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UWIC
WELCOME TO THE DAIRYFIELD
Croeso I Maes Llaethdy
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the players, coaches, officials and supporters of Uwic RFC to the Dairyfield for today's SWALEC Division 1 West League game.
Well, 2012 started like the previous year ended, as we convincingly defeated Bonymaen. I’m told it was an excellent performance. Unfortunately I was otherwise engaged and relaxing by the pool in Lanzarote when Hugh Smith’s text came through. I can tell you that the Spanish beer tasted lot better after that!
Last weekend we went to Whitland, one of the front runners. The cold, blustery weather did not lend itself to open rugby and it was just 6-3 to them as half time approached only for a set piece try and excellent conversion to give the home team a decisive lead. However, we were a lot sharper in the second half, controlling the game for long periods, and Bugsy’s try and Chip’s conversion had me thinking we were going to snatch it. But an attack broke down and they took full advantage of the opening, kicking a penalty from a line out with the last score of the game. Never mind, we showed good spirit and on another day would have won it – Whitland may be third but we were every bit as good as them.
No doubt we will see plenty of points today as is always the case against UWIC. 3-3 was a funny old score for the students last weekend and they will be eager to get back to try scoring ways this afternoon, so an exciting game is in prospect and one in which I am sure the boys will be doing their best to get back on the “W” trail.
Good luck to the Seconds against Maesteg Quins, let’s hope they continue their high scoring ways, and let’s hope the Youth, who are a young side developing well, had a favourable result last night against Pontypridd.
Let me welcome the referee Mr Andrew Jackson, and also today’s sponsors The Old Black and Blues. Once again Joe the Post Davis hard worked his socks off to arrange an event that has grown in popularity. Two years ago it was an excellent day and it is good to see so many coming for whom this club holds a special place.
Adrian Tattersall
Chairman
BITS OF BLACK AND BLUE
A wonderful day in prospect – not only the challenge of the “throw it about” students, but also the joyous occasion of a Black and Blues reunion (and well done to Joe the Post for another magnificent organisational effort). In respect of the former, how remarkable to see UWIC in a 3-3 score-line against Bridgend Athletic. As we know to our cost from our early season experience against them, give them a sniff and they’re over your line in a flash. And it’s good to see them back again at the Dairy after a two years gap. They rewrote the atlas last season (well, the young Davey was a professional geographer in his previous existence!) to enjoy the delights of long trips down the M4. Chris has let it be known that he is in favour of next year’s new championship and we are fully with him. Let those who have reservations remain in their own corners of the principality and let those who want it carry on with it. So hopefully henceforth we’ll be entertaining the now named Cardiff Metropolitan on a regular basis. Our good run of results came to an end at Whitland last week where the expected dour contest ensued, but we showed character in coming close to winning in the second half. And you have to wonder whether Dai’s middle name is “lucky” – from boots to hot stoves, if it’s about, our skipper’s body will find it! What’s more he works for Peacocks! However, last time here at home we hit the try trail with some exciting play against Bonymaen which we’ll be keen to emulate. And talking about five pointers, the try count at Cyncoed in October was 5-4. Be a real treat for today’s sponsors if we saw that again – but the other way round, of course! Come on the Black and Blues.
What happened when we met each other in 2009/10?
Oct 24 - UWIC 32 LLANHARAN 30 (9-9)
The boys were far from happy at losing to a last minute penalty awarded for a high tackle, the ball carrier already on his way to ground when the he made contact with the tackling arm.
It put the table topping and undefeated students ahead after our great fight back from 29-16 down. And we actually outscored the Cyncoed outfit students 3-2 in tries
Team:15 Elliott Foils 14 Dorian Thomas 13 Lee Thorne 12 Neil Dallimore 11 Paul Adams 10 Codey Rees 9 Glen Holloway 1 James Greenfield 2 Nathan Huish 3 Gareth Edwards (Capt.) (Aled Richards 70) 4 James Connors (Lee Davies 65) 5 Chris Payne 6 Justin Jones 7 Sam Studley 8 Glenn Slater. Unused Replacements: Craig Burton, Aaron Pinches Aaron Griffin. (still on the books – 4)
Llanharan tries – G.Holloway, G.Slater, L.Davies. Cons 3 and pens 3 – C.Rees.
