Cross Keys RFC vs Cornish Pirates

Let us not forget that the B & I cup semi-finals also take place this weekend. May I remind you that three semi-pro outfits from Wales had made it into the quarters (Pontypridd, Llanelli and Cross Keys). Respect to the clubs for doing that but now is time to go further as I believe them to be capable.

The Pirates have always done well in this competition and will be a formidable challenge, not to mention being up for it having already beaten Keys 30-3 to this season. Perhaps home advantage might swing it in the Keys favour and the pirates might not like a trip to the valleys with the locals on their back. Good luck both, and to Munster/Leinster A.

Results: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/results/8369009.stm

*EDIT - Cross Keys: G David, K Baller, L Andrews, P Williams, N Trowbridge, S Jones, R Dyer, R Cornock. G Price, M Jones, T Lampard, D Hodge, R Peebles, R Nash (captain), J Groves. Replacements: C Gould, J Sollis, L Rawlins, C Trayhern, O Jones, L Williams, N Williams.

Its live on s4c too.

mckay, do you know what the teams will be? There is a lot of rugby on this weekend! What a saturday!

I'll watch, like following the Pirates and you never know, might see some young players Quins can pick up

good luck to keys, great ambassadors for gwent rugby!

Cross Keys: G David, K Baller, L Andrews, P Williams, N Trowbridge, S Jones, R Dyer, R Cornock. G Price, M Jones, T Lampard, D Hodge, R Peebles, R Nash (captain), J Groves. Replacements: C Gould, J Sollis, L Rawlins, C Trayhern, O Jones, L Williams, N Williams.

Up the Keys. Bad news that influential 8 Rhys Williams is out though. I'm going. Very excited about it. Keys are a credit to Gwent and Welsh rugby this season.

The game in Penzance saw a weakened Crosskeys side from what I remember. Still it'll be a big ask. Few ex players who have played in Gwent/Wales playing for them including Matt Evans.

Glad Steffan Jones is available

Risca, I would go but I'm actually going to your club to watch Risca play Pill .

Ah I'm retiredish now, so don't go to the Cuckoos as much. Both teams are playing Pill (Risca Athletic away). Was tempted to go myself, but I'll be down after for pints with my dad. Risca v Pill is building into a bit of a rivalry.

Sure are. We have a big rivalry with NHSOB too.

Finished Keys 20 - 16 Pirates.

Well done the Keys, excellent win.

was a great win, keys played some superb rugby and could have had two more tries!

Pirates season has not ended too well really. Shame, they looked well set earlier in the season. Just got outplayed by the better side today.

Halfbacks Dyer and Jones were excellent, as was no.7 Nash. No doubt all three will be nicked by the Dragons permanently next year .

GavinDragon wrote:was a great win, keys played some superb rugby and could have had two more tries!

Should have really. Great win though. In the ground it's hard to see what the penalty try was for.

Well Done Cross Keys.

A semi-pro side beating full time outfit well done indeed

With the Swalec semis in mind against the mighty Steelmen next week I have a quick question.

Is Steffan Jones and Jevon Grooves Keys registered players or were they just loaned by the Dragons for todays game.

If they are registered then all well and good but if they were loaned will the Dragons do likewise for Ebbw next week given its an all Gwent Semi.

If so Lydiate played for Ebbw so can we have him pretty please Mr Edwards

I think Jones and Groves are dual registered, but will likely have full contracts next year. Releasing Lydiate for Ebbw Vale is unlikely, he's a top player and has a re-occuring ankle problem which needs as much rest as possible. The Swalec Cup is worthless.

Morgan,

It was said tongue in cheek and whilst it may seem worthless to you try telling that to the 15 bus loads (so far) of Ebbw fans that are going down to Rodney Parade next week to watch it.

Likewise some would say the B&I cup is worthless but try telling that to Keys players, fans and coahces alike after todays game.

I doubt it. Our semi-pro teams full of U20s and fringe players getting to play against good full time professionals and beating them. The exact opposite of worthless, not much at stake but excellent opportunities and new challenges for Welsh players.

The Swalec Cup is a cup competition for our Semi Pro and below teams to play in and whilst it might not be the big cup it once was its still a cup competition that the teams involved want to win.

So to those teams and fans players etc its hardly worthless, Ebbw have beaten Newport and Swansea to get there

Was a cracking game of rugby. Really enjoyed it. I did expect more from the Pirates. Was that there starting XV?

Jay,

Not sure if it was their starting XV but they were still all full time pro players.

Definitely not taking away from Cross Keys win, they did deserve it.

