A big crowd, including a large travelling contingent, was treated to an exhilarating game of rugby between Gwernyfed and Bettws, writes Peter Weavers.

The speed of the Gwernyfed attack bemused the visitors from Newport, who nonetheless contributed to a great game of rugby with some excellent work up front.

Bettws kicked off and immediately felt the weight of the Gwernyfed defence, with skipper Sam Stephens leading by example. Within a minute Stephens released fly half Tyler Morris after winning the ball in the ruck. Morris found Dylan Skyrme with a long pass and the Talgarth youngster danced through the defence, releasing Calum Fergusson at just the right moment. The winger finished off from 20 metres.

There followed a period of arm wrestling with the green, white and blacks pack finding their opposite numbers to be well-drilled in both line-out and scrum.

Prys Eckley, Tom Lloyd and Lloyd Powell all came close but it was only when the ball went wide that the scoreboard budged. After Morris had prodded the ball forward, forcing the defence to concede a five-metre scrum, strong and influential scrum half Tomi Griffiths linked up with Lloyd Powell to see full back Zack Snape come into the line, his pass to Will Lloyd timed to perfection. The Clyro man can smell the try line and arrowed in, Tyler Morris converting from wide out.

The visitors enjoyed some territory for the remainder of the first period - a series of line-outs and mauls down the left eventually seeing them reduce the arrears with a try that spoke well for their pack’s ability and effort. Tyler Morris extended the lead with a penalty before the break, but at 15-5, it looked to be either side’s game.

The first minutes of the second period rather pointed the way to the final outcome. Morris potted a three-pointer. But Bettws picked out the wrong man from the restart. Centre Gareth Davies fielded the ball deep inside his own half and proceeded to shred the defence with a 40-metre run. When faced with the full back the Hay youngster kicked to perfection, finding centre partner Dylan Skyrme who collected the ball to run in unattended.

With the game looking secure perhaps Gwernyfed relaxed, though in a game in which the scoreline suggests otherwise, Bettws were neve rless than competitive and by the 55-minute mark had pulled back to within four points, courtesy of two converted tries scored by way of an excellent rolling maul.

Stung by the comeback, Stephens’s side proceeded to put the game to bed. Joe Winfield, coming on as replacement after his return from Australia, showed what an asset he can be with a long run from the restart. That move was eventually snuffed out by way of a high tackle. Gethin Davies was the quickest thinker, taking the tap and making 30 metresto find Lloyd Powell on his shoulder. The number 8 is having a great season and continued in that vein, carrying the defence over with him for the bonus point try, converted by Morris.

It wouldn’t be Saturday without a try by superb prop Cellan Skyrme and so the adage was proved to be correct when the Bronllys man got the final touch courtesy of a rolling maul instigated by a soaring Sam Stephens line-out take. That workman-like success was followed by a 60-metre try, Davies passing to his outside centre Dylan Skyrme just outside the Gwernyfed 22, Skyrme proceeding to outpace the tiring defence to go over untouched by Bettws hand.

One can’t praise Bettws enough. Faced with scintillating pace, the Newport side recognised that their only route was through the forwards and, when opportunity presented itself in the form of a charged down kick, they took full advantage, securing their own four-try bonus point.

A seventh try was added for the Talgarth side by robust young hooker Kelly Evans who grows into the shirt week by week, Joe Winfield converted for his first Gwernyfed points since returning from the Antipodes.

The final move of the game was a peach, one that an excellent battle deserved. Once again Gethin Davies fielded the restart. His pass to Dylan Skyrme was shipped on to Will Lloyd who made great headway up the right. When confronted, Lloyd found top flanker Sam Clegg on his shoulder, Clegg linked with replacement scrum half Luke Eckley who then passed to the green, white and blacks’ mighty captain Sam Stephens, always in the right place, who made Winfield’s conversion a formality.

Bettws played agreat part in a game of rugby that lit up an otherwise dismal day. However, the travelling support was generous in its praise for a Gwernyfed side that is playing some exciting rugby in a season that sees the green, white and blacks unbeaten to date. Next week’s test comes by way of a trip to Whitehead in Newport where the hosts will no doubt be looking to wrest the record from Gwernyfed.

On Sunday, Gwernyfed Ladies embarked upon a marathon journey to the seaside in the WRU Championship. The journey proved to be productive as Bronnie Jones’s team produced a bonus point, 22-10 win over Porthcawl, rendering the journey home far more pleasant than may have been the case otherwise. Tries came by way of a brace from Leighanne Norman and scores by Rosie East and Poppy Thompson, rounding off a successful weekend for the Gwernyfed senior sides.