NORTH RUGBY Rygbi Gogledd Cymru Issue 10 - April 26th, 2011

backs, Sam Holt and William Opie Pwllheli U11 win age group at clearing out well at ruck time. Try scorers: Carwyn Llanelli Festival of Rugby Knights,Connor Williams, Connor Hogan, Sam Earl-Jones [4]. Man of the match Sam Earl-Jones.

BUILTH WELLS RFC 19 v COLWYN BAY RFC 21. This was a great game of rugby by both teams. The Bay quickly realised the size of the task and spent the entire first half camped in their half. Despite resolute defending by Carwyn Knights and Seb Marshall, Builth moved the ball well and the Bay went into half-time 19-0 down. In the second half the Bay again started on the back foot before Joe Fisher and Ruby Roberts in the pack led a quite inspired come-back. Repeated re-cycling from the break down led to the Bays’ first score. This lifted the teams’ confidence and they rolled up their sleeves and drove back up the Pwllheli U11s (pictured above) took a squad of 14 players on the Colwyn Bay U11 pitch. All the squad contributed to long journey on Saturday morning to Llanelli was rewarded by enjoy great tour to the second score with Joe being winners of the competition at this age group. Kilpatrick’s hooking at scrum-time South Wales proving crucial. This set up a Utilising all of the players during the group stage matches Pwllheli thrilling finish. Once again a great scored 11 tries and conceded 2. Without losing a game Pwllheli Wins against Dowlais and kick chase led to a breakdown progressed to the semi finals as group winners. A hard fought semi near the Builth line before some final encounter against Swansea Uplands was eventually won by 5 Builth Wells, team building gorge walk in Brecon Beacons excellent handling by the backs, tries to nil. The semi final started with Swansea Uplands retaining including Connor Williams at possession for a long time. The robust and uncompromising tackling and topped off with Llanelli v Munster, what a weekend! outside centre ,led to a try in the of the Pwllheli team started to have a demoralising effect on their corner for the Bay. An outstanding opposition, and Pwllheli were soon in the ascendancy and the tries performance against quality started to flow. DOWLAIS RFC 19 v COLWYN opposition, the conversion giving BAY RFC 47 the Bay a hard fought victory. Pwllheli were through to the final and their opposition was . The home team began brightly as Pwllheli played their best rugby of the day during the final and played the Bay weighed up the task in Try scorers: Sion Edwards, Sam what could only be described as total rugby. With the forwards and hand. An early try in the corner by Earl- Jones[2]. Man of the match backs interchanging with ease, the intensity, strength, speed, skill and Dowlais stung the team into Joe Fisher. determination of the Pwllheli players left Burry Port in shock. The action. The Bay quickly realised pièce de résistance came with a beautifully lobbed pass taking out that in the heat, the pace of the The squad also enjoyed a team three defenders for Pwllheli to score their sixth and final try. Before backs was the key to unlocking building gorge walk in Brecon, and any further substitutions could be made the referee blew for full time the opposition. Some trade mark a visit to watch Llanelli against 4 minutes early. Final score 30 point to nil. This was quite an carries by Tom Cuddihy and Sion Munster. achievement for such a young Pwllheli side to come Llanelli the ‘heart Edwards created the room for and soul rugby country’ and dominate in all facets of the game. The Sam Earl- Jones to score. Dowlais triumphant squad then went on to see the v Munster game came back strongly with some at Parc y Scarlets. fierce drives through their forwards Please visit the to score either side of half-time. web-site at Pwllheli U9 and U12 also participated in the competition, the under 9s This inspired the team and there going out at the group stages and the U12s reaching the semi finals. followed a flurry of tries from the www.nwru.co.uk Bangor RFC - pictured before their game on Saturday, 23rd April, 2011

