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Sat 28th April Home

Aberavon Quins 5 Glynneath 36

Glynneath clinched the Division 2 West championship with a well deserved win over the Quins allied to Skewen’s win over second placed Kenfig Hill.
The Quins were rarely off the back foot as the Glynneath pack dominated the line out and were superb in the loose. It was in the scrums that the Quins occasionally had the upper hand but almost all the quality ball was won by the visitors.
The Quins were forced to defend from the outset and it took a half hour before Glynneath broke them down with a tremendous maul resulting in the ball sped across the backs for winger Anthony Lee to score. Out standing forward for Glynneath was flanker James Parry who appeared at almost every breakdown to secure possession No.8 Stuart Leach was a tower of strength and the line out expertise by locks Seymour and Bayliss provided a conveyor belt of good ball. Jack O’Reilly varied his play cleverly at fly half and converted his side’s second try scored by centre Kyle Roberts. Greg Roberts took advantage of rare poor tackling by the Quins and scored for O’Reilly to again convert. Alex Condon at full back and winger Stuart Dighton raised Quins hopes with some exciting runs but Glynneath showed they could defend as well as attack.
Second half tries from Kyle Roberts, Stuart Leach and Ashley Evans and a conversion by O’Reilly completed the Glynneath scoring while hard working Craig Cox grabbed a late consolation try for the Quins.

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Sat April 14th Away

Builth Wells 52 Aberavon Quins 19

Builth Wells proved too fast and skilful for the Quins and ran in eight tries to the Quins three. Bright spot for the Quins was youth xv right-winger Jordan Crealock who showed his paces with two of the Quins tries while Adam Dawe grabbed the other, Matthew Potsuma converted two. The Quins lost their shape largely to referee decisions that lay somewhere between mysterious and incredulous. Awarding tries after knocks on and one when the line was not even crossed. It lead to the Quins being reduced to thirteen men for ten minutes and fourteen for most of the second half due to yellow and red cards being waved for dissent.

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Sat April 7th 2012 Home

Aberavon Quins 20 Felinfoel 16

The Quins were made to dig deeply to register a victory over lowly Felinfoel. The opening quarter was closely fought with the visitors pack gaining the upper hand in the set pieces but the opening score came from the Quins as full back Alex Condon gathered a stray kick deep in his own half and countered cleverly and fed winger Mike Parfitt who run strongly and slipped the ball to No.8 Dan Webb while being hauled down and Webb finished with a touchdown. Marc Sheppard converted. The Condon & Parfitt combination was a constant threat to Felinfoel but the West Walian pack was in rampant mood and spectators were treated to a rare sight of the Quins eight being shunted off the ball on occasion. Stern defence particularly from centres Sheppard and Dean Scully however thwarted the visitors’ backs.
Jordan Dunne cut the lead with a penalty goal but Sheppard made it 10-3 at half time with a penalty of his own.
Early in the second half the Felinfoel pack continued to cause problems for the Quins and there was great efforts in the loose from Craig Cox Adam Dawe and Lloyd Hayden.
An interception by lock Liam Puckett on his own ten-metre line gave him a thirty-metre gallop and scrum half Matthew Morgan was on hand to sprint in from a distance to score at the corner. Sheppard brought applause with a spectacular conversion.
Indiscipline cost the Quins a few penalties and from a close line out the Felinfoel pack mauled well for flanker Stuart Taylor to score an unconverted try. Dunne made it 17-11 with his second penalty but the educated boot of Sheppard added a Quins penalty.
A carbon copy of the first Felinfoel try saw replacement back row man Curtis Morris driven over the line for a try that went unconverted.  The Quins pack stuck to the task and battled hard in the closing minutes to grind out a win that kept them in fourth place in the league.

