Students learn a harsh lesson at Trebanos
TREBANOS mounted a magnificent second-half comeback to score 27 unanswered points and secure a 43-26 victory over Cardiff Met in the WRU Championship Plate at Cyncoed.
The students rested the complete side that had beaten Cardiff University in their BUCS Super Rugby clash earlier in the week, but had former captain Aled Ward returning to their back row.
The home side led 16-9 at the break and then 26-16 in the second half before the visitors conjured up a major revival that saw them notch up a notable win on the road.
Aaron Billingham marked his 21st birthday with a hat-trick of tries as Bedwas put Tata Steel to the sword in the Championship Plate with a 55-15 victory.
The right wing proved unstoppable as Bedwas made it two from two in the second phase of the competition.
The home side scored eight tries in all with Sam Davies, Rhys Hutcherson, Harry Oliver, Rory Harries and
Matt Bancroft getting the others.
Bancroft ended with 20 points as he also kicked six conversions and a penalty.
Tata Steel scored a try in each half in reply.
Cross Keys had hooker Conor Vaughan to thank for their last-gasp win at Beddau, where they came out on top 17-13.
He crossed the home line at the death after four penalties from Adam Tetley had taken Keys to within a point of their hosts.
Beddau were level at 6-6 at the break thanks to penalties from Scott Burrows and Jack Williams and then hit the front with a try from Lloyd Peart that Owen Cutter converted.
But Keys had the last laugh when Vaughan crashed over.
In the WRU Championship Cup, Neath became the first team to beat Narberth this season as they headed west to Pembrokeshire and came home with a 19-7 victory.
The visitors led all the way and were 19-0 up by half-time.
Aaron Grabham grabbed the first of their three tries and Owain Morgan and Geraint Wyn Lloyd soon followed suit.
Dai Langdon converted two of them and Neath were sitting pretty at the break.
The second half was a much tighter affair and the only points came from a home try by Jonathan Rogers which was converted to complete the scoring.
There is simply no holding Bargoed, who stormed back to win 54-25 at home against Ystrad Rhondda with two penalty tries from their blockbusting pack in the second half.
They were trailing 15-14 at halftime after Jared Llewellyn and Aaron Clark scored tries for the visitors and Rhys Truelove added a conversion and penalty.
Truelove extended the lead to 18-14 early in the second half, but the home pack got to grips with the game and they were able to inspire a 40-point second-half blitz to take victory.