Coaching Course dates WELSH RUGBY for your Diary UNION ANNOUNCE DATES FOR Level 2 - Coleg Llandrillo 11th, 12th June 2011, 9th, 10th July 2011. £200. Closing Date 12th May REFEREE COURSES Level 1 - Dolgellau 8th, 9th, 16th October 2011. Level 1 Referee Courses £120. Closing Date 8th September Summer 2011 Application forms available on Welsh Rugby Sat 2 nd July Pontypridd RFC Union website at www.wru.co.uk Sun 3 rd July Taibach RFC Sat 9 th July Llanidloes RFC Sun 24 th July Colwyn Bay RFC Sat 30 th July Cross Keys RFC Sun 31 st July Quins RFC CLWB RYGBI DINBYCH

Course Duration 0930 - 1600 (DENBIGH RFC) Registration 0900 - 0930 VETERANS 10s TOURNAMENT Further details and application forms can be obtained from David R Davies 02920822420 [email protected] Saturday, 14th May, 2011 Marcia Harding 02920822419 [email protected] Closing Date is 1 week prior to course date Open to teams with players over 35 years old Course costs £20, non refundable, includes buffet lunch. To book a place, completed application form and fee must Further details from Jon Casemore by email be received in the Referees Department. to [email protected] or 0783756023 CAERNARFON CLINCH DIVISION ONE NORTH TITLE AFTER EMPHATIC HOME WIN AGAINST MOLD

Team picture and report reproduced by kind permission of Daily Post Mold, Ruthin and Nant, they’ve all got good youth systems. It’s about keep that continuity, that conveyor belt of players.” THE champagne was flowing at Y Morfa after Caernarfon regained the Division One North title with a thumping win at A brace of tries each from captain Rhys Evans and full-back home over Mold and Nant Conwy slipped up at Colwyn Bay. Lance Owen, as well as tries from Dylan Owen and Iolo Hughes ensured the win with fly-half Kelvin Morris kicking six With a few minutes still left on the clock the Cofis were conversions. celebrating the title after hearing of Nant’s shock defeat at struggling Colwyn Bay, and having eased to a comfortable 48-11 Mold replied with a try from Steve Quinton, who also added two win over one time challenges Mold. kicks to notch all the visitors points.

A delighted head coach Ieuan Jones said: “It wasn’t really Jones added: “It was a really good game, to be fair to Mold they expected to be honest, because we all thought Nant would get came here and played their part in the match. the win over Colwyn Bay. But with a few minutes before the end our players were all jumping around and celebrating because we “They put us under a lot of pressure early on and had us under had someone at Colwyn Bay, who rang to tell us the final score, the cosh a bit in the opening exchanges. so we knew we had won the league. “But all we conceded in that time was one penalty, and to be fair “I had to go over to some of the Mold players after the game to our defence has been really good all season. explain that we’d heard from the Colwyn Bay game, and that it wasn’t just that we’d beaten them.” “We came back at the after that and got a bit more confidence after our first try and went on from there. Caernarfon have narrowly missed out on the title for the past two seasons, each time finishing behind Nant Conwy, but Jones was “Iolo (Hughes) had a really good game, he only came in late for adamant this was the culmination of five years worth of work at Gwil Hendy who played last week against Nant without knowing the club. he had broken his wrist.”

