Blues bag Bishop cup (From Western Telegraph)

Blues bag Bishop cup

Llangwm 7 Haverfordwest 32

Haverfordwest retained the Bishop Cup as they overcame a stern test from a Llangwm side which might play its league rugby three sections lower, but played with a spirit and power that belied the gap.

The Wasps totally dominated the scrums throughout and had the bulk of the first half possession as they also shared the linesout - but they squandered chances and the Blues scored twice just before the break to give them a 12-7 lead when they might have found themselves well adrift. It was a similar story after the break as the visitors greater fitness told and they added 20 points without further reply - but the Wasps played a big part in cheering a huge Boxing Day crowd.

As far as the scrummaging went, the writing was on the wall for Haverfordwest from the first set-piece, where they were jerked ten metres back off their own ball for the first of at least ten strikes against the head - a fact that was doubly pleasing for the vociferous home fans since two of the Blues front row in Arthur Day and Gareth Green were former Wasps!

Home skipper Richard Scriven had the first scoring chance in the third minute as he put his penalty wide - but the Wasps took a deserved lead seven minutes later when Johnnie James and Crutch Locke ripped the ball out of a maul and Henry Thomas spread play to the blind side where winger Alec Williams romped home from 30 metres, Scriven adding the extras with an excellent kick.

The Wasps brought on lineout ace Andrew Evans instead of the burly Carl Potter and he worked well with Hamish Nicholls to secure possession from which Llangwm were again given a penalty but Scrivens kick fell just short of the far post.

It took the Blues almost 31 minutes to launch their first real offensive after Andrew George had joined John Whitticombe in the home back division - but the Narberth duo could only watch as Steve Williams kicked a penalty into the corner and from the ensuing drive prop Day emerged with the try to open the Blues scoring.

They took the lead right on the break after a further period of Llangwm pressure had been dissipated by the tremendous covering of Andrew Thicker, Karl Weake and skipper Richard Brazell in the Blues back row. Graham Badham showed his paces as he burst through some weak tackling and he off-loaded to Andrew Payne for the tall winger to score a try which Steve Williams converted to put Haverfordwest in front at the interval.

Both sides made several more changes after the break and although Llangwm still played with fire the disruption weakened their offensive and Haverfordwest went further ahead with a Steve Williams penalty after he had missed another chance shortly after Phil Stoddart had been yellow-carded by referee Miles, who had let the game flow as much as he could while keeping a firm control. Haverfordwest scored a try in Stoddarts absence as Payne and Field made the space for Badham to score an unconverted try.

Then Thicker and Steve Hamer created a blind side move from which Rob Viol crossed in the bottom corner and John Felice set up the move from which centre Wayne Davies sliced through for the final try, converted by Williams.

The Bishop Cup was presented to Haverfordwest skipper Richard Brazell by Llangwm chairman John Nutting and his praise of both teams was justified, especially Llangwm because they had contributed much to a match where the Blues were always clear favourites to win.

Flanker Karl Weake was adjudged man of the match by referee Miles and he deserved the award for his non-stop running and tackling - although back row colleagues Thicker and Brazell might equally have been recognised because all three gave vital performances that kept the Blues together when they might have folded under terrific first half pressure! lThis win completed a daily double for the Blues because in the morning their second team had beaten their counterparts from Llangwm by 21-5 at Merlins Bridge. Paul Busch opened the Blues scoring and other tries came from Matthew and Paul Davies, all three converted by Steve Jacko Jones. No 8 Andrew Summers scored the Llangwm try in a game where both teams had 25 players-plus to choose from!

lThe match was sponsored by Hylton John of W.C. John and Son Ltd, Castle Square, Haverfordwest.