The North Walians became the first side to beat the Welsh All Blacks this season, but they were trailing 13-7 at the time Collier got injured. The young flanker rose to take a kick-off in the first half and landed awkwardly.
The game was held up for 12 minutes while he was taken off the pitch on a stretcher and taken to hospital. Ed Howley had given them an early lead with a penalty and then lock Matthew Davies and centre Keiran Williams crossed for tries.
But by the break the visitors had worked themselves in a one point lead thanks to tries from centre Tiaan Loots and hooker George Roberts, both of which were converted by Jacob Botica. Time Grey then crossed for a try on the hour, which Botica again improved, and the outside half also added a penalty to stretch the lead to 11 points.
Henri Williams then brought up the bonus point and Botica maintained his goalkicking record with another conversion. Neath hit back with a third try through replacement wing James Roberts five minutes from time.
Llandovery are now the only unbeaten record in the Principality Premiership West Division thanks to a 19-5 win over regional rivals Llanelli at Parc Y Scarlets.
The Church Bank outfit came out on top of a low-scoring game to claim the local bragging rights and Stuart Worrall gave them the perfect start in the 12th minute as he crossed for the game’s opening try. And just three minutes later, it got even better for Llandovery.
Joe Powell crossed for what would prove to be his first of the day and the reliable Jack Maynard added the conversion. Llanelli had struggled to get going before the break and turned around 12-0 down and with it all to do.
In the second period, both sides cancelled each other out and it took until the hour mark before there was a further score. When it came, Powell was the man who once again came up trumps and, with Maynard improving his try for the second time, the game was virtually up for Llanelli.
Powell’s eventful day continued when he was yellow carded late on and that allowed the home side to grab a consolation try through Ryan Davies. Sadly for the hosts, by then it was too little, too late.
Carmarthen Quins got their season up and running with an against the odds win at the Talbot Athletic Ground. After two defeats they triumphed 28-12 to become the first team to beat Aberavon this season.
“It was pour third game in a row away from home and it was nice to see things coming together for us. We were unlucky to lose at Neath, and we were suffering from a lot of injuries when we went to Llanelli for our first game, but we were good value for this win,” said head coach Richard Kelly.
“Dan Jones came in and really controlled the game for us. As a Carmarthen boy, he always loves playing for us and he was terrific.”
The Quins outscored their opponents three tries to two as new Scarlets wing Tom Williams scored against his former club, centre Nic Reynolds crossed and Sion Jones added the third. Dan Jones kicked three penalties and a conversion to make it a comfortable victory in the end for the visitors.
Aberavon scored tries through Shaun Pearce and Stuart Nicholas, but they struggled to cope with Quins’ expansive style over the course of the 80 minutes. Steff Williams kicked a conversion for the home side, but there was no doubting who deserved to win.
Bridgend were made to pay for two yellow cards in the final10 minutes as they slipped to a 22-6 defeat in a tense tussle against Swansea at St Helen’s.
Two penalties from the boot of debutant outside half Cai Evans, the Wales Under 18 international, had given the Ravens a 6-0 lead, but they conceded 17 points without replay in the final quarter-of-an-hour as the home side clawed their way back into the game.
Visiting No 8 Adam O’Driscoll and lock Kieran Martin were sent to the sin-bin in the 70th and 77th minutes and that allowed the All Whites to turn their numerical advantaged into two vital tries from Rhys Williams and replacement centre Joe Jenkins.
Evans’ 13th minute penalty was the only score of the first-half, although the Bridgend outside half and Swansea full back Owen Howe both missed kicks in tricky conditions. Evans, who found himself playing against Under 18 international team mate Callum Carson in the Swansea midfield, kicked his second penalty 10 minutes into the second half.
But that was all the points Bridgend could muster. Wing Andrew Claypole sped over for the first home try seven minutes later and then Howe kicked his side into an 8-6 lead on 65 minutes.
The yellow cards and late tries worked in Swansea’ favour and they were able to celebrate their first win. The Ravens are still waiting for theirs after three successive defeats.
