The club will entertain Pontarddulais on Saturday, (Kick Off 2 pm) in their next League match. The match will be being sponsored by Mrs Ruth Roberts and her family in memory of ex-player Mike Roberts (formerly from Maidenwells).

Mike was a former Pembroke RFC player, along with brothers Malcolm and the late Richard, and he remained a lifelong member and supporter despite living most of his adult life away from Pembroke. Having also played rugby for Llantwit Major and London Welsh, he was a passionate and vociferous supporter of the game at any and every level. For the last 10 years of his life, he found a new spiritual rugby home in Pontarddulais through his son-in-law Simon Jenkins, then a Pontarddulais RFC player and now a youth team coach. He became a patron of Pontarddulais RFC and enjoyed many a season watching the 1st and 2nd teams. The greatest compliment he could pay the Bont was that it reminded him so much of his beloved Pembroke RFC, both in rugby and community terms. It is therefore a fitting tribute to Mike that today’s fixture is sponsored in his memory, and his family wish the best of luck to both teams.

The squad will travel to Milford on Saturday November 17th, to play the second round tie in the Pembs KO Cup competition, KO 2pm.

SECOND XV: ‘LANGSTON’S LATE BRACE SECURES PEMBROKE WIN’

Last Friday the squad travelled to Milford, on a very cold, dry, breezy evening at the Observatory ground, the playing surface was in excellent condition and a large, expectant, suitably well clad crowd had assembled.

Both teams fielded squads, which included players returning from injury, regulars and youth players being blooded at senior level, and both sets of coaches fully expected a full blooded contest, in the first leg of the Ian Jones Memorial Cup (the second leg being contested by the two clubs on November 17th, when they meet in the Pembs KO Cup second round) as agreed by the two club Chairmen.

Pembroke started very well and pressurised the home side from the outset, maintaining territorial advantage for the first five minutes; this period ended when they forced a mistake in the loose in the home twenty two, elected for a scrum, from which No 8 Jordan Gwilliam picked up and crashed through a crowded defence for the first score, which was converted by centre Rhys Johns. Pembroke then kept Milford pinned in their half for the remainder of the first quarter, but failed to pierce a determined defence. After twenty four minutes, the visitors lost possession near the home line and missed a golden opportunity to add another score. Minutes later after more sustained pressure, Pembroke’s centre Johns, slotted over a simple penalty, after a transgression by the home forwards in their twenty two. Milford then created pressure through some very good combined work between their backs and forwards, but they were held at bay by some very determined tackling and excellent clearance kicking. Within a few minutes of half time, Pembroke had cleared another Milford attack to the half way line; from the lineout their forwards went through a few phases, before the ball was moved and centre Elliott Evans made a twenty five metre break in midfield and fed winger Simon Stanford, who outpaced the despairing defenders on the outside wide right to score a marvellous individual effort and team play, the try was converted by Johns, leaving the visitors deservedly ahead 0-17 at the break.

The visitors started the second half in the same vein, with both teams having made some changes, as the pace of this very entertaining match took its toll. The game see sawed for the first ten minutes and the defences on both sides were truly tested. A galvanised Milford created a number of chances, but failed to make them count, until after fifteen minutes their forwards went through the phases, released quick ball allowing No 10 Grain Gardner space to score and complete a very good team try from close in. The tempo of the play did not falter and both teams played an adventurous style, but Pembroke’s scrum was dominant and helped to create good ball for their backs, who had demonstrated some very good skills. However, dropped passes cost both sides dearly at critical times in this third quarter. Milford had stepped up their game and minutes into the last quarter, from turnover ball in their own half, they put the ball through the hands and finally their centre Gareth Cheshire chipped through, gathered his own kick and scored a tremendous individual try wide left, which was converted by James Truman. With Milford now pushing hard, Pembroke’s coaches made their final changes and the visitors came back strongly and young winger Darcy Langston scored a brace of tries to take the game away from Milford. The first was created by the hard working forwards going through phases, which opened up the defence for Langston to race into the corner for an unconverted score. The second was started in the Pembroke twenty two and centre Evans made a really pacey, sixty metre break, after brushing off some defenders and gifted the supporting Langston the try as he crossed the line, by selflessly passing to him; Johns converted, and the final whistle was blown, leaving the visitors the deserved victors by 12-29.

The Pembroke coaches were highly delighted by the attitude, effort and performance from their squad in what had been a very physical match; they were very pleased to register a win as the squad had sustained a number of heavy losses in recent weeks and believed this would serve to increase the confidence in the side prior to the local derby with the Pembroke Dock Quins in the first leg for the Eric Brown Memorial Cup. The Quins match is due to take place tomorrow November 10th at the Quins, KO 2pm. The visiting coaches were quick to acknowledge Milford’s immense contribution to a tremendous match and to talk up the tremendous energy and determination in defence by both squads, whilst picking out the notable individual contributions of their front five, forwards Jordan Gwilliam and Jack Smythe, and backs Elliott Evans, Rhys Johns, James Skeels and Iori Roberts.

YOUTH

The squad has recently learned that they have drawn Bargoed home in Rd 2 of the WRU Plate competition. The match is due to be played on Saturday December 1st, KO 2pm.

Saturday November 10th the squad will entertain Tenby, KO will be at 2pm and then on November 24th they travel to Aberystwyth.

JUNIOR SECTION

The section had another full matrix of fixtures over the weekend. The pictures show the Under 12s and 15s, all of whom played at home last Sunday. The U12s had a very exciting match against Tenby during which they scored some excellently constructed tries and came out worthy winners, against a very lively and committed visiting team. The U13s also played Tenby and this too was a very entertaining match, with both sides serving up some exciting and ambitious play and Pembroke securing a well deserved victory. The U15s took on a strong Milford outfit and this again was a highly entertaining match for the large crowd, with players on both sides showing good athleticism and skills; Pembroke again ran out worthy winners in a tight game.