Rugby round-up

A LOT can happen in a week as Newcastle Emlyn found when crashing 23-13 at home against Narberth seven days after a thrilling 35-30 win over Glamorgan Wanderers in the capital.

Elsewhere Crymych suffered a second successive defeat when going down 14-12 against visitors Penclawdd at Parc Lloyd Thomas and face a tough task this coming Saturday when visiting League 1 West joint leaders Gorseinon.

But Cardigan had a great weekend as, having already hammered League 3 West A rivals St Davids once this term, they again buried the Saints under a try avalanche at King George V Playing Field to reach round two of the National Bowl competition.

The Red and Whites completed the double over the Otters last season but any hopes of lowering their colours at Ddol Wyber were dashed as the visitors scored three tries to Emlyn's two and controlled the tempo of the game with the platform for victory laid up front.

Behind a rampant pack of forwards Narberth outside half Jonathan Rogers kicked superbly from hand as time and again he sent the Teifisiders back on their heels.

The homesters started on fire and after outside half Nico Setaro had a try disallowed for an infringement debutant centre Rhys Schiovone touched down to give them a five point advantage.

Weathering the early storm the Otters pack drove forward and Rogers kicked astutely, pinning the Red and Whites in their own territory.

Winger Nick Gale put the visitors on the scoreboard with a penalty and was just off target with a second kick awarded against prop Gethin Davies who was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle.

With numerical advantage Narberth surged into the home half and vastly experienced hooker Dan Smith got a try converted by Gale.

After two let-offs the Otters notched a cracking try by winger Liam Hutchings.

Backrower Joel James was dangerous with surging runs for Emlyn, but the visitors were solid in defence and repelled numerous raids.

As half time approached Emlyn were awarded a penalty in front of the posts but unaccountably Setaro, who had an off day with the boot, sent his effort wide.

Early in the second period visiting flanker Joe Powell was sin-binned for a scrummaging offence and Setaro eventually got his act together and slotted the penalty to put his side within seven points of their opponents.

When home fullback Sion Leonard was penalised for not releasing the ball Rogers landed the penalty but the homesters bounced back with a quality score when winger John Lumb and flanker James set up centre Tomi Jones for a try wide out.

With time running out another long kick by Rogers resulted in a lineout and a try for alert scrum-half Rhys Lane.

Emlyn had chances but were guilty of unforced errors.

Two converted tries during the opening 40 minutes were sufficient for visitors Penclawdd to take the spoils against a spirited Crymych outfit.

The 'Cocklemen' opened their account early on when No. 8 Richard Jones crashed over and fullback Dan Guanieri added the extra points.

Scrum-half Rhys Davies put Crymych on the scoreboard with a penalty but lock Mathew Donoghue forced his way over a second Penclawdd try converted by Guanieri before Davies again reduced the deficit.

Davies landed two further penalties after the break but handling errors let the Preselimen down and they failed to overhaul the visitors.

Former skipper and coach Colin Davies stole the limelight as the backrow forward sprang five tries in a 92-7 win for Cardigan over St Davids.

For the Cardis, who led 40-0 at the interval, the other scorers were Llyr Jones, Emyr Harries, skipper Llyr Griffiths, Dafydd Watkins and Aaron Evans.