TENBY UNITED U16s 22pts CARMARTHEN QUINS 14
Tenby Under 16s (sponsored by N. D. Toy and Partners), travelled to Carmarthen last Sunday where they played Carmarthen Quins, knowing this was going to be a tough encounter, having played them twice last year.
Following constant pressure, Tenby opened the scoring after five minutes, taking play over the Quins' line, only for referee to adjudge that the ball was held up. From the resulting scrum, Tenby number eight Adam Ball picked up, feeding scrum-half Rhys Thomas to score.
Five minutes later, Tenby were again awarded a five-metre scrum on the other side of the pitch, again Ball picked up, breaking, then feeding winger Gareth Merriman to score in the corner, putting Tenby 10-0 up.
Unfortunately, Gareth picked up a knock, as did Ben Field Thomas, and were replaced by Barrie John and Oliver Morgan, who both immediately settled into the team well.
Tenby were playing some great rugby, with the forwards dominating. Ball and Rogers ruled the lineouts, while the remaining forwards all worked hard, supplying good ball for the backs to utilise.
From a Tenby scrum deep in their own half, outside-half Steve Handicott received the ball, made a break and fed centre John Fenwick, coming in at a great angle to split the Quins defence, and sprint 70 yards to the line, only to be denied by the Quins fullback, who had an excellent game.
Towards the break, the Quins started to come more into the game. However, Tenby's defence held tight, John Fenwick and fullback Dan Colley putting in some big tackles.
Right on half-time, the Quins breached Tenby's line with a well-worked move to make the interval score 10-7.
Unfortunately, Nick Drewitt took a knock and had to leave the field for 10 minutes.
Tenby kicked off the second period knowing they had a game on their hands, but to be fair, the boys rallied. Five minutes into the half, they again had the Quins on the back foot and from a rolling maul, Marvin Thomas ripped the ball and crashed through the defence, putting Tenby 15-7 up.
Again the Quins hit back with a converted try, to make the score 15-14.
To their credit, Tenby again upped their game. Rhys Thomas, at scrum-half, having his best game of the season to date, breaking and darting, was a real handful.
Tenby kept the pressure on and with minutes remaining a penalty was awarded. Quickly taken by Grant Rogers, he fed Marvin Thomas who crossed for his second try and sealed the game, with Adam Ball adding the conversion, to make the final score of a cracking game of rugby 22-14 to Tenby.
Coach Ben Childs awarded man of the match to Rhys Thomas.
Thanks again to parents for lifts; it is much appreciated.
Squad: Marvin Thomas, Jon Walker, Martin Bowles, Adam Hughes, Grant Rogers, Mike Coburn, Adam Ball, Nick Drewett (capt.), Rhys Thomas, Steve Handicott, Ben Field-Thomas, John Fenwick, Gareth Merriman, Jon Lewis, Barrie John and Oliver Morgan.
WHITLAND RFC U12s 7 pts.
TENBY RFC U12s 49
Always a favourite trip for our young squad and this was no exception. After a heavy defeat from Carmarthen Quins two weeks ago, Tenby had a point to prove.
However, on this occasion, this was not the case - Tenby took control in all departments and enjoyed a try-fest - with seven unanswered scores bringing the final score to 7-49 in Tenby's favour.
The game was played, as always, with passion and determination. Neither team backed down in the physical stuff and if it wasn't for some very fair refereeing, the game would have been in threat of boiling over.
However, despite the odd argy bargy, the game that both teams presented for the crowd was extremely entertaining.
The 'Three Wise Coaches' of the Seasiders could stand tall and feel very proud of each and every one of their squad. The team spirit on display was absolutely fabulous.
The forwards cleared out, rucked and mauled as one and were there for each other throughout. The same support play was evident with our fast backs. Try scorers made the line with three or four of their 'backs' colleagues on their shoulder each and every time.
This must have been the best all-round team effort this squad has delivered since forming way back when in the Under 9 division.
The ball was made available due to hard forward play. They ensured good second phase ball for our skilled backs to exploit the full width of the pitch which soon tired the home defence. Once this tiredness took a hold of the home XV, Tenby upped their tempo and took full control. Try after try after try brought big smiles to all concerned. This game was without doubt the tonic our Under 12s required after their hard lesson from the Quins.
Well done to you all. The team effort this week was the best ever. Let's see a repeat performance this Sunday against Narberth.
Try scorers: Lewis Canton, Ross Grey (hat-trick), Tom Baker, Lloyd Thomas and Joseph Richards.
Conversions: Full house to Lloyd Thomas (seven out of seven).
Team: Daniel Gosnold, Lewis Davies, Sam Fletcher, Nino Rogers, Andrew Cooke, Josh Jones, Lewis Hodgson, Henry Lawrence, Jonathan Miller, Ianto Griffiths (capt.), Lloyd Thomas, Tom Baker, Lewis Canton, Joseph Richards, Daniel Thomas, Ross Gray.
TENBY SWIFTS U10s 4 tries
WHITLAND U10s 4
This was Tenby U10s' first run out this season and they had a few new skills to master like lineouts, scrummaging and kicking.
As was customary last season, Tenby allowed the visitors to score, through lack of concentration, from the first set-piece.
Things did not look promising, but within minutes, Jo Denning, with some excellent long passes, set Jo Farrell and Greg Palin into space. These two linked with each other to see Greg sprint down the line for a professional looking score.
The first scrum looked solid - Cameron Woods, Dylan Griffiths, Matthew McDermot, Elliot Randle, Greg Caine and Daryl Williams worked hard together as a forward unit. The scrum looked comfortable and they pressured Whitland in the loose and stole more ball than they lost in the maul.
