Delight for Merthyr as visitors secure league title in style

■ MERTHYR made it backto-back Principality Premiership titles with this victory at Bargoed – which also secured them a league and cup double.

They took the lead in the seventh minute and it was a move orchestrated by flyhalf Gareth Davies before wing Richard Carter’s offload for scrum-half Justin James to score. Matthew Jarvis converted.

Wing Kyle Evans scored their second try four minutes later with Davies and centre Aaron Pinches influential in it with Jarvis again converting.

The visitors’ third try arrived six minutes before the interval when prop Nathan Trevett barged over following a lineout with Jarvis’ conversion making it 21-0.

The hosts did regroup at half time and to their credit began brightly in the second half, but there seemed an inevitability about when Merthyr would score again and it came eight minutes after the restart, again as a result of a driving lineout, with replacement Matthew Dwyer touching down.

Jarvis, once again, showed his class from the tee as he kicked his fourth conversion to make it 28-0.

Bargoed, though, did eventually get themselves on the scoresheet and it was no more than their endeavour deserved as back-rower Grant Rogers touched down with Josh Prosser converting.

Adam Hoskins, also on off the bench, scored a fifth Merthyr try on 63 minutes, again converted by Jarvis.