NEATH ACADEMY

Under 21s - Remaining Fixtures
April

Sat 26th April: Pontypridd (H), 2.30pm
May
Sat 3rd May: Bridgend (A), 2.30pm
Wed 7th May: Pontypridd (A), 7.00pm
Wed 14th May: Bridgend (H), 7.00pm (TO BE CONFIRMED)

Caerphilly U21s 22 Neath U21s 41
Neath U21s warmed up for next week's Cup semi-final at Swansea with a 6-try 41-22 win at Caerphilly

Try-scorers were: Gareth John (2), Mark Harvey, Peter Smiriglia, Gareth James and lloyd Hayden. Outside-half Cerith davies converted four and kicked a penalty.

Neath U17s 29 Ebbw Vale U17s 7
Neath U17s ran in five tries to defeat Ebbw Vale at The Gnoll

The young All Blacks didn't look back after prop Roy Jones ploughed over for a try which full-back Aeron Bramwell converted. Neath added two more first-half tries through centre Aled Brew and wing Matthew Myatt as they raced into a 17-nil lead.

After the break, Neath grabbed two more tries frm No.8 and captain Scott Jeremy and scrum-half Lloyd Evans, Bramwell kicking his second conversion before Vale claimed a late consolation score.

Result
Briton Ferry 10 Neath U21s 57

Neath U21s overcame a spirited Briton Ferry side, scoring 9 tries to 2, on Friday.

The Ferry started strongly but faded as the Neath youngsters got their game together to run in six tries without reply in the first half.

Winger Gareth John (2) and Mark Harvey, senior utility back Gareth Morris who played at centre, lock Hefin Dumbrill and centre Peter Smiriglia got Neath tries with outside-half Cerith Davies converting four.

Briton Ferry's best spell came at the start of the second-half.
Despite trailing 38 - nil, they hit back with a try from a forward drive then another by full back Gavin Puckett

Neath finished off with tries by Peter Thomas, a second by Smiriglia and finally one by replacement John Leyshon.

Peter Thomas converted two to make it 57-10

Having made 11 changes from the side that dumped Newport out of the Under 21s Cup, it was a satisfactory effort by the Neath side but the coaching staff will be alarmed by the high penalty-count conceded.

Result
Neath U21s 25 Newport U21s 10

MATCH CANCELLED - Neath Academy
The Neath U21s V Bridgend U21s match due to take place at The Gnoll on Wednesday 5th March, will NOT BE PLAYED TONIGHT as both The Gnoll and British Steel (Margam) pitches are unplayable due to heavy rain

Result
Neath U21s 27 Cardiff U21s 31

Result
Wed 26th February: Neath U19s 15 Llanelli U19s 22

Result
Tues 25th February: Llanelli U17s 23 Neath U17s 13

Academy Result
Neath U21s 6 Newport U21s 13 (Friday 7th Feb)

Neath U-19's 27 points Newport U-19's 5 points

Neath Under-19's enjoyed a 4 tries to 1 win over Newport at The Gnoll.

All four of the young All Blacks' threequarters got tries - Mark Harvey, Rhodri Lewis, Matthew Banner and Aled Bevan.

Bevan kicked a conversion and a penalty and James Hook added a conversion. Newport's try was scored by flanker Richard Walker.

Newport thus joined Bridgend, Caerphilly and Cardiff on the list of Neath scalps, only Pontypridd having beaten the Under-19's.

*The Under-17's game at Newport was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch.

Fixture List Neath Academy
1 Nov - U21 Caerphilly Home, 7pm
17 Nov - U21 Army Home
19 Nov - U17 Caerphilly Away
20 Nov - U19 Caerphilly Home
27 Nov - U21 Gloucester Home
14 Dec - U21 Swansea Away
17 Dec - U17 Cardiff Home
18 Dec - U19 Cardiff Away
28 Dec - U21 Ponty Away
4 Jan - U21 Bridgend Home
Tues 21 Jan - U17 Newport Away POSTPONED
Wed 22 Jan - U19 Newport Home
Friday 24 Jan - U21 Ebbw Vale Home
1 Feb - U21 Llanelli Away
Fri 7th Feb, 7pm KO - U21 Newport Home
25 Feb - U17 Ebbw Vale Away
26 Feb - U19 Llanelli Home
1 Mar - U21 Cardiff Home
25 Mar - U17 Ebbw Vale Home
26 Mar - U19 Ebbw Vale Away
5 Apr - U21 Caerphilly Away
27 Apr - U21 Ponty ?
3 May - U21 Bridgend Away
22 May - U17 Swansea Home
23 May - U19 Swansea Away

Neath Rugby Academy - contact details
Your support is greatly appreciated. The Academy is mostly self funding so any sponsorship or support for the team is welcomed. Please contact Kevin George for further details.
Tel: 01639 769666, Fax: 01639 769668, e-mail: kevin@neathrfc.com

Director of Rugby: Lyn Jones

Director of Academy: Kevin George

U21 Coaching Staff:
Mike Messenger, Rowland Phillips, Kevin George, Keith Holifield (conditioning).

