Pontypool’s pack power earned them two penalty tries and saw them beat Carmarthen Quins 23-8 in the WRU National Cup.
The Principality Premiership side were simply swept aside in difficult conditions at Pontypool Park as Rob Nash’s fired-up home side showed no mercy as they reached the quarter-finals for the second successive season.
Last season they won at Llanelli and Cardiff before finally falling to Cross Keys. This season, no team is going to want to be drawn to play the unbeaten Championship leaders on their own patch.
Their win over the Quins was their 27th successive triumph in league and cup at Pontypool Park. You have to go back to 23 April, 2016, for their last defeat at home when they were beaten by RGC 1404 and missed out on a return to the Premiership. Since then, they have lost only once in 34 Championship outings, won last season’s title by 17 points and currently lead the table by 17 points with a perfect record of 14 wins from 14 outings.
Matthew Jones missed with a penalty out of the mud in the second minute, but by the break a penalty try awarded from a dynamic five metre scrum, and a second from a turbo-charged driving line-out, allowed them to change ends 17-8 ahead.
The Quins simply couldn’t get enough quick ball to spread wide enough to get their dangerous backs into space, although full back Steff Marshall did cross out wide after outflanking the home defence. That was as good as it got for them and two more Jones penalties added the final nails in their coffin in the second half.
Another Championship club, Bedlinog, gave a superb account of themselves at Pandy Park where they gave new Cross Keys head coach Morgan Stoddart a few worries. A try after only two minutes from Nathan Trowbridge seemed to have settled the home nerves, but they only managed two penalties from Josh Prosser to add to the outside-half’s conversion to make it 13-0 at the break.
Full-back Leon Andrews ran in a second try five minutes into the second half, which Prosser again improved, but the visitors hit back with a converted try of their own to make it 20-7. It then took the home side until the final five minutes to pile on the pressure and make the game save.
Three tries came in that purple patch, two of them from centre Lewis Barnett and the final one from wing Matt Powell. Corey Shepherd converted all three to make it 41-7 in the end.
Bargoed thumped Rhydyfelin 40-0 in the end, scoring six tries, but it was only 7-0 at the break thanks to the opening try from centre Lewis Bowden. After the break Jon Armitage, Darren Humphries, Matthew Lewis, Jordan Howells and Duane Dyer crossed and Lewis added five conversions.
The games at Beddau and Bridgend were postponed because of waterlogged pitches, but there was no such problem at the Arms Park on their 4G pitch. Principality Premiership leaders Merthyr overturned the earlier defeat they suffered in the Welsh capital against Cardiff as they reached the quarter-finals with a 37-12 triumph.
There were 22 points from full back Matthew Jarvis as he kept the scoreboard moving with his metronomic boot. Jarvis also responded to James Beal’s opening try for the Blue & Blacks after only seven minutes with the first of his side’s four tries.
After that Kyle Evans, Justin James and Nick White followed suit as the Ironmen built a 30-5 lead. Nicky Griffiths grabbed a consolation score for the home side and Gareth Thompson added the extras.
Llandovery won the West Wales clash against Llanelli, 38-9.
Llanelli took the lead with a penalty, but Ryan Evans replied within four minutes to give the Drovers the lead with the first of their six tries. Kris Jones converted and then Ricky Guest crossed for another.
Llanelli replied with two more penalties, but a try on the stroke of half-time by Duane Eager, which Jones against converted, made it 19-9 at the break.
Shaun Miles and Joe Powell raced in for two more tries and Aaron Warren crossed at the death to complete the job on what turned into a good day for Rhodri Wells as he celebrated his 50th game for the Drovers.
WRU National Cup – Round 2
Bargoed 40, Rhydyfelin 0
Beddau v Bedwas (Postponed)
Bridgend v Ebbw Vale (Postponed)
Cardiff 12, Merthyr 37
Cross Keys 41, Bedlinog 7
Llandovery 38, Llanelli 9
Pontypool 23, Carmarthen Quins 8
Sunday, 28 January
Newport v Aberavon