Round Up - 19th April


By Zippy
April 19 2005

Round up of the Welsh Rugby news over the past week. A varied news week and I've managed not to mention the Lions squad once! For details read on.

Celtic League

 

Friday
Cardiff Blues 33-12 The Borders
Ulster 16-3 Llanelli Scarlets

Saturday
Newport Dragons 24-19 Connacht

 

Blues do the required with a bonus point win over a poor Borders side, all eyes will be over to Italy to see who Cardiff will meet in the Heineken Cup playoff.

Llanelli Turks so poor in Ulster, not starting with players like Wyatt was a mistake, will Gyppo be in a job next season? They need to give youth a chance and not sign any more foreign players.

 

The Dragons did Cardiff Blues a favour by defeating Connacht narrowly at Rodney Parade, the season has fizzled out for the Dragons who will need to do some hard work over the summer, that is unless they surprise in the Celtic Cup.

 

The draw for the Celtic League Cup is:


Ospreys v Ulster (Sat)
Munster v Edinburgh
Leinster v Glasgow
Newport Dragons v Llanelli Scarlets (Fri)

Matches to be played on the weekend of 30th April.
 

Konica Minolta Cup Semi-Final

Aberavon 13-33 Pontypridd
Match Review from  http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s165/st71356.htm

 

Bridgend 10-20 Llanelli (Sunday)

Match Review from http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s165/st71357.htm 

 

Other News

 

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is checking its record books after a clash between two south Wales sides ended 170-nil. Penallta RFC, from Hengoed, Caerphilly, ran in 26 tries in their white-washing of Cardiff side Canton RFC on Saturday. Dave Stevens, a Penallta committee member and former coach said “170-nil has got to be one-sided to a certain extent but Canton didn't roll over and die. "They threatened to score several times and played with spirit right to the final whistle."

 

Wales duo Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones may be forced to miss flying out with the Lions squad as they may be needed by their French employers.

 

Martin Jones will take over from Adrian Davies as head coach at London Welsh next season. Jones steps up from his role as academy director, while ex-Wales fly-half Davies will continue to work at the club in an undefined role. "Everyone now involved in the club will be here next year," said Davies.

 

The GAA voted that other sports will be able to use Croke Park, a blow to the WRU who had hoped Ireland would use the Millennium Stadium.

 

Wales U19s Finished 6th in the World Cup after losing 13-10 against France, we’ve come to expect better!