European Weekend In Review


By Lestyn & Dai
January 20 2003

Llanelli were Wales's only realistic chance of a quarter final spot heading into the final week of Heineken cup pool matches. The Scarlets travelled to Glasgow knowing it was win or a likely exit. Pontypridd only had a 5 point cushion from their first leg tie with Connacht in the Parker Pen.

Sospan's Cook up a Quarter Final Spot - By Lestyn

Llanelli booked a home quarter final with Perpignan, after outclassing their Scottish opponents at Hughenden on Friday night.

Having only ever won one game against a Scottish Super District, Glasgow started as favourites on the night, despite capitulating the week before at Sale. In the opening quarter the home side lived up to their billing at Hughenden, but Llanelli's dominance up front gave them the platform to exploit gaps in the Glasgow defence.
1200 made the journey

Full Back Barry Davies got their try, thanks to Stephen Jones's clever pass. Martyn Madden justified his selection over John Davies, as well as a superb scrummaging display, the prop was on hand in the Glasgow 22 to collect and run in for their second score, following Mark Jones's kick and chase from his own 22.

The third and fourth came in quick succession from Garan Evans, in the 27th and 31st minutes. Stephen Jones easily scored under the post's to end the game as a contest in the 34th minute.

The second half started in familiar style to the first, Evans completed his hatrick early on to end the rout. Admittedly they lowered their tempo for the rest of the game, allowing Glasgow winger Jon Steel to grab a consolation score.

Glasgow Rugby 8 Llanelli 34
HT: 3-29 Attendance: 3,207
Glasgow Rugby: Try - J Steel; Pen - T Hayes
Llanelli: Tries - G Evans 3, B Davies, M Madden, S Jones; Cons - S Jones 2

 

Cardiff Biarritzed in Disgrace - By Lestyn

Cardiff completed their Heineken whitewash in style. Biarritz needing thirteen tries to qualify for the quarter finals as a best runner up, they got what they needed, and in truth could have got more, if they hadn't eased off in the final quarter and bothered to convert their second half tries.

A try in the first two minutes from Craig Morgan gave the Blue and Blacks a promising start. But things dramatically went down hill for the rest of the game.

It gets worse

Cardiff carelessly gave away a penalty minutes later, Biarritz kicked to touch and the resulting lineout saw skipper Thomas Lievre-mont drive over. Australian Marc Stcherbina then put his side into lead. Cardiff were penalised with a penalty try, after Italian ref Gulio Santis judged that they had dragged down a lineout own their own line.

Controversially wing Craig Morgan was sin-binned for trying to intercept a try scoring pass in the right hand corner. His absence possibly wouldn't have made the slightest bit of difference when 17 stone prop Damian Minassian left Cardiff's defenders sprawling, brushing off tacklers with ease. That was the game effectively over as a contest at only 28-10. Philippe Bernat-Salles 81st minute try completed the rout and finished a farcical and pathetic display from Cardiff.

The Cardiff front five simply isn't good enough or strong enough to compete at this level.

Biarritz Olympique 75 Cardiff 25
HT: 40-13 Attendance: 4,000
Biarritz Olympique: Tries - P Bernat-Salles 2, T Lievremont; M Stcherbina, O Roumat, D Minassian, N Brusque. O Tonita, J Campo, S Betsen, G Bousses, M Etcheverria, Penalty try; Cons - D Yachvili 5
Cardiff: Tries - C Morgan, R Powell, D Dewdney; Cons - N Robinson 2; Pens - N Robinson 2

 

Jenkins Kicks Ponty Through- By  Dai

The conditions were poor and the match was far from spectacular but Ponty, through 4 Neil Jenkins penalties, managed to do enough to beat Connacht by 47 - 39 on aggregate.

Without first choice centre pairing of Parker and Bryant, Ponty opted for the inexperienced pairing of Shaun James and Ceri Sweeney after an impressive performance the previous week but neither could break through the Connacht defence for a try.

