Neath V Llanelli
Saturday 3rd September 2005, 2.30pm KO

MATCH REPORT (by Al Black)

Martyn Davies would have enjoyed this match played in his memory. The Welsh All Blacks got the 2005/06 Welsh Premiership season off to a successful start and, if Neath did not always play like champions, they packed too much for Llanelli in a very entertaining league opener.

Although Llanelli took an early lead through a try by full-back Lee Byrne who took full advantage of a quickly-taken penalty by scrum-half Chris McDonald, it was the Blacks who held sway for most of the match. Neath's first points of the new season came via a penalty by record-breaking outside-half James Hook before the Black forwards showed their power in driving over for a try that had Neath written all over it, prop Paul Jones touching down. Hook's conversion made it 10-7 and Neath went further ahead when winger Neil Clapham tormented the tortured Byrne and turnover ball was moved rapidly to the left where wing Aled Bevan touched down wide out. Llanelli outside-half Michael Hook, James' elder brother then added a penalty to his earlier conversion to cut Llanelli's half-time arrears to 15-10.

Neath started the second-half purposefully and a second James Hook penalty made it 18-10 but Llanelli were denied a score by a last-gasp tackle by Clapham. Apart from a foot-in-touch later, that was more or less Llanelli's last gasp as Neath went on to dominate proceedings. A horrible defensive blunder saw James Hook charge down his brother's kick to touch down for Neath's third try and his touchline conversion made it 25-10. The Blacks rounded off a good day's work with a fourth try when Ben Davies fed prop Cai Griffiths who scored their fourth try.

It was a solid team performance based on the hard work of the forwards. Paul Jones and Tom Smith excelled in a pack well led by new captain Steve Martin, Andy Littlehales was lively and flankers Andy Llewellyn and John McPhail worked hard in the hot sun. Centres Steve Thomas and Wayne Mitchell bottled up most of what Llanelli tried and more will be seen of Neath's running full backs Gareth Morris and replacement Arwel Thomas who enjoyed a winning return to his first first-class club.

Above all, the class and composure of James Hook earned him the man of the match award from former Neath centre Glen Ball and Neath coach Rowland Phillips reflected, "It is always satisfying to beat Llanelli but we won't get carried away by one victory. Pontypridd are waiting for us at Sardis Road and there is still a lot to be done. But this victory was down to the hard work the players are putting into training.''

Phillips would have been pleased to see young front-rowers Craig Mitchell and Gerwyn Price come off the bench and make their marks while scrum-half Martin Roberts was as busy and combative as Martyn Davies himself.

Yes, Martyn would have approved !

NEATH :- Gareth Morris; Neil Clapham, Steve Thomas, Wayne Mitchell, Aled Bevan; James Hook, Martin Roberts; Paul Jones, Andy Littlehales, Cai Griffiths; Steve Martin (captain), Martin Morgan; Andy Llewellyn, Tom Smith, John McPhail. Replacements (all involved) - Arwel Thomas, Pat Horgan; Craig Mitchell, Gerwyn Price, Ben Davies, Dan McShane, James Davies