Lloyd snatches it for Steelmen
Super Rygbi round-up
EBBW Vale became holders of the new Super Rygbi Cymru Challenge Shield when they beat Llandovery for the second time in seven days.
Steelmen outside-half Evan Lloyd slotted a penalty with the last kick of the game to take the spoils 31-28 in a dramatic finale, after the Drovers had pulled back from 2814 down to 28-all.
It was no more than the visitors deserved as they once again dominated the contact area to stop Llandovery playing their open game as they officially opened the new 3G pitch at Church Bank.
The initiative imitates New Zealand‘s famous 120-year Ranfurly Shield, where the “holder” – Llandovery, as 2023-2024 Premiership champions – put up the trophy at every home game in the regular season.
The Ebbw Vale win means that they are the new holders of the Shield and will try to retain it at their home game against RGC next weekend.
After the sides were locked 14-14 at half-time, skipper Joe Franchi scored his second try. Another great kick from Lloyd set up wing Harry Rhys – Weldon for a converted try to put an increasingly confident Ebbw 28-14 ahead.
But a yellow card for lock Dylan Bartlett weakened Ebbw and hooker Taylor Davies rumbled over for Llandovery, replacement Jack Maynard converting for 28-21.
Lloyd missed a penalty and in a frantic finale, replacement hooker Finn Thomas’s try and Maynard conversion tied the scores before Lloyd won the Shield for his team.
Cardiff went top of the table with a dominant six-point haul, including two bonus points, despite going down to 14 men in the first half against Carmarthen Quins at the Arms Park.
Although they were a man down, losing flanker Nathan Hudd shortly before half-time, they let the ball do the work to score eight tries, with man-ofthe-match Steffan Emanuel pulling the strings at outside-half.
It was an impressive and entertaining performance which lays down a marker in the new Super Rygbi Cymru competition, a remarkable turnaround after losing the opening game at Carmarthen Park this season.
Cardiff dominated the early exchanges but it was into the second quarter of the match before they finally put points on the board, with prop Marc Thomas going over from short range.
They extended their lead hooker Gavin Parry to scored, outside centre Luke Pollock slicing through for the third.
Cardiff flanker Hudd and Carmarthen hooker Sion Jones got into a squabble, but it was Hudd who overstepped the line and was red carded.
Replacement prop Joe Cowell scored from close range to earn the first bonus point, hooker Gavin Parry scored his second try from a driving lineout maul, then replacement back rower Benji Williams also went over.
Emanuel then got into the try scoring act, finding some space out wide, left wing Dewi Cross grabbing the eighth.
It means Cardiff took over at the top from Bridgend who beat Swansea 38-10 on Thursday night, also picking up six points.
Newport and Aberavon had quite a tussle, with the Gwent side just coming out on top 29-19.
Aberavon had taken an early grip on the match through tries by Ashton Evans and Carwyn Lewis.
Newport skipper Ben Roach saw yellow and then scored a try in the first half to retake the lead, after Nathan Evans had scored to get the home side back into the game.
Henry Palmer for Newport and Frankie Jones for Aberavon exchanged tries as it remained a one score game.
However Newport sealed the match and a bonus point when replacement back rower Kyle Taylor scored. Loosehead Tom Workman was the man-of-the-match in this hard fought contest.
Pontypool enjoyed a dominant first half performance against RGC, leading the north Wales side 29-13 at half-time thanks to tries from Ieuan Jones, Dan Hills, Connor Chapman and Joel Mahoney.
RGC had taken the lead with an Ethan Fackrell try and also had a 65 metre penalty from Sam Earl-Jones.
The north Wales side fought their way back through centre Danny Cross, but Pooler kept their noses in front with a Kieran Meek penalty, which proved to be the last score of the match as it ended 32-20 to the home side at Pontypool Park.