“We’ve got a big squad of players here,” he added. “And Jones added: “We’ve still got three games left in the season everyone has chipped in over the season. all the lads have now, so this will give us a really good chance to give a few of the worked really hard, but this is not just reward for this season, it’s young lads from the youth a game. five years worth of work. We’ve got a really good junior and youth section here at the club and I think if you look at the clubs “We’ve got some really good youngsters coming through and this who have been up at the top over the last few years, the likes of will now give us a chance to have a good look at them.” CUP FINAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Mid Wales Cup and Shield Final Sunday, 2nd May at Llanidloes RFC Aberystwyth 2nds v Newtown 2nds Welshpool 2nds v UWA 2nds CAERNARFON CONFIRMED AS DIVISION ONE NORTH CHAMPIONS North Wales Cup Final Saturday, 14th May at Colwyn Bay RFC Bro Ffestiniog v Nant Conwy 3pm WRU Division One North Ruthin 15 v 24 Llandudno North Wales Plate Final Bethesda 27 v 17 Pwllheli Saturday, 14th May at Colwyn Bay RFC Caernarfon 48 v 11 Mold Mold v Llandudno 1pm kick-off Colwyn Bay 12 v 8 Nant Conwy North Wales Intermediate Cup Final Caernarfon clinched the Division One North title when they thumped Mold Wednesday, 18th May at Dolgellau RFC Llanidloes v Menai Bridge - 7.15pm kick off 48-11. Rhys Evans and Lance Owen each went over for a brace with Dylan Owen and Iolo Hughes crossing for one apiece. Kelvin Morris Clwyd Cup Final converted six of the touchdowns and landed two penalties. All Mold's Ruthin 2nds v Colwyn Bay 2nds points came from Steve Quinton. 28th May at Denbigh RFC (to be confirmed)

Bethesda did their best to keep alive the championship but a 27-17 Clwyd Plate Final victory over Pwllheli was not sufficient as Caernarfon pulled out all the Llandudno 2nds v Abergele 2nds or stops to go on the rampage. Tries for Bethesda came from Paul Thomas, Wrexham 2nds Steve Roberts, Dylan Roberts, Llion Lloyd and Gareth Edwards, with just 28th May at Denbigh RFC (to be confirmed) one being converted by Gareth Wyn Roberts. Mike Hughes and Owain Thomas each crossed for tries for Pwllheli. National Search for Nant Conwy also hoped to keep alive their chances of prolonging the race for the crown, but they went down 12-8 at Colwyn Bay for whom Tom Heroes of Welsh Rugby Duffy grabbed four penalties. The Welsh has launched a nationwide search to unearth all of the “Unsung Heroes” in our Llandudno moved in to fourth place when they won 24-15 at Ruthin for national sport, from grass roots to senior level. whom Wes Jones crossed for two tries and James Gregson bagged one. Clubs and individuals throughout Wales are invited to For Ruthin, Huw Parry and Chris Lewis went over for tries with Will make nominations for club members, players, fans Davies converting both. and volunteers who form a vital part of club life at www.wru130.co.uk with the WRU hailing these individuals as the lifeblood of our national game.

WRU Division Two North Traditionally the phrase “Unsung Hero” conjures up Abergele 14 v 16 Newtown images of club grounds men, tea ladies and even Denbigh 27 v 19 Wrexham senior members like chairmen or secretaries, and Dolgellau 20 v 24 COBRA these individuals should all be included in Rhyl 8 v 56 Bala applications, but the WRU plans to open its search even wider. Welshpool 29 v 29 Bangor Significant players who may have contributed to club Bala continued their triumphant march at the top of Division Two North as life throughout the age group levels, fans who never they romped to a 8-56 drubbing of Rhyl and District. Aaron Jones secured fail to miss a match, bus drivers who are lucky charms or mums who wash kit on a regular basis, will all be in a hat-trick of tries for Bala, with Dochan Roberts getting two and Daniel with a chance to win three top prizes as well as tickets Davies, Sion Lynch and Meiler Evans crossing for one apiece. Rhydian to watch Wales versus the Barbarians on Saturday 4 Jones was in tremendous form with the boot as he converted all eight June (2.30pm). tries and put over two penalties. Clubs or individuals can nominate the “Unsung Heroes” of their rugby communities online at Bala's hopes of securing the title were given a major boost by nearest www.wru130.co.uk at anytime before the closing date rivals Dolgellau's 20-24 home defeat by COBRA. Dolgellau are now five of May 15. Winners will be announced in two waves, points behind bala and their hopes of the crown seem somewhat remote. on the 28th April and then 26th May.