Howe’s hat-trick fires Cardiff top

By CARL FIELD

Super Rygbi round-up

CARDIFF returned to the top of the Super Rygbi Cymru table after a Tom Howe-inspired 31-0 victory over Bridgend Ravens at a rain-sodden Arms Park.

Wales U20 hooker Howe helped himself to a hat-trick to steer the Blue & Blacks to six points as Dan Fish’s side bounced back from a first setback of the season at Swansea last week.

Howe powered over to give Cardiff the lead seven minutes in following a catch and drive.

The hosts extended their lead two minutes later when skipper Craig Hudd seized after the Ravens had made a hash of scrum-half Sion Davies’ kick in behind to make it 10-0. As with the first try, outside-half Lloyd Lucas’ conversion attempt went wide.

Cardiff grabbed their third try off another catch and drive move again finished off by Howe. Lucas added the extras to make it 17-0 at half time.

Howe completed his treble on 67 minutes, taking his tally to the season so far to six. Lucas converted.

Replacement hooker Ethan Coombes scored a fifth Cardiff try on 78 minutes, converted by Lucas.

And with Newport‘s scheduled Gwent derby clash at Pontypool yesterday postponed due to the weather, the win took Cardiff above the Black & Ambers and returned them to the summit.

They are a point clear of Ebbw Vale ahead of next Saturday’s top of the table showdown with the Steelmen at the Arms Park. The Steel-men will also be gunning for revenge having been thumped 59-14 at home by Cardiff at the start of October.

Ebbw Vale produced a powerful second half performance at Church Bank to come from behind to defeat reigning champions Llandovery 31-15.

The result was even more remarkable given the Steelmen had been a man short from the 36th minute when second row Curtis Gregory was deservedly shown a straight red card for an sickening stamp on the outstretched leg of his opposite number, Drovers captain Joe Powell, at a ruck.

Having trailed 8-0 at the break courtesy of a Sam Potter penalty and unconverted Aaron Warren try, Ebbw then found themselves 15-0down after wing Warren scored his and the Drovers’ second try just after the re-start, converted by Potter. Moments later, it got worse for the visitors, when wing Mitch Ran-kine was sin-binned for 10 minutes for a deliberate knock on, meaning they were down to 13 men.

Treble: Tom Howe

Few would have predicted a six-point comeback win for the visitors from that position – but that’s exactly what happened.

Ebbw held firm and Llandovery were unable to deal with their driving maul, which yielded another hat-trick for try machine Ieuan Morris.

Centre Cameron Davies and No.8 Ryan Jenkins also barged over as Ebbw scored 31 answered points from the 54th minute to make it three victories on the bounce – and six from seven so far this season. Thomas Howard kicked three conversions.

“I was really proud of the second half,” said Ebbw head coach Jason Strange. “Everything was going against us up until half time, but I thought the way the players adapted, not just tactically, but also physically, I thought we looked a different team in the second half.”

Meanwhile, Carmarthen Quins climbed off the bottom of the table after winning 21-3 at Aberavon.

Outside-half Steff Jac Jones had kicked Aberavon into a first-half lead but a try scored by hooker Lewis Morgan and converted by Madoc Evans, saw the Quins with their noses in front 7-3 at the interval.

The Quins then scored 14 unanswered points after the re-start to secure their first victory on the road so far this term.

They were awarded a penalty try before securing victory with their third try, scored by No.8 Lewis Millin and converted by Evans.

A second win of the season moved Carmarthen above both Aberavon and Swansea and now level on points with Pontypool. Having started the season with a six-point victory over Bridgend, it’s six defeats on the spin for Aberavon, who are now bottom of the table.

Yesterday’s scheduled clash between RGC and Swansea was postponed as a mark of respect following the sad passing of RGC and Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon player Jack Cameron Wynne Davies at the age of just 24.