Injured captain joins crowds in cawl taste test (From Western Telegraph)

Injured captain joins crowds in cawl taste test

Injured Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has enjoyed a taste of traditional cooking in Pembroke-shire to take his mind off the game's troubles.

Thomas, out of the Six Nations with a neck injury, was among crowds of visitors to the weekend's St David's Food and Craft Festival in Saundersfoot.

There he joined the hungry hordes visiting nine eating establishments which were contesting the Cawl Cooking Championships of the World and Elsewhere.

Armed with a commemorative cawl-testing mug, visitors were invited to sample the dish before voting.

The winner will be announced today (Wednesday), with Paul Lewis, of Strand Antiques tearoom, hoping to defend his title.

Voting forms were entered into a prize draw to win a Wales 125th anniversary rugby shirt signed by all the Welsh team - including former coach Mike Ruddock - and the winner was Mr Thomas, of Mathry.

The festival was organised by Saundersfoot Chamber for Tourism, and featured around 20 stalls selling Welsh food, drink and crafts in a harbourside marquee, alongside the cawl-cooking competition.

Said chamber chairman Andrew Evans: "I was brought up on my grandmother's cawl with lamb.

"I think they should feed that to the Welsh rugby team - it would do them a lot of good!"

Caption: Flying the flag: Injured Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas (second right) helps Saundersfoot Chamber for Tourism chairman Andrew Evans and members Madge Wills and Hazel Caine fly the flag at the village's St David's Food and Craft Festival. PICTURE: Western Telegraph (WTNO3419H06).