The Rugby Paper

Webber’s try double does it for Ystrad

Championsh­ip round-up

- ■ By ROB COLE Trebanos.

PLAYER-COACH Alex Webber was the toast of

Ystrad Rhondda after his try double helped send the village side to the Principali­ty Stadium next month for the WRU Championsh­ip Cup Final.

Former Wales Sevens and Pontypridd star Webber scored two of his side’s five tries as they turned a 17-8 interval deficit into a 40-22 winning margin over Cross Keys in their semi-final clash.

Keys had first use of a very strong wind and made the most of their advantage as they notched two tries, one of them a penalty try, in the first half. But back came the minnows to overtake them and book their ticket to the home of Welsh rugby with a brilliant second half showing.

As well as two tries from Webber, Kurtis Williams, Mason Roderick and Jarred Llewellyn also crashed over the Keys try line. Outside half Rhys Truelove converted three of them and also banged over a hat-trick of penalties.

Having changed ends nine points in arrears. Ystrad scored three second half tries without reply as they piled on 25 unanswered points to turn the game on its head.

They were last at the Principali­ty Stadium in 2015, when they won the WRU Plate, and will now have to meet the winners of the second semi-final, between the top two teams in the Admiral Championsh­ip, Pontypool and Neath on Saturday.

Pontypool warmed-up for the semi-final with a 93-3 home win over Tata Steel. Having beaten the bottom side 62-0 away from home the previous weekend, they piled on the agony with 15 tries.

Four of them went to Amosa Nove, while Matthew Powell helped himself to a hat-trick, Deon Smith and Matt Powell both crossed twice and there were other tries from Dai Jones, Dan Bobos, Ieuan Jones and Dai Langdon.

Neath are level on points at the top with Pontypool after their 28-12 win over

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