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Pooler back in hunt for Championship title

Pooler back in hunt for Championship title

Pontypool may have gone out of the WRU National Cup at the quarter-final stage, but they are still on course for one major piece of silverware this season in the WRU National Championship.

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With five games left to play the Gwent club are 16 points clear at the top and a mere nine points away from securing the title. They will be seeking an 18th successive league win this weekend when they host sixth placed Newcastle Emlyn.

Only two games were able to be played last weekend, with Beddau and Glamorgan Wanderers coming up with wins. Beddau moved to within a point of second place with a 30-16 home win over Skewen.

After falling behind to an early penalty, Beddau took the lead through an excellent finish from scrum-half Dai Francis, which put them 7-3 in front. The lead was extended through a pair of penalties from Hywel Chatham, before an excellent team try, finished by Matthew Howells, gave them a healthy 20-3 interval lead.

Jordan Goodwin added a third home try after the break, although Skewen bravely battled back to 25-9 after two penalties. But then a second try for Francis secured an excellent bonus point triumph for Beddau, who head to Newbridge this weekend.

In the only other game to go ahead, the Wanderers picked up their fifth win of the league season as they thrashed a disappointing Glynneath 45-3. The home side ran in seven tries to overtake Cardiff Met and move into ninth.

Despite only gaining two try bonus-points so far this season, the Wanderers had this one sewn up at half-time after running in four tries in the opening period, leading 26-3 at the break. There was no respite for the struggling visitors in the second half either, with Wanderers running in a further three.

There were two apiece for Matt Arnold, Jake Conway and James Loxton, while Oli Smyth bagged the final try and Luke Fish chipped in with five conversions. The Wanderers travel to bottom of the table Dunvant this weekend.

WRU National Championship – 11 March
Dunvant v Glamorgan Wanderers
Glynneath v Narberth
Newbridge v Beddau
Pontypool v Newcastle Emlyn
Skewen v Bedlinog
Tata Steel v Cardiff Met
 

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