Included are reports from Denbigh U14's successful unbeaten weekend as they beat local rivals and two touring teams from England
A reminder that the next meeting of the North Wales Junior Association will take place on Wednesday, 18th April, at Denbigh RFC, commencing at 7.30pm
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Clwb Rygbi Dinbych U14s
Friday 13 April - CRD U14s 45 points v Duckenfield U14s 5 points
Sunday 15 April - Caernarfon U14s 5 points v CRD U14s 34 points
Wellingborough U14s 0 points v CRD U14s 46 points
Dinbych enjoyed a very successful weekend crossing for 21 tries as they recorded a hat trick of wins against local rivals Caernarfon and two English touring teams from England.
Duckenfield
On Friday 13 April, a good crowd of spectators turned out to Caeau Les Phillips where the Under 14s hosted touring side Duckenfield. The visitors are in the final of this year’s Cheshire Shield competition and their recent high scoring games suggested Dinbych were in for a stern challenge. Another excellent display of 15 man rugby from the Dinbych side, saw them emerged with a 45-5 score line. Prop Harri Evans crossed for 4 tries, with Wil Morris, James Fisher Jones and Dafydd Roberts each also crossing and Josh Morris with 4 conversions and Gruff Roberts with one, adding the extras.
The opening few minutes suggested that a physical encounter was ahead as the Mighty Duks tried to break through the Dinbych defence. The home side’s defence was solid with flanker Wil Morris once again prominent with his fearless tackling. Dinbych then took the initiative as lock James Fisher Jones stole a Duckenfield ruck on their 22 metre line and fed Harri Evans to cross for his first of the night. Wil Morris then added a second after a Josh Morris interception, with Morris’s second successful conversion taking the scores to 14-0. James Fisher Jones, whose work rate was impressive added a third home try just before half time following a blistering Gruff Roberts break from his own half.
The second half saw Dinbych break loose with Harri Evans crossing for three consecutive tries, all in similar circumstances with the prop picking up from the base of a breakdown 5 metres out and powering through. Dinbych’s kickers pressed home the advantage with all 3 tries resulting in successful conversions, 2 from Morris and 1 from Gruff Roberts. Dinbych’s last score came as James Fisher Jones broke out of his own half only to be pulled down agonisingly short of the right corner. Dafydd Roberts was in close support to cross for Dinbych’s seventh try. Duckenfield had continued to battle throughout the game and showed their quality with a late consolation try.
Caernarfon
Dinbych were in good spirits when they travelled to Caernarfon on Sunday. In addition to taking on the hosts, they also faced a game against tourists Wellingborough, a feeder club for the famous Northampton Saints. Dinbych’s first game was against the hosts Caernarfon and the visitors notched up 6 tries from Jake Jones, Dafydd Roberts, Rhys Lloyd, Gruff Roberts and Aled Douglas, with Roberts and Douglas adding a conversion each. Caernarfon scored a late consolation try but Dinbych again controlled the game from the foundations of solid defence and devastating counter attacking.
Dinbych gave a first start to tighthead prop Neville Hughes, who despite being a new recruit to the game looked comfortable as he anchored Dinbych’s solid scrum. Jac Sherrinton also impressed, making good ground with some strong good carries and Dylan Easton again showed some fine footwork taking him deep into opposition territory.
The try of the game was probably the late effort from Dafydd Roberts. Caernarfon were pressing for a try and crossed the try line only to be driven back before grounding the ball by some excellent defensive work. The ball then spilled loose inside the Dinbych 22 metre line and was collected by Roberts who put in a massive kick up field. The lock won the chase to the ball and showed excellent skill to catch the ball on the bounce and race away to score a hugely impressive individual try under the posts.
Wellingborough
Dinbych were expecting a sterner challenge in their second game as they took the field against a team who looked to have a significant size advantage and were obviously well drilled.
Dinbych’s players were not phased as another mighty team effort from the whole squad saw them run in 8 tries without reply. Prop Harri Evans crossed for a hat-trick with Rhys Lloyd also crossing twice and the other scores coming from Brad Reid, Ynyr Clwyd and Josh Morris who also added 3 conversions.
As in Friday’s game, the opening encounters were finely balanced with Wellingborough’s threat from their strength evident. Dinbych’s defence held firm with James Fisher Jones and Wil Morris again to the fore. Dinbych soon achieved the breakthrough as Jake Jones picked up from the base of a 5 metre scrum. The Number 8 was hauled down just short but Harri Evans was on hand to cross for an opening score. Evans then added two other tries, running in his third from the half way line. Brad Reid and Rhys Lloyd added two other tires with Josh Morris’ conversion closing the first half at 27-0.
