PEMBROKE WIN ON ROAD

The weather forecasters for once got it wrong and, despite one very hefty squall during the game, the match was played in sunny, cloudy, very windy conditions.

St. Davids, in previous weeks, had shipped large numbers of points in a number of heavy defeats, whereas Pembroke arrived brimming with confidence after a solid start to their league campaign.

In a very one-sided affair, Pembroke came out winners by a large margin, as expected. However, their players, coaches and supporters were full of praise for a plucky St. Davids team, who contested in all phases of the game for the full 80 minutes, despite going down 98-0.

Pembroke’s forwards were very efficient in all aspects of their play and they set up lots of clean ball for their talented backs to exploit. There were phases of exciting interplay, which saw excellent handling leading to Pembroke scoring 16 unanswered tries, 11 in the first half and five in the second and as the tally indicates, the St David’s defence was far more resolute in the second half.

For Pembroke, young fullback Luke Hartland showed amazing skill and accuracy in slotting over eight conversions from all angles in very difficult conditions in the first half and then he and Lewis Davies (playing at outside-half) continued this good form, slotting more kicks over in the second half.

The try scorers for Pembroke included, Lewys Gibby (3), Billy Wood (3), Dom Coleman (2), James Skeels (2), with Luke Hartland, George Kenniford, Barry John, Harry Owen, Tom Kinnear and Jonny Palmer also crossing the line.

St. Davids, however, did mount sporadic attacks of their own during the game, but they could not penetrate a strong, determined visitors’ defence.

Pembroke’s head coach Geraint Lewis was particularly pleased with the performances of some of the younger members of his squad, in particular Tom Kinnear in the centre, Jim Brace at hooker, Luke Hartland at fullback, Harry Owen at openside flanker and Billy Wood in the centre, all of whom have come out of the Youth system in recent years and added real sparkle to the senior side. Whilst he was equally effusive about the hard work the whole squad was putting in at present, as competition for places becomes more intense.

After the game, the Pembroke coaches paid tribute to the St Davids pack, which scrummaged and contested in the loose very effectively throughout the match, whilst praising their own players for an excellent display of skilful interplay, which demonstrated their abilities to the full.

Jack Dudley (St. Davids coach) also paid tribute to Pembroke’s efforts and his own players for their continued dedication and commitment, given their challenging recent run of results.

Pembroke next week, move onto the second round of the WRU Bowl against Milford Haven away, when they know they will face a much sterner test at the Observatory ground.

PEMBROKE YOUTH

WIN AT HOME

Pembroke’s young Youth squad took on a Cardigan team at home in windy, dry conditions on a very damp pitch after heavy overnight rain. Cardigan are always tough opponents, with a good pack and some talented backs.

Pembroke started well, pressurising the Cardigan line, with the pack twice being held up over the line in the first 10 minutes.

Cardigan then mounted a number of attacks, only to be repelled by some resolute Pembroke defence by backs and forwards alike.

Then Pembroke, in the second quarter, hit a rich seam of form, which saw some excellent forward pressure, interplay and handling. Firstly, from a Cardigan lineout on halfway, Pembroke’s forwards forced a turnover, which the backs used really well to send their side-stepping fullback Tom Harding-Jones in under the posts, for a superb try, converted by Billy Kinnear.

Minutes later, having forced a five-yard scrum on the Cardigan line and after a huge shove, talented number eight Matthew Washbourne picked up and crashed over for an unconverted try.

Soon after, the Pembroke forwards again got field position, exerted tremendous pressure on their opponents’ line, which culminated in Jordan Evans (openside flanker) being forced over the line by his team-mates for another well-deserved, unconverted try.

Very late in the half, Cardigan were awarded a penalty, after some pressure from their own forwards, which was converted to make the half-time score 17-3.

Pembroke’s forwards continued for play really well in the second half, providing excellent ball, which was converted into lots of territory by the backs. However, numerous attacking opportunities were repelled by a very resolute Cardigan defence.

Pembroke’s pack were held up on the Cardigan line at least five times during a tense, exciting, but scoreless second half.

