Under-16s give Narberth supporters a real treat

NARBERTH RFC supporters were disappointed on Saturday that the club’s 1st and 2nd teams’ games at home had been cancelled for a variety of reasons, but a touring side from Ireland were hosted by Narberth and those supporters who turned up at the ground were instead treated to an exciting and entertaining game of under-16s rugby.

The visiting squad of 37 players and committeemen came from Mallow, a town in County Cork. The previous day they had played Llangwm and on Sunday were due to play Haverfordwest.

Narberth were only able to field 12 players and so the Mallow committee sportingly loaned three players to Narberth.

After 10 minutes the Otters Under-16s scored under the posts following a good passing sequence among the backs. The try-scorer wearing the 14 shirt was speedy Irish lad Reilly O’hanlon. The conversion was by scrum-half Olly Hough.

Later, from a cleaned-out ruck near the five-metre line the outside-half broke through on the left and Aaron Williams scored.

In another break on the left wing another try was scored by O’hanlon, converted by Hough for a 19-0 lead after 15 minutes.

Then another try by the Otters, converted again by Hough, made it 26-0.

The rotated squad from the 37 Irish players with fresh legs started to dominate the tiring hosts and they scored after some skilful jinking and swerving moves by their No. 12, converted by flyhalf Callum Lyons.

Narberth No. 8 Aaron Williams increased the lead to 31-7, but in the closing minutes there was a further score by Irish player No. 10 Evan Sheahan but this was not converted.

Now playing back in his Irish green, Reilly O’hanlon scored with five minutes to go, converted by Sheahan, and Reilly and Sheahan completed their double act by scoring and converting again for a final score of 31-26.

The Irish lads then headed off to relax at Heatherton Amusement Park where they were treated to a paintball session.*