Uwic tries – Richard Mountford, Craig Howells. Cons 2 pens 6 – Simon Humberstone.
March 27 - LLANHARAN 26 UWIC 6 (15-6 HT)
We put in one of our best performances of the season to hand just a second defeat of the campaign to our table topping opposition who were fresh from their mid week BUSA cup semi final victory over old rivals Hartpury College. It was Llanharan handing out the lessons in this exciting encounter, Gareth Edwards’ 3 rd place side excelling up front to score three tries without reply.
Llanharan: Mathew Taylor, Lee Thorne, Dai Atkins, Aaron Pinches, Paul Adams, Codey Rees (Wayne Jervis 74), Glen Holloway, James Greenfield, Nathan Huish (Aaron Griffin 74), Aled Richards Nick Kibble 74), Gareth Edwards (Capt.) (Bill Carey 72), James Connors, Lee Davies, Aled Llewellyn (Nikki Allen 74), Justin Jones. (still on the books – 8)
Llanharan tries – J.Jones, M.Taylor, D.Atkins. Con and pens 3 – C.Rees.
UWIC pens – S.Humberstone 2.
Also Today:
Carmarthen Athletic v Bridgend Athletic; Tata (PT) Steel V Ammanford;
Narberth v Llangennech; Tondu v Bonymaen; Waunarlwydd v Whitland
Today’s Cover Pictures (Richie and Huw Jenkins)
Main – Bugsy scattering the enemy v Bonymaen. Side – Rhys Lakin wondering where the help is at Whitland, Steffan Jones leaving Bony wondering where the ball went; Nick Eaves on a ten metres sprint v Bony (all right Nick, might have been eleven!).
PEN PICTURE
Today, it’s “Bugsy” Malone, a young man making quite an impression in his first season of senior rugby
Name: Scott Malone Age: 19 Height: 5ft 11 Weight: 16st
Job: Engineer Home: Pencoed
Rugby highlight of your career: Representing Scotland Exiles at under 19 level/ being captain of Llanharan Youth
Favourites:
Rugby team (other than Llan): Cardiff Blues Rugby player: Richie Mc Caw
Sport/team after rugby: Basketball
Sportsperson outside rugby: Joe Calzaghe
Music: Anything TV: Samsung LCD
Food: Pasta/Pizza/Steak Drink: White wine
Holiday: Italy Car: Vauxhall Astra
Paper/book: Daily Star (Page 3) Film: Armageddon/For Love of the Game
Your most prized possession: My Checked Shorts
If you won the Lottery what would you buy? House, car , restaurant
Who would you most and least like to be stuck in a lift with?
Most: Lift Engineer Least: My Mother
Funniest/most interesting thing to happen to you in rugby, on or off the field: Playing for Llanharan Youth in a cup semi final when both teams ended up with eleven men after an eight man sending off!
Main dislike: Filling in forms
A real wintry day down at Ammanford, and again plenty to talk about. No heating in the club when we arrived - Dai Jenks drinking his pint with gloves on, people going outside for a warm! Sunken dance floor, we observed, though some one unkindly and unfairly suggested Harding had built it! Not sure when they celebrate Christmas down there, but just two balloons left from a previous event adorned the walls! It’s what you might call character and fair play they were a good set of people. However, there was a bit of colour when Dai captain showed us pics of his body burns – Picasso couldn’t have done better!
On the field another unkind soul reckoned that Nathan was dead chuffed at having a high tackle awarded against him. But he’s worth his weight in gold. With stunning foresight he realised we were going to be held up on the motorway by a bad accident and arranged an unscheduled stop at a garage supermarket for anti dehydration supplies. He was rather a long time and we wondered whether he was having problem with identity – but he eventually emerged half hidden behind an armful of the vital fluids.
And as a treat for the boys because they had their Santa outfits on, we travelled past Chip’s Brynna home (much to his embarrassment) for the resplendent seasonal lights display. – wouldn’t look out of place in Blackpool!