Pembroke’s coaches were full of praise for their young squad after this very tough encounter.

PEMBROKE BEAT

THE ROYAL WELSH

The players and management of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Welsh had been based at Castlemartin for the week prior to taking on a Pembroke Club XV on Wednesday, September 28, in extremely difficult windy, rainy conditions.

The army group had been put through a demanding boot camp, based at both the Castlemartin camp and the rugby club in preparation for the start of the annual Army Cup competition.

The WRU had deployed the very experienced Mark Ring and Peter Rogers to provide the coaching expertise to aid the development of their squad’s knowledge, skills and strategic planning, whilst this match had been confirmed to provide the culmination of their week’s work.

The Welsh squad contained a number of experienced players, blended in alongside a larger number of younger, less experienced individuals, so it was their first opportunity of the season to be tested against seasoned opposition.

The game was played in terribly windy, wet conditions, in front of a large noisy crowd, which contained a large number of non-playing lads from the camp population, whilst the experienced Chris Oliver (WRU referee) had been appointed to the match. Both teams had large squads, with the intention of giving all an opportunity to contribute.

Pembroke’s pack started the game very strongly and put the army pack under severe pressure. Having established early supremacy in this area, Pembroke exerted early pressure by scoring two converted penalty tries within the first 10 minutes, to take a large early lead.

The army then made an enforced tactical substitution in their front row, which seemed to stem the tide. The game see-sawed, then the army exerted pressure of their own and on 18 minutes, after some excellent handling and interplay, CFN Farmer (fullback) crossed for a converted try wide out after a strong 30m run.

The army then were repeatedly pinned into their 22 by some excellent kicking out of hand by Pembroke outside-half Lewis Davies, which eventually allowed the home forwards to exert pressure on the army line and provide an opportunity for captain Jordan Gwilym to crash over for a well-earned converted try (all conversions on the night by Pembroke fullback Luke Hartland).

The penalty count against the army side cost them a lot of territory throughout the half. However, they remained determined and in the closing minutes of the half unfortunately gave up an excellent opportunity to score by infringing in the loose.

Pembroke then showed great presence of mind and broke out of defence and, after excellent interplay, the army conceded another penalty, which Lewis Davies put over from 40 metres, to make the interval score a well-earned 24-7 to Pembroke.

The army made a raft of changes at half-time and this seemed to invigorate the team from the start of the second half, as they seemed determined to improve on an error-ridden first 40 minutes.

The third quarter saw many exchanges in both halves and the handling by players on both sides was very good, given the horridly wet conditions, and whilst both sides made a number of errors, neither could penetrate equally determined defensive work.

The army team failed to convert some excellent thrusts, many led by their very mobile and aggressive number eight ‘Batty’ and second row captain Llewellyn, because of unforced handling errors and inability to secure ball in the loose, when close to the Pembroke line.

The resurgent army team, who had dominated the bulk of the second half, continued to pressurise, with Pembroke only making the odd thrust into their opponents’ half.

Then in a decisive moment late in a scoreless, but pulsating half, Pembroke broke out of defence and got a penalty on the halfway line; Lewis Davies put the kick deep into the army 22 and from the resulting lineout the pack moved in field and from the maul five metres out, Lewys Gibby at scrum-half broke blind to feed winger Barry Alderman-John, who went over in the corner for the final unconverted score.

This left the result at 29-7 to a buoyant Pembroke team, who knew they had been in a very tough game. Referee Chris Oliver congratulated both sides on a very exciting, disciplined game played in great spirit.

After the match, Dai Gray (Royal Welsh co-ordinator) thanked Pembroke for hosting the group for the previous week and for a very stern first test for their squad, which he felt would certainly have helped their preparations; he explained that they would be playing their first game in the army competition in Eire in a week’s time and hoped to return in the new year for a return fixture.

In response, Pembroke’s chairman wished them every success on behalf of the whole club, commemorative shields and ties were exchanged, whilst the players shared each others company during the post-match celebrations and they were welcomed to return in the future.