Wellingborough having won the toss had elected to play with the advantage of the slope in the second half. Any hopes they had this would change the outcome were dashed as the ball was kicked from the restart into the hands of Josh Morris. One audacious sidestep and the fly half was away up the right flank to extend Dinbych’s lead to 0-32 and earning comparison from the opposition coaches to Phil Bennett.
Rhys Lloyd added his second after another pacy run before Harri Evans went looking for his fourth. A good run saw the prop tackled just short of the line, but a neat off load allowed Ynyr Clwyd to collect and cross for Dinbych’s 8th. The final act of the game saw Wellingborough pressing hard for a consolation try and as their big centre stormed towards the left corner a try seemed inevitable before Jake Jones put in a text book tackle to put him into touch. The tackle summed up the commitment and work rate of the whole squad in all 3 games.
The Under 14s now look ahead to finishing the season in style with their prize of a day’s training with members of the Welsh team on Thursday 26 April and then their return to the prestigious Abergavenny tournament in May.
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The following report has been kindly supplied by Caernarfon RFC
Denbigh U11s - 14 v Caernarfon U11 - 42
Fe deithiodd Caernarfon i Ddinbych ar ôl taith llwyddianus i Orllewin Cymru, ond nid oedd yr argoelion yn dda ar ddechrau’r gêm wrth i Ddibnych fynd ar y blaen 7-0. Ond ar ôl cyfnod o waith caled gan y blaenwyr, ddaeth i nodweddu’r gem, fe groesodd Meilyr Povery am gais, gan ei drosi ei hun i ddod a’r Cofis yn ôl yn gyfartal
Ar ôl hynny roedd y hanner cyntaf yn perthyn yn llwyr i’r ymwelwyr, gyda’r olwyr yn cydweithio’n dda gan rhoi’r cyfle i Celt Fôn Owen groesi am gais gafodd ei drosi gan Gwion Morris Jones. Yna i orffen hanner cyntaf llwyddianus, fe gydweithiodd blaenwyr Caeranrfon yn wych, y tro yma yr ail reng Pedr Jones groesodd am y cais. Y maswr Huw Evans drosodd y tro yma.
Roedd Evans yn rhan allweddol o gais cynta’r ail gyfnod. Ar ôl rhediad gwefreiddiol, fe gafodd ei daclo metr yn fyr o linell gais Dinbych, ond roedd yr asgellwr Sion Wyn Jones ar law i orffen y symudiad a hawlio’r cais. Y mewnwr Povey drosodd y cais.
Ond doedd Dinbych ddim wedi rhoi’r ffidl yn y tô – ac er mwyn profi fod na ddau dîm yn y gêm, fe sgoriodd y tîm cartref i ddod a’r sgôr yn ôl i 14-28.
Ond unwaith eto, rheng flaen y Cofis sef Bo Leung, Ethan Byrne-Jones a Jac Williams, gyda’r ail reng Pedr Jones a Llew Williams gymerodd afael ar y gêm. Fe groesodd y clo Llew Williams am gais gafodd ei drosi gan y maswr Huw Evans . Yna bron yn syth o’r ail ddechrau fe gydweithiodd blaenwr ac olwyr Caernarfon yn wych i roi’r cyfle i Llew Williams groesi eto. Y tro yma Meilyr Povery drosodd
Mae’n amlwg fod y daith i’r gorllewin wedi talu ar ei ganfed i’r Cofis ifanc..
Caernarfon travelled to Denbigh on the back of a successful teambuilding tour – but the early signs were not good as Denbigh went into a 7-0 lead. However a period of excellent forward work – which came to typify the game, saw scrum half Meilyr Povey touchdown and convert to bring the Cofis on level terms.
After that the first half belong to the visitors with the backs combining to see Celt Fôn Owen cross with Gwion Morris Jones adding the extras. Then to finish off a successful first half the Caernarfon forwards again worked well to allow second row Pedr Jones to claim 5 points, standoff Huw Evans was on hand for the kicking duties.
Evans was to play a major part in the first try of the second period, with a weaving run that ended just short of the Denbigh tryline. However excellent support running by wing Siôn Wyn Jones saw the mercurial winger add to his season try count. Scrum half Povey duly converted.
Denbigh were not done for, and as if to prove that they were still in the game, a converted try bought the score back to 14-28.
But once again it was the Cofi front row of Leung, Byrne-Jones and Williams, with second rows Jones and Williams that took control of the game. Lock Llew Williams crossed for a try converted by standoff Evans . Then almost immediately with Cofi forwards and backs combing sweetly, Williams crossed again, this time converted by Povey.
The south Wales tour seems to have paid dividends for the young Cofis.
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