Interesting ride down there too for two of our supporters Jeff Phillips and Brian Harris whose car ended up in someone’s back garden, much to the owner’s displeasure. Who needs sat nav? Far more fun without it!
Good to see Norman Roberts after the same game, pity he couldn’t have stayed for the reunion. Norman has been living down under for some three decades and was home for a Christmas stay. A useful back row man back in the seventies, he has also now had the apparent mystery of signing up to our message board on the web site sorted out for him so we look forward to some future contributions from him.
CAPTAIN’S LOG
Who would have thought it, half way through January and we only have five league games left. It’s been a funny old season this year, we have enjoyed both the highs and lows of what rugby can offer. Hugh Smith along with the committee would also say we have had our entertaining times; they love to watch the travel circus on away games. Naked sky diving trumps everything! (Editor – Nathan has offered training for us to join his troupe!)
It was a disappointing game last weekend, but hopefully with your help, we can knuckle down and find winning ways again. There were a lot of positives that came out of last Saturday’s game and the negatives have been addressed in training this week where the boys have been working hard.
On a lighter note, arrangements for our end of season tour are coming together nicely with entertainment being arranged for the Friday and a game to a side local to where we are staying on the Saturday; and before you ask, yes a hotel has been booked this time! If you are interested in coming there are still a few place left, so come and see me today for more information. This year’s end of season tour promises to be a belter, so don’t regret missing it. See the season out with a bang and join the boys for one last fun packed weekend away. Everyone is welcome.
Nathan
Vice captain
SPOTLIGHT ON UWIC (CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY)
Our visitors arrive today having experienced an inconsistent season, not helped by losing their two opening fixtures. It’s the nature of the animal with student rugby, the constant turnover sometimes disrupting continuity and affecting results.
Of course, they did finish champions of One East two seasons ago when we were runners up, and then amazed many by volunteering to move into the west division. That brought only modest success as the Cyncoed outfit finished 6th , winning just nine of their twenty two matches. They won their first three games in the new surroundings, but stuttered somewhat thereafter and were beaten twice by eventual champions Bridgend.
In half a century of rugby, few institutions can claim to have done more in the production of rugby talent. Galaxies of stars have received their final grooming at the campus and a high percentage of players in the upper echelons of the game can claim to have graduated from the Cardiff university. Gareth Edwards actually gained his first cap while there, and in the current Welsh squad skipper Ryan Jones is a UWIC man. Nor has it just been Wales, England prop Colin Smart another beneficiary, the only one of an incredible 49 caps who has not worn the three feathers.
Free flowing rugby is still their traditional hallmark, and their rugby philosophy has made them Sevens kings many times, success extending to the European sphere of this specialist branch of the game, winners in Grenoble in 2007 having already been crowned BUSA champions. Their reputation on the British scene in the fifteen a side game is underlined by finishing BUCS runners up in the last two campaigns. However, in this year’s competition they have already lost to Bath and old rivals Hartpury.
The demands from two directions, university and Swalec, are considerable and contrary to common belief they may have superb facilities but are not full time players, training taking place in the evenings after studies have finished.
Our own Chris Davey has been the senior don in the UWIC rugby set up for a few years now. Highly regarded in the game after his success with Wales Under 21s, our former captain and coach quickly made a mark in his first season by bringing the team up into the first division. They’d been here before, spending three seasons in the division until relegation in 2000.
Their emblem is a Henry V bowman from the Hundred Years war, symbolising an ability to show resilience and victorious, deadly accuracy against the odds - hope they’ve left the bows behind today!
