Havili Too Hot For The Quins To Handle

CARMARTHEN QUINS 3, BRIDGEND 19
Tongan speedster Aisea Havili saved Bridgend’s blushes as he raced in for a hat-trick of tries to see off the First Division battlers from Carmarthen.
The visitors’ chose to play with the driving wind and rain in the first half, but had little to show for their disjointed efforts as they found the spirited home defence tough to crack.
In fact, it was the Quins who mounted the early pressure and it took a great piece of counter attacking by the Premiership side to give themselves a break.
As referee Colin Sanders played the advantage rule to perfection, so Quins old boy Deiniol Jones galloped out of the Bridgend 22 and set up a move that swept the length of the field and ended with Havili’s opening try midway through the first half.
Along the way Dafydd James, Chris Loader and Gareth Thomas all made telling contributions and the Tongan star had the easiest of jobs in taking the try. Craig Warlow added the conversion.
Rocked by that score, the Quins hit back and were unlucky when Giles Thomas’ 30 metre penalty was held up in the wind and landed on the cross bar.
But while that kick failed to register, Thomas did hit the mark after half an hour to keep the pressure on the visitors.
Warlow was wide with a penalty of his own minutes later and it took some more excellent approach work by the Welsh international midfield duo of James and Thomas to clear the way for Havili’s second try in the same corner.
That gave Bridgend a nine point lead and the Quins should have eaten into that advantage with the wind at their backs in the second half. But Thomas hit a post with a penalty and then pushed another attempt wide.
That was the end for the brave home side, but Havili wasn’t finished yet.
When Huw Harries took a quick tap penalty in his own half the scrum half threw a long pass to the Tongan torpedo and the rest is history.
Having sped by the first line of defence Havili raced 50 metres to his favourite left corner, saluting the crowd en route.
Scorers: Carmarthen Quins: Pen: G Thomas. Bridgend: Tries; A Havili 3;
Cons: C Warlow 2.