| Subject: Match report from IC Wales |
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Glyn
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Date Posted: 14:03:09 08/24/02 Sat
Author Host/IP: ACB42A75.ipt.aol.com/172.180.42.117
Llewellyn celebrates as Neath tune up Aug 24 2002
Neath 21 Pontypool 7
NEATH flattered to deceive in this their final warm-up game before next Friday's Celtic League opener against Caerphilly but still helped Gareth Llewerllyn celebrate his testimonial with a comfortable victory.
With every intention of making it a night of all-round celebration for Llewellyn, Neath showed great endeavour and plenty of enterprise in the opening exchanges with Shane Williams a catalyst in this, his long-awaited return from injury.
But Pontypool have invested well this summer and with Neath old boy Mark Jones leading by example and Kuli Faletau, John Devereux and Kevin Ellis among those adding some vital experience, they were hardly the pushover some might have thought.
Still, with the pace and power of a front five that included the hugely promising loosehead prop Paul James, Neath gained the ascendancy and went ahead in seven minutes when right wing Kevin James brushed off Joel Griffin to score after some cute passing from Shaun Connor and James Storey.
Connor converted and then improved a second try two minutes later when Adrian Durston emerged from a melee of players to sidestep full-back David Smith and score a try on this his home debut.
Apart from a three-year stint with Harlequins, the former Welsh lock has been a Neath stalwart. In fact next Friday against Caerphilly, Llewellyn will make his 281st start in this his seventh year as captain at The Gnoll.
Defensively Neath were sound and particularly well organised, but in attack they were often too hasty and over elaborate. For coach Lyn Jones it must have been a touch frustrating considering that the real business kicks off in less than a week's time.
Neath were unable to add to their tally in the 31 minutes leading up to half-time and, despite wholesale changes at the interval, they struggled to find a smooth rhythm after it too.
Instead it was a night that saw Pontypool gain the plaudits. They might have lost Devereux to a knee ligament injury, but they were combative, fearless and, as the game wore on, increasingly competitive.
It took a piece of magic from centre David Tiueti to galvanise the home side - a typically robust surge through some heavy traffic on the hour committed the Pooler defence and replacement Allan Bateman arrived on his shoulder to take the scoring pass.
That ended the contest as far as the result was concerned and it also gave Neath a chance to ring the changes and try out another set of combinations in the pack.
Llewellyn got his deserved rest at that juncture, but he took to the field on the final whistle to applaude a set of fans who have certainly had their money's worth from this true Welsh All Black.
By that time Pontypool had helped themselves to a deserved try from Jonathan Williams, which James Rowles converted, but it didn't take any shine off Llewellyn's night.
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