Drovers conjured a try when scrum half Dafydd Land released Aaron Warren in midfield and the wing sent centre Rhodri Jones arrowing through.

Maynard converted for a 12-9 lead before a penalty attempt from Ebbw centre Carl Meyer was wide with 7 minutes to go.

Maynard plugged Ebbw back with some clever kicking to stifle any chance of a late upset and the game was sealed with his 30-metre penalty in injury time.