Wasps Next

The Connacht backs also struggled to break through the resilient Ponty defence and so it all came down to who could kick the most penalties - a battle which Neil Jenkins wasn't going to lose. Full Match Report

Pontypridd 12 Connacht 9
HT:  9-3 Attendance: 6,000
Pontypridd: Pens - N Jenkins 4
Connacht: Pens - E Elwood 3

Pontypridd qualify for the semi-finals with a 47-39 aggregate victory

Newport Pull off Rare Win- By Lestyn
   

Newport will be glad to see of the Heineken cup after a dismal tournament, but a win over an under strength Edinburgh will have done them no harm.

A scoreless opening quarter, was followed by two tries from Jason Forster and one from Rod Snow. But unconverted tries from Conan Sharman, Alistair Hogg and Craig Smith got Edinburgh back in the game. Jason Strange's boot kept the black and Ambers in the lead, at 32-14.

A win is a win
But the Gunners hit back again with tries from centre Tom Philip and replacement full-back Brendan Laney, to draw level. A penalty from Jason Strange edged Newport back into the lead, and a try from scrum half Ofisa Tonu'u completed the win.

Newport 42 Edinburgh Rugby 32
HT: 19-18 Attendance: 5,880
Newport: Tries - J Forster 2, R Snow, J Strange, O Tonu'u; Cons - J Strange 4; Pens - J Strange 3
Edinburgh Rugby: Tries - T Philip, C Sharman, A Hogg, C Smith, B Laney; Cons - C Paterson 2; Pen - C Paterson

 

Tigers To Classy For Neath- By Lestyn
   

The All Blacks with a slight, but unlikely mathematical chance of qualifying as one of the best runners up, found a Leicester side in rampant form at Welford road.

Murphy put the Tigers into a lead in the opening minutes, but Shane Williams hit back minutes later. Jamie Hamilton regained the lead for the home side, which they never lost.

Tim Stimpson's boot not for the first time kicked a Welsh side of the park, and Kronfeld's late try rubbed salt into Neath Wounds.

All eyes turn to the Celtic Final
Leicester Tigers 36 Neath 11
HT:  21-8 Attendance: 16,845
Leicester Tigers: Tries - G Murphy, J Hamilton, J Kronfeld, B Kay; Cons - T Stimpson 2; Pens - T Stimpson 4
Neath: Try - S Williams; Pen - S Connor; DG - S Conner

The Leicester version of things

 

Swansea Show Improvement, But Still Lose- By Lestyn
   

Two tries in the opening ten minutes made Saturday's match an up hill struggle for Swansea. Well taken tries for Marlu and Ngaumo put them out in front.

four penalties from Arwel Thomas put them back in the mix, but Meceron kicked four of his own in return.

A converted try from centre Steve Winn proved not to be enough five minutes from time.

Slump Continues
Swansea 19 Montferrand 24
HT: 9-12 Attendance: 3,000
Swansea: Try - S Winn; Con - A Thomas; Pens - A Thomas 4
Montferrand: Tries - J Marlu, J Ngaumo; Con - G Merceron; Pens - G Merceron 4

 

Ebbw Out, Caer Through- By Lestyn
   

Caerphilly continued their run in the Parker Pen Sheild, even though they lost to Italian outfit Parma. They will now face another Italian side Padova in the semi finals.

Ebbw were ripped apart by Pau, they could never recover from conceding 6 converted tries in the first half.

Caer Continue run
Rugby Parma 15 Caerphilly 10
HT: 9-10
Rugby Parma: Pens - G Peens 5
Caerphilly: Try - T Taufahema; Con - J Thomas; Pen - J Thomas

Caerphilly qualify for the semi-finals on + 8 points difference (51-43)

Pau 60 Ebbw Vale 19
HT:42-0
Pau: Tries - P Carboneau, D Traille 2, M Tincu 2, I Harinordoquy, M Pearson, P Som, M Barrague; Cons - M Pearson 9.
Ebbw Vale: Tries A Bevan, R Davies, B Shelbourne: Cons - B Shelbourne 1

Can Llanelli & Ponty go a step further than last year? Why have the other clubs been so rubbish? So many questions, one message board