Honours were even at Haverfordwest Rugby Club’s ground in Pembroke Road after the merging of the town’s two schools brought about the final match between traditional rivals Sir Thomas Picton and Tasker Milward under lights on the Friday evening, followed by an Old Boys’ game on the Saturday afternoon in what was aptly entitled ‘The Final Whistle Weekend’.

It was Sir Thomas Picton who won the match between two excellent first teams but Tasker Milward tied things up on Saturday with a more than comfortable win in the ‘Golden Oldies’ game as both games were well refereed respectively by Ross Grieve and Ken Davies.

Sir Thomas Picton First XV 28-17 Tasker Milward First XV 

Sir Thomas Picton Coaches: Jonathan Llewhellin; Jonathan Dodd.

Tasker Milward Coaches: Owain Harpwood; Tom Darcy; Mike Spearing.

After 40 years of intense rivalry between Sir Thomas Picton and Tasker Milward Schools the curtain was drawn in style with a final match of total commitment, pace and high skill levels as STP eased home under the floodlights at a rain-swept Haverfordwest RFC.

The game was a tribute to the ethos of the fixture and a large crowd of current students and old boys took a walk down memory lane, provided a great back-drop to the efforts of both teams on the pitch, which was outstanding in view of the awful weather.

Coaches Jonathan Llewellin and Owain Harpwood had clearly asked their players to go out in style and they did just as they ran out 28-17 winners.

Sir Thomas Picton: Dylan Lloyd: Rhys Millership; Will Hughes; Josh Wood; Pierre Lawrence: Jake Morgan (Capt); Callum John: Aidan Bateman; Iestyn Myles-Nash; Jack White: Josh Young; Ieuan Harries-Jones: Bradley John; Leon Whalley; Ben Rees. Replacements: Lochlan Greggain; Tom Jones; Joshua Jones; Rhys Davies; Luke Dyer; Lewis Curtis; Jack Evans.

Tasker Milward: Johnny White: Benny Galdo; Jacob Lay; Kyren Gray; Korben Banner: Euan Griffiths; Tom Hamer: Jacob Griffiths; Benjamin Elrick; Tom Carrington: George Morgan; Dylan Williamson: Lloyd Phillips (Capt); Josh Hamer; Tom Reynolds. Replacements: Charlie Collins; Charlie Fowler.

Taskers score eight tries without reply

Sir Thomas Picton Old Boys 0-44 Tasker Milward Old Boys 

Tasker Milward Old Boys redressed the balance as their much younger squad proved just a little too sharp for their counterparts from STP but there was no shortage of action and commitment from either camp as they turned back the years and providing an entertaining tussle between some very good ex-players - and a few  in the Taskers’ squad who are still playing well today.

Leading the way for Taskers Old Boys was classy full back Jonny Whitticombe, with two tries as relatively young players like Matthew Davies, Jonathan Venables, Jamie Dalton and Rob Viol exerted an influence, the latter claiming two tries and a conversion alongside one other by Tom Pellowe.

For STP there was no shortage of effort from Steve Brown, Karl Weake, John Elliott and Tim Pounder, Nigel Griffiths, Matthew Kelly, Steve Williams and the rest.

Other Taskers’ tries were scored by Jo Francis (2), Rob Neil and Jonathan Venables – and it was perhaps appropriate that the final try should be claimed by Jonathan Llewhellin, who had done so much to organise the whole weekend alongside Ian Thomas and Tim Pounder.

The celebration was continued afterwards in the clubhouse before all involved were bussed to The Pavilion, where they watched Wales lose to Australia and were then provided with an added treat as their former games teachers Gelly James, Ronnie James, Bruce Evans, Jonathan Dodd and Huw Jones reminisced – and all received a deserved standing ovation afterwards.

Nigel Griffiths used his expertise to auction several items to help boost the charity fund and Bill Carne was the MC for the speeches, and pointed out that special visits to make the weekend had been undertaken by Shame Lewis (Sweden), Penllyn Lewis (India) and Mark Cross (Switzerland).

Sir Thomas Picton Old Boys: James Burge Davies; Dai Miners; Steve Williams; Craig Hitchings; Peter Hughes; Steve Griffiths; Tim Phillips; Adi Smith; Huw Lloyd; Chris Williams; Matthew Kelly; Tim Pounder; Karl Weake; Gary Cornish; Graham Elliot; Shane Lewis; Mark Hamer; John Regan; Penllyn Lewis; Michael Osbourne; Dean Barrett; Nigel Griffiths; Gareth Jones; John Elliott; Colin Hancock; Jason Lewis; Ruan Jones.

Tasker Milward Old Boys: Matthew Davies; Jamie Dalton; Jonathan Venables; Robbie Neil; Martin James; Dan John; Tom Pellowe; Jonny Whitticombe; Lee Anson; Johnny Llewhellin; Jason Phillips; Mark Busch; Paul Busch; Dan Field; Alan Jones; Kevin Thomas; John Rooney; Phil Rees; Steven Brown; Johnny James; Richard Davies; Bruce Evans; JoJo Francis; Rob Viol; Andrew Stoddart; John Thomas; John Morris.