WRU BOWL QUARTER FINAL
Supporters of Cardigan will flock in their hundreds tomorrow afternoon for the WRU Bowl quarter final clash with rivals Milford Haven at the King George.
This last eight clash between the two Division Three West teams represents one of the biggest games in recent history for the Cardi’s as the winner will be just one match away from a cup final at the National stadium.
Coach Colin Horscroft and his men have faced some tough battles in this competition and have seen off the likes of St Davids, Laugharne, Usk, Betws and Denbigh but two of these matches went right down to the wire with a single shot at goal proving to be crucial. A penalty from Luke Rogers sealed the win away at Betws whilst it was a superb touchline conversion by Rogers that got his team through against Usk. Rogers though is currently on his travels abroad and taking a year out.
Cardigan go into this hugely important clash tomorrow without a recognised goal kicker as veteran fly half Iestyn Crompton has been picked on the bench. This will surprise many as Crompton is a very talented place kicker but there are two kickers in the team in centre Emyr Harries who is used occasionally for very long pots at goal and utility player Llyr Jones who starts at fly half tomorrow. This is a gamble make no mistake, but if Cardigan play the Mariners off the park nobody will mention it after the game.
Jones on his day is a handful but he can be very inconsistent with the boot and this is a bold move to pick him at stand off especially without Crompton in the team. He is though a very talented footballer with a bright future with Cardigan and is not afraid to play very flat and he can open up defences just as he did against Neyland a few weeks ago and this is why he has been picked.
There are no other surprises with experienced tight head Richard Jones starting alongside Bedwyr Davies and loose head Tomos Evans with Dylan Rambo Davies pairing up with Dean Harries in the second row. Llyr Griffiths packs down at eight with Colin Davies on the blind side and Kieran Hurley on the open. Arwyn Wilson links up at half back with Jones and in midfield the tried and trusted combination of Harries and Marcus Castle continue whilst on the wing Horscroft has gone for Dafydd Watkins, a fine young player who has improved a great deal this term and Alun Jenkins, another promising product up from the youth team, on the other wing, with John Lumb at fifteen.
On the bench the Cardi’s have plenty of cover across the park with the likes of Gareth Clifford, Gethin Jones, Will Brice and Ben Hughes up front and fly half Crompton to come on if things are going a bit awry.
Milford in complete contrast have a very good place kicker in full back Craig Barnett who is the Mariners top points scorer and they have some very useful runners in Jamie Barnett at fly half and wingers Dan Jenkins and Josh Thomas. Up front they have a powerful back row and some big ball carriers and the break down will be very competitive.
Milford were generally second best when they came to Cardigan for a league match in September and their scrum was under huge pressure for long periods with Cardigan tight head Jones the man of the match on that afternoon and the wily campaigner will be a very influential figure tomorrow and was probably the first name down on the team sheet for this contest.
The Mariners have beefed up their pack since that defeat and they are serious title rivals to Cardigan in Division 3 West A and this will be the toughest test yet for Horscroft and co.
This battle could go either way as there will not be much in it as they are two very well matched teams.Cardigan should have the edge with home advantage coupled with the influence of their big match players in Colin Davies, Llyr Griffiths and Emyr Harries and expect them to shade this contest in front of a vociferous Gollop Stand. Kick off 2.30