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Saturday 31st March 2012 Away

Crymych 30 Aberavon Quins 10

Crymych deserved their victory although the score might have flattered them. The Quins had their first taste of the infamous sloping pitch as the home pack with former Wales prop John Davies well to the fore, rolled downhill in the opening minutes. Davies’ tussle with Quins skipper Lloyd Hayden was a feature of the game.
Scrum half Rhys Davies opened the Crymych account with a penalty goal and soon added a second. The Quins settled in and clever play by Matt Potsuma should have produced a score. The Quins set pieces went well and a line out on the home 22 featured a clean take and give by Dale Bowen gave No. 8 Dean Scully the chance to power over from 20mtrs to score. Youth fly half Ryan Pugh converted to ease the Quins in front. Davies soon regained the lead with his third goal. The Quins kicking game was poor and Crymych countered with occasional bursts of handling but mainly through superior kicking. A good period of attacks gave the home side a boost and lock Cennydd James scored a deserved try, converted by Davies.  The second half gave the Quins the use of the slope and Pugh narrowed the gap with a penalty. The Quins pack were gaining the ascendancy and Crymych defended well and it was almost injury time when Gavin Thomas intercepted a Quins pass on his own line and scampered the length of the field to score, Davies converted from the touchline to secure victory and poor ball retention from the kick off gave Nick Bevan a gift try also converted by Davies.

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Saturday 24th March 2012 Home

Aberavon Quins 41 Maesteg 8

Under a hot sun with a stiff breeze at their backs the Quins were quickly on their way    to a very comfortable bonus point win. The Quins pack were soon into their stride in the opening minutes and a memorable maul slammed up field and as the Maesteg pack fell away impressive hooker Ryan Curtis galloped 40 metres along the touchline to score. Sheppard converted. Sheppard made a clever break but when the move ended in a scrum, Curtis took a strike against the head and Webb and Flynn worked the blind side for Colarusso to touch down.
Maesteg tried a little adventure in running out of defence but failed in the face of aggressive defence and Alex Condon latched onto the loose ball and galloped in from half way. The bonus point fourth try soon followed as Curtis again claimed a steal against the head and fly half Potsuma slipped Sheppard through a gap for a try which he converted.
Starting the second half 26-0 up the play became a little scrappy and Maesteg got on the scoreboard through a Cory Butler penalty. Replacement centre Gareth Pugh soon got into the swing of things and his combination with Marc Sheppard set up a second try for Curtis. Pugh then won a foot race to score from a Sheppard kick ahead. Maesteg then gained a little momentum as the Quins discipline fell away and Rhys David crashed over from a maul. Steve Colarusso, Stuart Dighton put in some devastating runs that should have made scores. Craig Cox also shone throughout, as did Dan Webb. It was the Quins that concluded the scoring when a great run by Colarusso saw Pugh cross for his second try. The Red Dragon Hotel sponsors made Ryan Curtis the man of the match.

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Saturday 3rd March Home

Aberavon Harlequins 38 Aberystwyth 18

The Quins gained a valuable bonus point win to close the gap behind third placed Cwmllynfell with a match in hand.
Included in the Quins line-up was lock forward Nathan Ace who contributed much in attack and defence with a storming display. Jason Rees opened the scoring by putting the visitors ahead with a penalty goal. The Quins hit back in bizarre fashion when the referee missed what appeared to be a blatant knock on allowing Neil Gadd a touch down. Minutes later a spectacular run from deep by left wing Stuart Dighton with support from right winger Steve Colarusso who almost scored but quick recycling and a long pass from Matt Potsuma put Dighton in for a try converted by Marc Sheppard.
Adventurous play from the Quins backs came to an abrupt end when hooker Gareth Flynn’s interception set up an attack, which he ended by diving over for an Aber try. An injury to Alex Condon forced James Peploe-Williams from scrum half to full back and replacement Nathan Flynn to number nine. Flynn was immediately in action and good support play from Colarusso, Dighton and Ace put Peploe-Williams in for a try converted by Sheppard. Just before the break Rees narrowed the gap with his second penalty.
The Quins pack were gradually getting on top with eye catching performances from back row men Craig Cox, Dean Scully and Adam Dawe. Aberystwyth were not going to fold over and a piece of magic from scrum half Beynon-Thomas brought him a try.
Fresh legs provided in the pack by Dan Morgan, Dan Phillips and particularly Ryan Curtis turned the game considerably in the Quins direction. Two great runs from Curtis preceded him diving over for a try converted by Sheppard. He quickly followed with a second by laying out would-be tacklers. The sixth try came from a maul started on half way and almost reached the try line before fly half Potsuma dived under the bar for Sheppard to convert. Adam Dawe was nominated sponsors’ player of the match.