In fact, Greg Caine dominated the lineout, giving Tenby a great platform for Jo D. once again to set Jo F. on a slicing run to put Tenby in the lead 2-1 at half-time.
Three new players entered the fray this season - Shane Brown, Lloyd Hill and David Duckworth and all competed bravely and showed promising skills. Some of last season's regulars will have to train and play well to keep their places.
Whitland, not to be forgotten, also played some excellent rugby and were rewarded with a good try in the second-half.
However, it was Tenby who dominated, Greg Palin scoring again down the wing and Daryl Williams once again showing deceptive pace to score under the posts and put Tenby 4-2 in front.
Our pre-match worries were ill-founded as Tenby looked well-versed in all departments of the game.
It was that old enemy - lack of concentration - that allowed Whitland to score twice in the dying minutes to leave the game at four tries each. Tackling - Tenby's strongest area last season - let them down.
Credit to Whitland for playing hard until the final whistle.
TENBY SWIFTS
U13s 10 pts.
WHITLAND U13s 15
A magnificent second half come back by the Swifts saved them from what in the first 20 minutes promised to be their biggest reversal ever in this fascinating series of matches between the two teams.
Whitland opened the match on their own hallowed turf with a blistering attack which saw them notch up three tries without reply, and it seemed that Tenby had no answers.
On half-time however, the sizzling centre combination of Jamie Williams (capt) and Chris Heesom managed a breakthrough for Chris to score wide out.
After the turn around, the pair again made the running for Jamie to cross the home line three minutes into the second half.
This was the end of the scoring, but the beginning of what was to be a superb display of speed, skill and passing from Tenby which had Whitland reeling.
Unfortunately, the clock once again beat Tenby as it has done in previous encounters with the Swifts mounting attack after attack on a Whitland team which by the end had run out of steam.
It speaks volumes for the character of this young Swifts outfit that they could recover in such fashion following their first half battering.
They weathered that storm and in the end it was Tenby that looked like the winning team and with a bit more luck and perhaps judgement in using overlaps and delivering catchable passes they would surely have taken the honours at the end.
The centres, Williams and Heesom, have been mentioned and use of their pace and penetrative running is going to be a major weapon as the season progresses. New half-back pairing of Kiefer Thomson and Toby Smith were under considerable pressure from the Whitland pack in the first half, but managed to get their line moving in the second. Wings Oliver Goldwait and James Canton did not see a lot of the ball in attack, but managed to make a few useful runs nonetheless.
Matthew Davies again saved many a situation with his crunching tackles, and Callum Baxter who did not get much of a run out covered for him at full-back in the early stages of the game. Callum and Rhys Winter (who did not get on the pack) will develop and can look forward to contributing in the next outing.
The forwards made a remarkable recovery after being on the ropes in the first half and produced a powerful mauling and rucking performance in the second to retrieve the situation.
The back row of Joseff Morris, Jack Baker and Patrick Roberts covered an immense amount of ground, making crucial tackles and carrying the ball forward once they had recovered from the shock of the early Whitland onslaught.
Second rowers Danny McDermott and Andrew Evans are a powerful pair who battled to the end to gain the upperhand over their big opponents.
The front row again showed stamina and commitment with props Gareth Lawrence and Rob Jones sharing one berth with Sam Ferguson making an immense contribution on the other. Nothing typifies Sam's work rate better than the try saving tackle he made in the second half after covering half the field following some stirling work in a maul.
Declan Sharma is another who worked hard and his hooking skills were superb, taking a number of crucial strikes against the lead.
Despite the loss, this was a good match for the Swifts because it showed that not only have they got ability, but they also possess guts and determination and a strength of character to come back in the second half the way they did when lesser teams would have capitulated.
The team now looks forward to the return fixture of this intriguing series between these two outstanding young teams.
Tenby will have learned their lessons well and will start that match as they finished this one. It must also be said that even though there is intense rivalry between the two teams and no quarter is given on the field of play, the matches are scrupulously clean, but hard and a tribute to the boys and a credit to the game of rugby.
Tenby fielded: Matthew Davies, Callum Baxter, James Canton, Jamie Williams (capt.), Chris Heesom, Oliver Goldwait, Toby Smith, Kiefer Thomson, Sam Ferguson, Declan Sharma, Gareth Lawrence, Robert Jones, Andrew Evans, Daniel McDermott, Patrick Roberts, Jack Baker and Joseff Morris. Res. Rhys Winter.
TENBY U9s 7 tries
WHITLAND U9s 1
Tenby Under 9s got their season off to the best possible start at Heywood Lane on Sunday with a well-deserved victory over a battling Whitland side.
The Borderers brought with them a large squad and took the opportunity to involve them all in what turned out to be a very physical but fairly contested game.
Tenby fielded a fairly inexperienced side, with four players making their competitive debuts. However, skipper for the day, Jack Murphy, led by example throughout with some powerful running and determined tackling.
The other more experienced squad members, Dan Fairlie and Corey Morris put in some crunching tackles throughout and helped to create space for the other players around them.
One of the debutants, Jordan Asparassa, took a leaf out of their book and showed bravery in putting in a host of tackles, often singling out the bigger Whitland players. Likewise, Jake Vickery put in a number of telling tackles and used his obvious strength to good effect.
New squad members Ryan and Thomas were always in the thick of the action, learning as the game went on and contributing fully to a great team effort.
All the boys performed extremely well in the first game of the season and were involved in all Tenby's scoring moves, with Jack Murphy (4 tries) and Dan Fairlie (3) crossing the line.
The Under 9s will be back in training on October 16 and will be looking to build on this excellent start.