THE GAME WITH TOULOUSE

IT didn’t go as well as Neath might have hoped.

They were well-beaten by the French blue bloods in a match that was physical but the hosts also had the backs who could do damage. There were no complaints: Neath lost fair and square. THE Brive match was different.

It was a wander into a strange world of rugby madness.

Proceedings had barely started when blows were exchanged.

“The atmosphere was strained from the start and there were several scuffles which seemed to just carry on because the French referee could not impose himself,” Andrew Kembery, Neath’s 6ft 8in back-five forward, later recalled.

“The flashpoint came when everyone was milling around after yet another skirmish. A French player ran full pelt at Kevin Phillips and hit him with a shoulder charge. “Mayhem broke out. “It was more a 20-minute fight than a rugby match.” AMID the chaos the referee sought to restore order.

Two Neath players, one of whom was Llewellyn, appeared to be ordered off and one man from Brive was also directed towards the touchline.

But the incident that led to Llewellyn receiving his marching orders had taken place earlier and the man in the middle didn’t seem sure whether or when the big lock should leave the field.

“He threatened to send off Gareth for an earlier incident at a ruck,” said Kembery.

“When our coach Ron Waldron objected, the official said Gareth could stay on until half-time, which was ridiculous: Gareth either deserved to go or he didn’t.” MEANTIME, all break loose.

Neath had rapidly come to the conclusion that attack was the best form of defence and passivity was a waste of time against opponents who were more pumped-up than the Michelin man. The home crowd were also riled. An eyewitness account from Bath fans who had taken time out from following their own team’s tour to watch the Neath game ran thus: “The atmosphere was extremely unpleasant and threatening.

“So much so that Bath supporters sought to disassociate themselves from the bedlam, for fear of a load of verbals —or worse, from incensed French support. “ hell continued to THE uncertainty over when or if Llewellyn should be sent off had taken Neath to breaking point.

“The whole thing had turned into a