Rugby Notes

Fine win by Ebbw Vale at Llanelli yesetrday, gaining a bonus point in a 28-13 vistory. I wasn't there, visiting Lou & Dave in Bobbington, but here's the match report from the Ebbw Vale RFC website.

"Ebbw thoroughly deserved the win in this entertaining encounter.

Even without skipper John Bowd, Neil Edwards, Ian George and SImon Hunt, the Steelmen were good value for the bonus point. They led 14 - 5 at half time thanks to two tries by full back Aaron Bramwell whose incursion to the line were casuing Llanelli all sorts of problems. He left the field after 25 minutes with a shoulder injury to be replaced by the league's most consistent full back, Andrew McLaughlan.

Llanelli had offered relatively little and Ebbw should have been further ahead: a superb break by Kristian Owen fizzled out when James Lewis dropped the pass with the try line looming.

The home team started the second half well, early pressure leading to a penalty by Daniel Evans but Ebbw struck back immediately. Quick ball went left and lock WIll Jones threw an outrageous dummy that left the defence leaden-footed allowing him to stroll over near the posts. Bryan Shelbourne, looking comfortable at 10, again converted to make it 21 - 8.

Llanelli began to exert real pressure now and, when referee Leighton Hodges sin-binned Ebbw's industrious hooker Mathew Williams, they must have felt in with a real chance against a 7-man pack. It was Ebbw who dug deep, though, pushing the Llanelli scrum back and enabling the danger to be cleared time after time.

Eventually, Llanelli did claim a second score by Daniel George but the last word went to the Steelmen; after a massive driving maul, Nio Aiono crashed over for the bonu point try and Shelbourne goaled to send the Ebbw players and their travelling support home delighted."

Ebbw Vale: Aaron Bramwell, James Lewis, Kristian Owen, Greg Roberts, Andrew Bevan; Bryan Shelbourne, Robert Lewis; Aaron Coundley, Mathew Williams, Marc Jones; Will Thomas, Will Jones; Nio Aiono, John McPhail, Rhodri Dicks. Replacements: Anthony Lott, Richard Wilkes, Matthew Griffin, Gareth Williams, Andrew McLaughlan, James Thomas, Rhys Jenkins.

Scorers: Tries for Aaron Brwmwell (2), Will Jones and Nio Aiono, all converted by Bryan Shelbourne.

Tuesday evening sees the visit of ABeravon to Eugene Cross Park, 7:30 kick off.