I know that Keys had a few Dragons players, who are obviously full time, but the Pirates were well beaten in the end by a 'semi-pro' outfit. I just expected a little more from the Pirates, a team who have real ambitions to play in the English Premiership.

Perhaps it shows the true quality of the WP?

I was listening to Ringo on Real radio phone in Thursday night and he said that in the away leg there was quite a bit of aggro and arrogance by the Piartes and Keys were well and truly beaten so maybe they did turn up kust expecting to win.

its def going in the right direction imo, more and more youngsters playing week in week out

he cracked me up in the build up interview he stated that keys treated the fixture as a weekend away and stated they were in the pub the night before, classic ringo

Gav,

I think they might be doing the same in the final

i meant he was referring to the away fixture, but i do like how ringo coaches, very much coaches his players to play whats in front of him

obv steffan and jevon are already with us, any others that we may try and nab?

i know nash had a great game and played for us at age group level, but with money tight and we already have gav and darren and lewis at 7 he may continue to be unlucky

Fair play to the Pirates, they have good support. I remember them being good when I went down for a Dragons preseason game a few years back.

Some of Leon Andrews' defence yesterday was very good before he went off. Nash was being looked at by the Dragons around the time of that Pirates friendly as he played 7 that day I remember. I do think the two props should be looked at, as they're pretty good scrummagers. Dan Hodge the lock gets praised a lot too, as do the two wingers.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Morgan,

It was said tongue in cheek and whilst it may seem worthless to you try telling that to the 15 bus loads (so far) of Ebbw fans that are going down to Rodney Parade next week to watch it.

Likewise some would say the B&I cup is worthless but try telling that to Keys players, fans and coahces alike after todays game.

15 bus loads? Three according to Ebbw just now. Fair play if there are that many travelling down though.

The props are strong scrummagers at this level but they look seriously overweight.

Dan Hodge looked like he'd be worth persevering with in the LV Cup game against the O's.

Dragons have already said they want a look at Gerwyn Price, though hooker is a very congested position for us.

Jury still out on Rob Nash I guess, he's got a couple of Dragons 'caps' iirc, but Darren Waters had to do a fair bit of conditioning work to get up to regional level so there's no telling what some time with the pro's might bring.

Morgannwg wrote:The props are strong scrummagers at this level but they look seriously overweight.

Nathan Buck isn't in great shape, but they'll stick by him. I am getting annoyed that people who look like they can scrummage are being ignored for allegedly being unfit. We ought to have coaches to mentor them fitness wise. What do we have to lose?

richie cornock the loose head played in the same age group team as mr nash, in fact quite a few from that gwent (then dragons) u18's have gone on to be semi pro players

alex walker
nicky downs (TH Neath)
Brendan Lampitt (Back Row Bedwas)
Richis Cornock
Rob Nash
Dan robinson (outside centre pontypool)
Rhys Jones (OH he was at newport)

i must admit i dont see why we are looking at g price, his throwing looked suspect under pressure yest, we have jones/burns/parry already and an u20 welsh hooker was on the bench in jamie solis yesterday and hes already on the books with us too

agree though i like to see hodge given a go, and cant believe we lost the sub lock (youngster) lewis rawlins to the turks!

Id like to see ringo brought in to work with the region more, he coaches his side to play whats in front of them, keys knew they were never going to beat pirates up front so looked to run whenever it was on and looked good doing it too, the dragons are never going to win games by bullying teams so would do well to adopt the same approach

Sadly Steffan Jones is out for the season. Bad news for Keys.

Rhys Dyer played well too. Given that Wayne Evans and Joe Bedford don't exactly set the world alight, Darren should maybe look at him too. That said he should give Jon Evans more of a shot anyway.

When Darren Edwards came out and said there were players who cannot get the Dragons to the next level and would be moving on, the first name I thought of was Wayne F Evans. I'm amazed he hasn't been released, and a mate of mine tells me he's been offered another deal.

Wayne is pushing for international honours when on form, he's had a massive dip since injury. I was physically sick when I seen Tavis Knoyle start earning Wales caps when he wasn't even Regional standard! Of course I was abused from every angle when I mentioned this a while back, but look who turned out be correct as always; Morgannwg did that's who turned out to be correct.

Maybe Wayne could do with some Premiership rugby to pick himself up. Dyer and Evans are challenging for a starting spot. Bedford is a waste of time and funds. What's happened to Leadbeater? He had his last game for Newport over a week ago and I'm unsure whether Dragons have offered him a contract. Someone offered him a deal, rumoured to be £30,000 per year.

It's been a long old time since we've seen any consistency from Wayne - that being the case we may as well play a youngster.

Leadbitter has been released I believe.