“A STEP BACK IN TIME”
(By Percy Jones)
SEASON 1956/57
John Evans and Gwyn Davies were retained by the Quins as Captain and Vice-captain for the 56/57 season following their success the previous season when the Quins won the West Wales Rugby Union Cup and came very close to the double by nearly winning the league title as well.
Their league results for the 1956/57 season were not as impressive as the previous season with 24 games won from 36 played; 8 games were lost and 4 drawn. They failed to repeat the same success in the WWRU cup competition when they beat Tumble 6-3 in the first round but lost in the second round 8-3 to Gowerton.
Saturday 29th December 1956 at Carmarthen Park
Carmarthen R.F.C. 6 pts; Skewen, nil
(Bykind permission of the Carmarthen Journal)
One of the hardest and most exciting games for many seasons was that witnessed at Carmarthen Park on Saturday December 29th when Carmarthen defeated Skewen by two tries to nil in a West Wales Rugby Union League game. Both packs were evenly matched, though towards the end Carmarthen began to wear down their opponents. The man of the match was undoubtedly the Skewen full-back Noel Bater, whose defensive play was a treat. He fielded a greasy ball with unerring accuracy and did not put a foot wrong. His opposite number, J. L. Jones certainly had his kicking boots on but was not so sure of himself under pressure. Gwyn Davies (inside-half) was his usual self but had some difficulty in holding the visiting scrum-half, Frank Williams. At left-centre, Glan Tucker would persist in holding on to the ball. He must learn to give it out instead of “dying” with the ball. Both outside-halves, Terry Evans (Carmarthen) and Des Baker (Skewen) had a rough time with the wing-forwards who were always up with the ball, though Baker was always a live wire and a danger to Carmarthen.
Wing-forward Brynmor Jones was Carmarthen’s outstanding player. None of the four wing-threequarters saw much of the ball and even when they did they had very little room in which to move. Carmarthen got the better of the set scrummages with Brian Francis hooking very well. In the loose and lines-out Skewen were on top but towards the end the Carmarthen pack took complete command.
The first quarter of an hour’s play was a grim forward struggle, with neither side gaining much ground and very few threequarter movements. Skewen went into action and pressed hard but were penalised and Gwyn Davies found touch with an excellent 40 yards kick. Carmarthen got the ball back from the line-out and moved up to the visitor’s line, but from a scrummage Gwyn Davies failed to find Terry Evans and Skewen broke through. It was only a fine piece of work by Brynmor Jones which checked the rush. Five minutes before half-time Carmarthen got the ball from a line-out two yards from the Skewen line and Brian Francis went over the line to give the home side a three point lead.
Carmarthen took command in the second half and pressed very strongly. The Skewen forwards appeared to wilt under the constant pressure and their line would have been crossed were it not for the superb defensive play by Noel Bater. Minutes from time Gwyn Davies went over to score after a melee on the Skewen line. J. L. Jones failed for the second time with his conversion attempt.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Carmarthen RFC also had a good Christmastide. They started off with a win against Burry Port on Saturday December 22nd 1956 and on Boxing Day beat Brynamman following this up with an excellent league win against one of their “bogey” teams Skewen last Saturday. The Christmas Day fixture with Llandybie had to be cancelled because of adverse conditions. On Saturday last the forwards played better than ever and it was their consistency that enabled Carmarthen to win. The return of the club’s captain John Evans as leader of the pack also played a big part in the excellent displays by the forwards. If they play as well as they did last Saturday the team need have little to fear of not beating Gowerton tomorrow at Gowerton and entering the third round of the West Wales Rugby Union competition. The club will not make any changes from the side that beat Skewen which is:-
J. L. Jones; Russell Davies; B. Jennins; G. Tucker; Len Thomas; Terry Evans; Gwyn Davies; John Evans (Captain); Brian Francis; I. Jenkins; Joe Davies; K. Jenkins; R. H. Davies; Alec Richards and Brynmor Jones