U19 Coaching Staff:
Andrew Vaughan (Team Manager), Gareth Llewellyn, Allan Bateman, Keith Holifield (conditioning).

U17 Coaching Staff:
Jeff Davies, Andrew Millward, Matthew McCarthy / Aled Thomas, Keith Holifield (conditioning).

District Director of Rugby: David Arthur

Dragon Development Officers: Aled Thomas, Max Howells

NEATH ACADEMY - Archived News

Academy Results

Academy Result

Neath U-21's 37 Ebbw Vale U-21's 0

Academy Result
Neath U-19's 27 points Newport U-19's 5 points
Match Report as below:

At The Gnoll on Tuesday, the Under-17's rather unluckily lost 14-15 to a Cardiff side which kept going to the end to clinch the match in the dying minutes. The Tonna pair of scrum-half Lloyd Evans and prop Craig Mitchell got Neath's tries and full back Aaron Bramwell (Resolfen) converted both but the young Blacks were left regretting not going for a couple of kickable goals in the second-half.

Neath Under-19's also came from behind to win their fixture at the Arms Park where the young Blacks recorded a memorable 21-14 victory. Neath Athletic's Aled Bevan was the hero with 16 points from a try, a conversion and three penalties while prop Sean Price (also Neath Athletic) got the other try.

Don't forget Boxing Day action at Sardis Road for the Under-21's (kick off 2.30pm)

U21s Result
Neath Under-21’s visited Seven Sisters on Saturday and ran out comfortable winners by 52-21. The young All Blacks crossed for 8 tries in all, outside-half Matthew Jones getting two of them and converting 5 for a 20-point total. The other tries came from scrum-half Gareth James, flanker Lee Evans, centre John Leyshon, lock Ben Davies, replacement Ricky Richards and centre Peter Smiriglia. Full back Aled Davies also kicked a conversion.

U21s Result
U-21's defeated British Army 22-10 - tries by wings Mark Harvey and Gareth John, flanker Stuart Barrow and replacement full back Rhodri Lewis, 1 conversion by Peter Smiriglia.

U17s Result
Neath U17s won 45-3 at Caerphilly, wing John hopkins bagging three tries and full back Aaron Bramwell 15 points.

U19s Result
Neath U19s beat Caerphilly 12-10 - tries by wing Mark Harvey and lock Ryan Hopkins, conversion by centre Aled Brew.

U21s Result
Neath U21s 58 Caerphilly U21s 0

Neath U21s secured a victory over Caerphilly to take joint top place in the U21s League.
The scoreline consisted of 9 Tries, 5 conversions and one penalty.

Academy Result
Neath U21s 15 Swansea U21s 14

Academy Results

Pontypridd proved too strong for Neath in the latest Academy games, the Under-17's winning 20-nil at The Gnoll on Tuesday before the Under-19's went down 48-5 on Wednesday, their only try coming from right wing Owen Scourfield.

NEATH RUGBY ACADEMY MATCH REPORTS

NEATH Under-21’s 26 points PONTYPRIDD Under-21’s 5 points
Both sides had chances in a scoreless first-half before Neath pulled away after the break with tries by hooker Lloyd Hayden, centre Peter Smiriglia, flanker Ben Furlowe and scrum-half Ricky Richards,outside-half Matthew Jones converting three. Mike Thomas got Ponty’s try.

BRITISH STEEL 24 points NEATH Under-21’s 55 points
Neath Under-21’s ran out comfortable winners under British Steel’s floodlights with the assistance of tries from wing Rhodri Thomas (2), scrum-half Gareth James (2),prop Cai Griffiths and flankers Stuart Barrow and Phil Morse.

U21s Result (9th October)
British Steel 24 Neath 55

ACADEMY LAUNCHED WITH A BANG !

The Neath Rugby Academy was launched with a bang last week with wins for both the Under-19’s and Under-17’s in their opening fixtures against Bridgend.

The Under-17’s got away first with a Tuesday trip to the Brewery Field where they overcame a stubborn home side 12-7.

