UFO Info Week-End

On top of that he directed proceedings expertly from outside-half in a fascinating duel with

On top of that, he directed proceedings expertly from outside-half in a fascinating duel with the present Welsh stand-off, Arwel Thomas.Better was to come for the visitors when a Jenkins pass to his centre Steele Lewis put him into space and paved the way for a 80-metre move which eventually ended with the loose-head prop Neil Eynon galloping 15 metres to score a notable try.That score epitomised the endeavour shown by both teams, the outstanding outfits in Wales this season. Jenkins added the conversion and Ponty had grabbed the initiative in the opening quarter.It looked as though Swansea could fold at that stage and their hopes of securing a League and Cup double looked very remote. But in front of a near- capacity 10,000 crowd, the All Whites galvanised themselves and a moment of good fortune turned the game on its head.Once again it was cruel luck for Ponty as they became victims of their own enterprise. A midfield mix-up between the Lewis brothers, Steele and Jason, allowed the Swansea centre Mark Taylor to intercept 70 metres out and race to the posts without a hand being laid on him.Arwel Thomas converted and then added a penalty to reduce the deficit to three points. Now it was Ponty’s turn to panic as half-time neared, although they eventually established a nine-point advantage when Jenkins landed two more penalties.But was their lead enough? The home fans thought not and when Stuart Davies barged over for Swansea’s second try five minutes after the restart it looked as though the locals were right.Thomas converted that try and four minutes later notched the penalty that brought Swansea the lead for the first time. From there on it was a case of keeping cool and banging the ball downwind.Thomas and his half-back partner, Andy Booth, ensured that was done when required and despite one or two searing three-quarter line moves, and a forlorn 38-metre penalty attempt by Jenkins, the Cup holders were unable to breach the gap.Swansea: M Back; W Leach, M Taylor, S Gibbs, Simon Davies; A Thomas, A Booth; I Buckett, G Jenkins (capt), C Anthony, S Moore, P Arnold, D Thomas, Stuart Davies, C Charvis.Pontypridd: K Morgan; D Manley (C Cormack, 40), J Lewis, S Lewis, P Ford; N Jenkins (capt), Paul John; N Eynon, Phil John, A Metcalfe, G Prosser, M Rowley, N Spiller, R Lumkong (M Lloyd, 40), M Williams.Referee: G Simmonds (Cardiff)..

Wakefield, who have so often proclaimed the message that being Second Division does not necessarily mean being second class, were forced by a rampant Gloucester pack to accept second best in this abrasive and bad- tempered quarter-final at College Grove yesterday. Deprived of extending their four-month unbeaten cup and league run when they went down to Bristol in midweek, Gloucester were anxious to regain their winning habit. Wakefield were equally mindful that two seasons ago they beat Gloucester 19-9 here in the fourth round. Any chance of a repeat rested on the Yorkshiremen being able to hold the Gloucester forwards.

Gloucester eights may not be nearly so threatening these days as some of their packs of yesteryear, but they still carry more menace than is usually found in the middle of League Two, where Wakefield reside.
For the moment, ignore the scoreline. That only took on its final shape in the closing minutes, when the Wakefield outside-half Mike Jackson claimed two tries, the first of which he converted, to add to his three penalty goals. The game had been nicely balanced with Gloucester leading 13-3, Wakefield having played the first half up the slope and into a stiff breeze. In the opening quarter the Gloucester backs had made so many unforced errors from abundant possession that Dave Sims, Phil Greening and the back row decided to take matters into their own hands and seize control of the game.Mark Mapletoft missed with two early penalties but struck with his third. Gloucester were then awarded a penalty try when the Wakefield front row collapsed a five-metre scrum, which Gloucester had opted to take from a penalty at the line-out.

After Jackson kicked his second penalty, Wakefield sensed that if they could stretch the defence by bringing width to their play, the threat from the Gloucester forwards might be nullified.Before they could test that theory, Wakefield handed Gloucester another five-metre scrum. This time the home pack held together even though Gloucester were shoving them backwards. The resulting collapse, which prompted the referee to award a second penalty try, was Gloucester’s fault, according to the Wakefield coach Jim Kilfoyle “Tony Windo took it down,” he said. “I’m surprised a referee of Tony Spreadbury’s experience allowed himself to be old-manned by a trick like that. But he was on the other side of the scrum, and from there on there was no way back.”Even so, there was no let-up in the ferocity that earned Sims a yellow card and Jackson another penalty goal. As a token of their appreciation for the hitherto unseen running game, the Gloucester forwards relented to allow Mike Peters to run in a try after Don Caskie’s delicate chip fell invitingly to hand.

Jackson’s flourish, enjoyable as it was, brought only a hint of what Wakefield might have achieved had they more ball to play with.Wakefield: P Massey (P White, 75); A McClarron, P Maynard, I Wynn, R Thompson; M Jackson, D Scully; P Lancaster, T Garnett, R Latham, S Croft (capt), A. Bailey (J Griffiths, 40), P Stewart, P Manley, D Hendry.Gloucester: C Catling; M Peters, D Caskie, M Roberts (C Emerson, 64), M Lloyd; M Mapletoft (M Kimber, 63), S Benton; T Windo, P Greening, A Deacon, R Fidler, D Sims (capt), P Glanville, N Carter, S Devereux.Referee: T Spreadbury (Bristol).. England may find themselves counting the cost of yet another Bath victory over their old West Country rivals. Phil de Glanville hobbled painfully through the last 10 minutes and then the fly-half Mike Catt was carried off with a leg injury. As if things could not get any worse the hooker Mark Regan was left motionless on the pitch at the final whistle and eventually had to be helped off. Otherwise it was the same old story, a scrappy Courage league derby in difficult conditions, thankfully illuminated by the brilliance of Jeremy Guscott.