SWALEC ONE WEST 2011/12
Player Games starts As rep Points Tries Con Pen dg
CAREY.B 16 16 0 0 0 0 0 0
WILLIAMS.C 16 16 0 132 2 17 27 0
BENFIELD.J 16 15 1 10 2 0 0 0
PIPER.T 16 14 2 0 0 0 0 0
EAVES.N 16 13 2 0 0 0 0 0
GREENFIELD.J 15 12 3 20 3 0 0 0
MALONE.S 14 14 0 15 3 0 0 0
QUICK.L 14 12 2 3 0 0 1 0
THOMAS.M 14 12 2 0 0 0 0 0
HUISH.N 14 10 4 20 4 0 0 0
AUSTIN.J 12 12 0 25 5 0 0 0
STRONG.M 12 11 1 5 1 0 0 0
CLEVERLY.R 12 6 6 0 0 0 0 0
ATKINS.D 11 11 0 10 2 0 0 0
ROSEN.A 11 8 3 0 0 0 0 0
THOMAS L 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0
REES.C 10 8 2 5 1 0 0 0
ALLEN.N 8 1 7 0 0 0 0 0
JONES.S 7 7 0 20 4 0 0 0
JAMES.L 7 6 1 10 2 0 0 0
LAKIN.R 6 5 1 0 0 0 0 0
PICK.S 6 4 2 10 2 0 0 0
KIBBLE.N 5 2 3 0 0 0 0 0
PARTRIDGE.D 5 1 4 0 0 0 0 0
HENDRICKSON.K 4 4 0 10 2 0 0 0
BOWDEN.L 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
JAMES.T 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LEATHER.C 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
CULLEN.S 2 2 0 5 1 0 0 0
LLOYD.B 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
THOMSON.H 2 0 2 5 1 0 0 0
POOLE.C 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
REES.K 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
WILLIAMS.T 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
BURTON.C 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
DAVIES.G 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
FIELD.A 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
HOWELLS.M 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
JENKINS.C 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
PRITCHARD.R 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
PROBERT.L 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
SWALEC ONE WEST 2011/12
Team P W D L BP PTS
Narberth 16 11 0 5 11 55
Tata Steel (PT) 15 11 1 3 5 51
Whitland 15 11 1 3 3 48
UWIC 15 8 1 6 7 41
Llangennech 15 9 0 6 4 40
Carm Ath 15 8 0 7 8 40
Llanharan 16 7 1 8 8 38
Waunarlwydd 15 5 1 9 9 31
Tondu 15 5 0 10 8 28
Ammanford 16 4 2 10 8 28
Bridgend Ath 15 4 1 10 8 26
Bonymaen 16 5 0 11 5 25
LLANHARAN V UWIC
LLANHARAN
15 CHRIS POOLE
14 STEFFAN JONES
13 RHYS LAKIN
12 NATHAN REES
11 JOSH AUSTIN
10 CODEY REES
9 CHRIS WILLIAMS
1 JAMES GREENFIELD
2 NATHAN HUISH(CAPT.)
3 TOM PIPER
4 BILL CAREY
5 ANDREW ROSEN
6 MATHEW STRONG
7 SCOTT MALONE
8 JUSTIN BENFIELD
REPLACEMENTS:
NICK KIBBLE
RHYS CLEVERLY
NICK EAVES
MIKE THOMAS
LOREN QUICK
UWIC
15 DAN BIBBY
14 OWEN JENKINS
13 JAMES POOL
12 CAMERON SETTER
11 PIERRE TUCKER
10 RHYS ROBERTS
9 RHODRI DAVIES
1 BRYNLEY TOMS
2 TOM EMERY
3 OWEN DAVIES
4 JOSH TYLER
5 JON CAMPBELL
6 TOM HALL
7 KYLE TAYLOR
8 SAM CROSS
REPLACEMENTS:
JAMES CROMWELL
ANDREW BERRY
MILES NORMANDALE
CRAIG HOWELLS
JOE SMITH
REFEREE: ANDREW JACKSON (RFU)
A special welcome to Andrew who has crossed the bridge from England – we hope he enjoys his game in Wales and his visit to Llanharan RFC
NEXT HOME GAME
JANUARY 28, NEWBRIDGE (SWALEC ROUND TWO)–an exciting cup game in prospect against one of the East’s best.
CLUB CATERING SUPPLIED BY JAYNE’S CATERING SERVICES
TODAY’S MATCH SPONSORS
THE BLACK AND BLUES - A FINE BUNCH OF PEOPLE, BROUGHT TOGETHER BY JOE “THE POST” DAVIS, WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR THIS CLUB
Want to be a MATCH SPONSOR?
PACKAGES OF ALL KINDS AVAILABLE – CONTACT LEN PRICE
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