Llanelli Warriors 10 Llanelli Warriors Past XV 15 (match 94)

two previews from the Star

Match programme

Disapointing coverage in paper (full review below)

Bonar on a watching brief

The scene is set

Artsy photo of Lee Rowlands

Colin team talk

and talks

still going

Past XV: (bk row) Gary James, Barry Williams, Des Williams, Paul Jones, Darel Watkins, Neil Edwards, Andrew Roberts, Hywel Watkins, Chris Rilley, Raymond Millet.
(frt row) Edward Williams, Mike Esney, Andrew Webb, Lee Diane, Stephen Walley, Andrew Russ

Lee Barber: looking forward to this one

Lee Diane (also known as Lee Jones/Darling/Picton)

Caught by Jon Juice

using his height to get as far as he can

Enter the Billo

Picton down!

Not sure this should be allowed on a family web site!

Simon arrives to sort them out

Billo shows Barber how it should be done

Deano: good technique (and nice socks)

The spirit of Phil Bennet leaving Jon Juice

Chris Rilley takes it on

and (Allegedly) gets injured by Gwilym

Lee Picton playing football

all he needs to do is pick up and score

a try is inevitable

unless he manages to throw the ball away!!!

another break - deano laughs at Lee's running style

even Gwilym laughs at Lee's running style

Juice stops laughing long enough to catch him

and throw him away

Paul Pictons go-hand off for Deano

but Deano holds on

Mike Esney and Meredith Pugh tussle

Simon emerges the wrong way from maul

Old master Ray Millet watches the new boy's technique- can he kick good ball away as aimlessly as he once did?

Ed Williams back in the hookers shirt

Cochyn (the ref) looks worried as Andrew Russ sets off on a charge

On the charge (nice tattoo)

That's Billo underneath that

Jason leads from front

The awesome Eight assemble (just out of shot)

Crisp winter day - perfect for rugby

Present line out

The old 'front ball' ploy

Come on John! Dai's already gone

Dai crashes over (you'd have thought the Oldies would have remembered that one)

Tony winging it

Lee Barber swinging it

James the Foto hits the line

Rilley gives in to injury

Past XV win line out despite Jason's efforts

Andrew Webb makes Shakespearean plea for support

Darel not in and no one binding properly: Classic Warriors scrum then.

Up the jumper stuff

Lee having a lie down

Deano makes like coffe table for Russ to rest on, while Cochyn comes closer to tackling someone than when he plays

Past pile in

Gwilym shows Lee Picton whose boss (right)

Andrew Roberts on the attack

anyone remeber what the ball looks like?

Cochyn tries to remember the rules

is there a game going on here?

Mike Esney + rugby = Pants!

The classic Roger pose

Some of the players went flat out all game

Roberts finds another gap

Colin rallies his troops

Past XV ready to pounce

No I don't know whats happening either

Another battle for the ball

Present get the ball out

Looks like the present have got it..

..but Past make sure

Too fast for the camera

Cochyn tries to decide which infringment to blow up for

Hywel Watkins makes like a tree

best seats in the house

get yer head in, Darel Watkins & Andrew Webb

Jas on the run (this and above pinched off Hacio site)

Bonar on the pop

Ed Williams taps the ash off his sandwich

Past v Present, Ed Williams goes old skool with a pint while 'modern athlete' Jon Kerr stays on the soft drinks

Rich, Tony and Tarw discuss how they could have lost that one

Plenty of photos but I can't find 'Esney pants' one anywhere!
The past XV had the cheek to win this memorable encounter 3 tries to 2 thanks to a late contraversial decision from Adam Cochyn the ref. A very young 'Past' XV featuring many a Warriors legend, showed that some of them had hung up the boots too early. The match was featued on S4C programme Hacio. After the match an exhibition of photos and programmes was displayed and everyone exaggerated how good they were back in the day.

Llanelli Warriors 10 Llanelli Warriors Past XV 15

The Warriors old boys showed they still had ‘it’ when they edged out the current team by the odd try in 5. Obviously fired up by a pre game haka and Captain Darel Watkins, a very young and able Past XV turned out victors in this 10th anniversary match.
A highly enjoyable encounter the match was played at a furious pace with play switching from end to end. The class of 2004 had the better of these early forays but it was some time before they scored, the lively Mathew Billo rounding off some good rugby.
The Past XV had a big size advantage and the likes of Andrew Russ and Raymond Millet rolled back the years with some trademark bursts. The current forwards though tended to have the upper hand with Simon Jenkins and Richard Evans doing well. In the backs though the Past XV had a definite advantage, Paul Jones, who since developing with the Warriors has moved on to Felinfoel, ran the show at fly half. With the Williams brothers and Lee Diane joining well they showed up the current backline who generally had a shocker although wings Whittaker and Taylor both ran well. Paul Jones sped through a gap to get the Past XV back on terms but the ever reliable Dai Newson rumbled over from a line out in the corner to put the Present back in front. Jon Kerr was very unlucky to hit the bar from wide out with the conversion.
Surprisingly the pace didn’t let up in the second half and the large crowd were kept thoroughly entertained. Man of the match John Horwood provided a steady stream of possession and Simon Jenkins gave the Present some good field positions with his kicking but in such an open match there were plenty of chances for both teams. Past Full back Andrew Roberts was the next to take one to complete a busy performance and level the scores. As the match went into the final stages the Past XV stepped up the pressure. The current squad did well to thwart a Watkins brothers rolling maul but they couldn’t get away. Robert Owens, under the guidance of hooker Ed Williams got away with a dubious pass and scored near the posts. Stephen Walley again slid the conversion wide of the posts but the current XV couldn’t rescue the match in their last frantic efforts and so the Past emerged the winners on a special day for the club.
The game demonstrated the talent the club has had over the years but more importantly the incredible team spirit which should carry them forward into the next decade.

Past XV: Andrew Roberts, Neil Edwards (Gary James), Mike Esney, Des Williams, Barry Williams, Paul Jones, Andrew Webb, Darel Watkins (Cpt), Edward Williams, Hywel Watkins, Steve Walley, Lee Diane, Chris Rilley (Robert Owens), Andrew Russ, Raymond Millet.

Present XV: Mathew Billo (James Davies), Lee Rowlands (Tony Whittaker), Steve Holloway (Paul Jayseab), Dean Gilasbey, Meredith Pugh (Alan Taylor), Jonathan Jones, Lee Barber, Colin Talcon (cpt) (Richard Evans), Jason Jenkins, Mike James (David Edwards), Roger Thomas (Jonathan Kerr), John Horwood, Simon Jenkins, David Newson, Gwilym Lewis.