RUGBY LEAGUE

VALLEY COUGARS ..... 72 CARDIFF BLUE DRAGONS ...................... 0

VALLEY Cougars showed no mercy against the hapless Cardiff Blue Dragons running in seven tries and kicking four conversions in each half to win 72-0,

Rhys Davies gave them an early advantage with Scott Giles adding a second which Mike Hurley converted. Dan Davies notched a hat-trick of tries in quick succession before Hurley and Lee Goddard both crossed. Hurley converted three more times.

It took the Cougars 10 minutes of the second half to add to their lead but finally did through a Jack Watkins try, converted by Hurley. Steve Bray added their ninth of the day from kick-off, Hurley again adding the extras and the score was up to 48-0.

Craig Lewis and Scott Britton soon added tries, with one Hurley goal bringing the score up to 58-0.

An unconverted Jamie Marsh try soon made the score 62-0 and the score clicked up to 66 thanks to Steve Bray’s second try of the game, Goddard’s second try sending the score over 70 with Hurley adding the final goal.

RHONDDA OUTLAWS 32 BRIDGEND BLUE BULLS ................ 38

IT WAS a massive effort for Rhondda Outlaws but they couldn’t quite beat last year’s champions, as they went down 38-32 to Bridgend Blue Bulls,

After Rhondda blew a chance to take the lead when the ball was dropped near to the line, Bridgend made them pay and from a well-worked attack, Gareth Howells placed the ball near to the sticks but sliced the conversion wide of the right post.

They levelled on 20 minutes. Daf Smith wriggled his way through from a scrum. Kevin James’ conversion attempt hit the post.

From the restart Bridgend regained the lead after Howells dived over with his conversion this time going past the left post.

Howells ran over for his hat-trick on the half-hour mark, placing the ball under the sticks and landing the goal to put Bridgend 14-4 up.

A good run from Shaun Ware gave Outlaws a try back five minutes before the interval with James’ kick going wide.

But straight from kickoff, Bridgend’s Ross Jones pounced on a dropped ball to address the balance with Nathan Hawkins converting and there was still time for Rory Bodenham to run in a fifth try for Bridgend making it 24-8 at the break.

It only took a minute of the first half for John Lloyd to add to Bridgend’s score with an unconverted try.

Outlaws soon hit back when Richie Lewis burst through and Mike Herbert converted. Mark Jones soon followed him over and the difference was back to 10 points.

But Bridgend weren’t going to let this slip. Lloyd got his second try of the game and Howells his fourth, converting the second of the tries and the score was up to 38-18.

Outlaws weren’t finished yet. Herbert and Lee Griffiths both scored unconverted tries in the corner. Andrew Prouse scored the final try with James converting as the final whistle went.