Winners and losers... Cattle on the charge but the heat’s on Mulvilhill
It was one of those weekends in Welsh rugby that you want to instantly wipe from the memory banks - unless you’re a Scarlets supporter.
And even for the standard bearers of the regional game in Wales, it was all a bit of a slog in beating 14-man Benetton to become the only region to put a W in the results column.
But it wasn’t just in regional rugby where the stories could be found.
We look at the Welsh winners and losers over the weekend. plundered a maximum 15 points from the opening three games to upset the applecart at the top of the table. Though the Championship is still in its embryonic stages, they have a five point buffer over Ealing and six-point lead over Irish though the latter have a game in hand.
Last Saturday saw the Pirates navigate potentially choppy waters at Hartpury to head back down the M5 with a 46-17 victory.
“In winning the game we showed a lot of energy and the spirit was very good, including from the replacements who made sure we kept our foot on the gas,” said Cattle, who spent two seasons with the Scarlets from 2007-09 playing 26 games. In all he’s spent 12 seasons with the Pirates over two spells and captained them to the 2007 EDF Energy Trophy win over Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham.
JACK MAYNARD
THE Principality Premiership has never seen a season like it with four, possibly five clubs, being relegated at the end of the campaign.
The way things at going at Llandovery, there’s no danger of the town famous for droving sheep, cattle, geese and turkeys, being dragged into a relegation dogfight.
And their march to the top of the table after an 82-point feast at Bedwas on Saturday saw No.10 Maynard get his fill with a personal haul of 27.
Apart from two solo tries he kicked eight out of eight from the tee in the 52-30 victory at Bridge Field.
JARED ROSSER
QUESTIONS could well be raised over why the fleet-footed speed merchant was displaying his wares for the Dragons A team on the weekend at Ystrad Mynach instead of being part of the first team squad out in Leinster.
And rightly so, given Rosser bagged himself seven tries in seven games at the back end of last season.
But there was certainly no moping around for the 20-year-old on Celtic Cup duty as the Abergavenny-born flier helped himself to five tries in the 53-38 win against Connacht Eagles at the Dragons training base.
Across the Irish Sea, Wales back Hallam Amos would go on to suffer a dislocated elbow in the Dragons’ 52-10 Guinness PRO14 thumping at the RDS and head coach Bernard Jackman stated post-game that Rosser will return for the first team in their clash with Zebre at Rodney Parade on Saturday. He’s been tipped for a big future.