Neath V Tonmawr
Wednesday, August 18th 2004, 7.30pm KO.

MATCH REPORT (by Phil Space)

NEATH 78 TONMAWR nil
Neath served up a mouth-watering display in their pre-season friendly against Tonmawr and the talented young All Blacks showed enough to underline the prospect of great things to come.

As expected, Tonmawr battled hard and it took Neath nearly a quarter of an hour to open the scoring. It was 26-nil at halftime through tries by No.8 Hywel Jenkins, lock Ian Evans and two from outside-half James Hook who converted three.

Indeed, young Hook played a starring role and when the floodgates opened in the second-half, he really went to town adding a third try and six more conversions for a personal haul of 33 points.

The Blacks totted up eight tries in the second-half through flanker John McPhail, wing Aled Brew who delighted the crowd with his long-striding running, centre Mike Jones, lock Ben Davies (2), Hook, wing Richard Carter and flanker Neil Siemo.

12 tries on their first Gnoll outing was a pleasing reward for the 1,000 strong crowd who must have been impressed by the pace and skills displayed by the Neath youngsters.

Hooker Mefin Davies made a welcome return and, if there were a "man of the match", the judges need have looked no further than the 18 year old tight head prop alongside him Craig Mitchell …while backs might run in tries, Neath better than anyone know that it all starts up front.