The youngsters showed great spirit and deserved their win through two tries from lineouts by lock Tom Smith, one of which outside-half Jon Spratt converted.

The Neath XV was :-

Matthew Myatt; Lloyd Williams, Robert Jones, Matthew Burke, Daniel Era; Jon Spratt, Lloyd Evans; Peter Simpson, Mark Skinner, David Edwards; Tom Smith, David Jones; John Turner, Darrell Quinn, David West.

Wednesday evening saw the Under-19’s make their bow at The Gnoll and they followed up by beating Bridgend 9-8.

Outside-half James Hook dropped a goal and centre Aled Bevan kicked two penalties as the Neath boys held firm for the narrowest of wins.

The Neath squad was :-

Andrew Banfield (Gorseinon); Owen Scourfield (Neath Athletic), Aled Bevan (Neath Athletic), Gareth Bate (Neath Athletic), Rhodri Lewis (Resolven); James Hook (Aberavon), Lee De Vulgt (Bonymaen); Alun Davies (Aberavon), Nicky Reed (Resolven), Sean Price (Neath Athletic); Ryan Hopkins (Gorseinon), David Carter (Skewen); Tom Owen (Skewen), Paul Rummings (Brynamman), Ben Duggan (Builth Wells)

Replacements :- Matthew Banner (Gorseinon), Chris Griffiths (Resolven), Leighton McKenna (Tumble), Owen Gustafson (Tumble), Rhodri Roberts (Neath Athletic), Andrew Littlehales (Neath), Ben Davies (Bonymaen/Neath)

Neath Academy are grateful to all clubs and schools who released their players and now look forward to next month’s games on 22^nd and 23^rd October against Pontypridd.

Having beaten Llanelli and Ebbw Vale, Neath Under-21’s suffered the first age-group loss by a Neath team this season when they went down 31-41 at the Arms Park against Cardiff who won the League last year.

In an 11-try thriller, well controlled by referee Tim Hayes, Neath tries were scored by Kevin James, John Leyshon, Wayne Mitchell, Ben Davies, and Andrew Littlehales (the last three are all still eligible for Under-19’s). Aled Davies converted three and the Neath XV was :-

Peter Thomas; Kevin James, John Leyshon, Wayne Mitchell, Gareth John; Aled Davies, Ricky Richards (captain); Dylan Jones, Lloyd Hayden, Chris Hunt; Andrew Fisher, Gavin Evans; James McKenna, Ben Davies, Simon Peters

Replacements :- Rhodri Thomas, Peter Smiriglia, Richard Morgan, Cai Griffiths, Andrew Littlehales, Tom Davies, Stuart Barrow

The Under-21’s play Newport away on Saturday, October 5^th (2.30 pm).

U21s Result
Cardiff 41 Neath 31

U19s Result
Neath 9 Bridgend 8

Your support is greatly appreciated. The Academy is mostly self funding so any sponsorship or support for the team is welcomed. Please contact Kevin George for further details.
Tel: 01639 769666, Fax: 01639 769668, e-mail: kevin@neathrfc.com

Under 17's News
Neath U17s beat Bridgend 12-7 with two tries from our second row Tom Smith and a conversion from John Spratt Outside half.. Apparently the tries were classic Neath - 5 metre push overs from line out throws!

U17s / U21s
Under 17's play Bridgend Tuesday the 24th September at the Brewery Field Kick off 7pm

Under 21's play Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Ground on Saturday 21st September Kick off 2.30pm

U21s Result
Neath U21s 23 Llanelli U21s 10

Recent U21 Results
Pontypridd 29-29, Llangenech 39-29, Tonmawr 38-22

Neath U19s and U17s
The U17s will kick-off the season in Bridgend on September 24th and the U19s will play Bridgend home on the 25th September

Neath Under 21's
Neath Under 21's play Tonmawr on Saturday 24th August at Tonmawr - Kick off is 2.30pm.

Result / Fixture News
The Under 21s played Llangennech in a friendly on Saturday 17th of August - I understand that the final score was 39 - 29 to us.

NEATH ACADEMY
The Season 2002/3 will see the introduction of an extended academy structure with U17s and U19s teams.

The teams will play on a once a month fixture list which will be scheduled on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of each month.

The squads are being compiled over the next month with respective coaches.

The fixtures are all but complete: Bridgend - September, Pontypridd - October

The Kick-Off Times and other details will follow shortly..........

The U21s have a warm up game against Pontypridd on the 10th August at Llanharan, 12.30 Kick-Off.

The first League game will be against Llanelli on 7th September at The Gnoll, 2.30 Kick-Off.

Kevin George
Director of Academy