TORFAEN TIGERS 16 ARGONAUTS 68
Argonauts, last year’s champions, had too much firepower for the hosts, excelling in both attack and defence to win 68-16.
Keiron Hammond gave Argoanuts the lead in the first two minutes. Fred Nye couldn’t convert.
From the next attack, 15-year old Ellie Cockerton, playing in her first league match, took advantage of space to fly down the wing to score the first of her nine tries for the day, to double the lead. Nye converted before adding their third try which Scott Cooper improved.
Argonauts defended well from a Torfaen set following a penalty, the Tigers even attempting a drop-goal, but Cockerton eventually got her second try with Nye converting.
Torfaen’s persistence paid off. A good attacking set ended with Mathew Morris-Parker finally breaking the Argonauts defence to score in the corner. Leighton Morris converted.
But Argonauts scored three more tries on the bounce. Hammond, converted by Peter Johnston, Nye converted by Rob Cooper and Cockerton completed her hat-trick
Torfaen hit back through a Leighton Morris try in the corner before Hammond completed his hat-trick. Johnston added the goal to put the score onto 44-10 at half-time.
Nye completed his hat-trick within the first minute of the second half, but Tigers, who didn’t give up throughout the game, scored next through Luke Simmonds, with Morris converting.
Despite their efforts, that was the last time the home side got on the board. For Argonauts, Nye and Cockerton each scored two more, Johnston and Rob Cooper added further goals.
ARGONAUTS 66 CRUSADERS CELTS 12
Argonauts put on a perfect second half performance to see off Crusaders Celts 66-12 who were playing in their first ever WRL Wheelchair Development League game.
Crusaders took the lead on nine minutes when Harry Jones got a try on his Welsh League debut. Wyatt Jones converted.
But within seconds, Argonauts were level thanks to a Fred Nye try and goal. After Nye added a further six points, Peter Johnston was next over to put the score onto 16-6.
Crusaders struck back four minutes before half-time when Claire Owlett scored a try on her Welsh League debut. Wyatt Jones converted again.
And following a penalty on the half-time hooter, Johnston went half the length of the pitch to score, converting it himself to make it 22-12 at the break.
Argonauts put the game to bed early the second half with two tries each from Nye and Johnston in the first ten minutes, one of them being converted by Scott Cooper, putting the score onto 40-12.
Ellie Cockerton quickly added a hat-trick of tries with Rob Cooper finally adding a conversion after being close with the previous four attempts.
Nye was next over, converting his own try to put the score onto 60-12 before Cockerton brilliantly scored her fourth of the game. Rob Cooper converted.
TORFAEN TIGERS 16 CRUSADERS CELTS 34
Crusaders fought hard for a 34-16 win over Torfaen in a competitive third match of the day.
Harry Jones stormed through for the first try of the game after just 37 seconds. Wyatt Jones converted.
Torfaen soon hit back with Rob Davies scoring his first ever try in the wheelchair game.
Two tries and a goal from Wyatt Jones extended the Crusaders’ lead to 16-4 before a Claire Owlett try further increased the score.
Tigers scored again through a Darren Downey try but Harry Jones soon scored under the sticks with Wyatt Jones’ goal attempt hitting the bar.
Eleven-year old Ethan Neilson added the next with Wyatt Jones converting but Torfaen had the final say of the first half as Downey scored his second try bring the score back to 30-12.
Torfaen were first over in the second half, Davies grabbing his second with Leighton Morris still not able to hit the target with the kick.
Both teams defended well for the rest of the game, especially Crusaders as Torfaen put the pressure on them for a lot of second half, just their inexperience preventing them from getting back in the game.
But it was the North Wales-based side who cemented the game with three minutes remaining when Owlett scored in the corner.
TORFAEN TIGERS: Darren Dowey, Leighton Morris, Luke Simmonds, Mathew Morris-Parker, Rob Davies.
ARGONAUTS: Peter Johnston, Ellie Cockerton, Fred Nye, Keiron Hammond, Richard Carver, Rob Cooper, Scott Cooper.
CRUSADERS CELTS: Hayley Matthews, Wyatt Jones, Harry Jones, Claire Owlett, Ethan Neilson.