Pembrokeshire Vikings 43 - Swansea Gladiators 41

 
Outstanding referee: Martyn Rudd
 
Pembrokeshire Vikings won the second match of their short time together as they beat off the powerful challenge opponents Swansea Gladiators, who are currently celebrating 30 years of existence and having rightly earned the reputation of being one of the first-ever mixed ability teams to have been formed.
 

Touch rugby win gives The Vikings a deserved double

 
Played in perfect conditions at Pill Parks, Llangwm, in front of a large and appreciative audience, The Vikings followed their debut victory over Newport Gwent All Stars with this epic 43-41 success – and completed the double over such respected opposition as their touch rugby team, which played as an opener for the day, got everything off to a flying start as they beat The Gladiators by four tries to two.
 
The locals were coached by Emma Summons, who also played as their tries came from Dafydd Cole (2), Marcus Greenish and Olly Mathias, with other good performances by Ben Couceiro, Evan Davies, Jack Colley, Gaz Mathias and Andrew Martin.
 
Also providing a pre-game treat were the talented ten year olds from Llangwm and Neyland, with amazing skills for such youngsters and with the final result not important because its purpose is to provide the platform by excellent coaches who also want their young charges to have great fun as an added bonus.
 

Great start for The Vikings – but the Gladiators battle back

 
The Vikings started the match with a bang as they raced into a 17-0 lead playing some good quality rugby played at a pace and with both teams throwing the ball about – and with St Davids coach Gethin Bateman opening the home account with a spectacular belly flop from all of two yards – and then centre Dan Davies added a second try before No 10 Gino Cleal adding an excellent conversion.
 
Then Phil Jones added a third score having previously having one disallowed by excellent referee Martyn Rudd – but The Gladiators showed they have represented Wales in international festivals abroad as skipper Tyma Hughes led by example.
 
Stuart Medz opened their account and others came from Tyma Hughes and their Phil Jones, with Mike Germine coolly making a dropped-goal conversion of one of them.
 
Back came the Vikings as their Phil Jones scored his second try after a superb long pass by Craig Lewis, converted by Cleal, but at half time the team shared 48 points as Ed Stitch crossed at the posts and Mike Germine again converted.
 

Fast and furious second half

 
The second half was equally fast and furious and fortunes ebbed and flowed as Matt Davies and skipper Daniel Morgan, playing on his own patch and receiving the loudest cheer of the afternoon, score tries for the Vikings and there were conversions by John Ellis and Dafydd Cole, via the crossbar.
 
But The Gladiators looked to have taken the honours with tries from Mike Germine, Steve Joseph and Hughes, with Germine adding the vital extra points to nudge them into a 41-36 lead – but The Vikings refused to give up and a Cleal try and conversion saw the local side to a wonderful win!
 
Vikings’ director of rugby Simon Gardiner was delighted by this second success and said afterwards;
 
“We are so grateful to The Gladiators for agreeing to come down and play us and we are already looking forward to a return match at Swansea Uplands RFC later in our season.

“They are rightly hugely respected and with a fantastic coach in Matt Germine play the game in the right spirit.

“Of course we are pleased to have won such an exciting match but the result doesn’t really matter on a great day like today and we want to thank Llangwm RFC for their welcome,  all the families, friends, supporters and sponsors – I know it is a cliché but rugby is the winner today!”
 
Matt Germine responded by telling PembrokeshireSport.co.uk:
 
“We have really enjoyed the wonderfully warm welcome we have received and The Vikings just about deserved their win on this special occasion – and we can guarantee them the same warm welcome when they visit us.”