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Saturday 18th Feb 2012

Maesteg 7 Aberavon Quins 21
Hard work by the Maesteg committee ensured that the game was played albeit in heavy conditions. The Old Parish  started well and the Quins were reduced to defending in the opening quarter with stand out tackles from centres Neil Gadd and Marc Sheppard. During a rare excursion into home territory Sheppard smacked over a penalty and soon added another to put the Quins ahead against the run of play. The Quins pack decided to front up against the home eight when it looked to most that victory laid out wide. Right winger Stuart Dighton showed his valued attacking ability by running from deep to set up a maul close to the home line and No.8 Dan Webb crashed over allowing Sheppard to convert.
Facing the wind in the second half the Quins were expecting a stiff test which did not materialise. Winger Steve Colarusso who’s first half contribution was mainly defensive sprinted well to gather a Matt Potsuma kick to outstrip the Maesteg defence for a spectacular try.  Another penalty from Sheppard stretched the lead and passed his personal 100pts mark and the Quins pack dominated the closing stages until a yellow card gave the home side an advantage allowing a close quarters maul led to a try by Edwards  converted by Cory Butler.

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Saturday 21st Jan 2012 (Away)

Aberavon Quins 15 Kidwelly 8
Despite not taking advantage of the strong wind at their backs during the first half the Quins completed a double over Kidwelly.
Kidwelly were in control of the first half and despite the occasional forays by centre Gareth Pugh and wingers Stu Dighton and Steve Colarusso. The visitors’ pack dominated possession and the Quins were forced to defend for long periods. At half time a solitary penalty goal from Matthew Potsuma seemed not enough to defend.
The Quins remarkably raised their game against the wind and forwards Liam Puckett, Dan Webb & Craig Cox took the game to the opposition, Centre Gareth Pugh, who was a major contributor to the first half defensive effort came into his own as an attacker and his combination with Dighton set up a spectacular try for Dan Webb. Potsuma converted. The strong Quins bench of Dan Morgan, James Davies and Dean Scully proved too much for Kidwelly and another replacement scrum half James Peploe-Williams, put in a top class performance.
Some good work by Liam Puckett set up an attack carried on by Scully and a great burst from Pugh saw No.8 Dan Webb beat off two would-be tacklers to score between the posts giving Potsuma the easiest of conversions.
Both Quins wingers combined well and Dighton gave Steve Colarusso a chance that he took in style.
With another score looming for the Quins Kidwelly broke from defence for Matthew Davies to score a memorable try and although he did not convert it the excellent Kidwelly fly half Leighton Walters goaled a penalty to gain a losing bonus point.

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17th DEC 2011 (Away)

Skewen 13 Aberavon Quins 9
|Skewen ran out winners against the Quins at Tennant Park for the second week running. The early conditions favoured the home side that had the strong wind and driving rain at their backs. The Quins however defended strongly and it was almost a half hour before full back Weightman eased his side in front with a straight penalty goal. From the restart the Quins applied some rare pressure and Marc Sheppard levelled the scores with a penalty. Towards the end of the half influential Quins flanker was yellow carded and while fellow flanker Chris Jones was receiving treatment Weightman added his second penalty and crossed for a try, which he converted.
Unfortunately for the Quins the wind dropped in the second half and although Sheppard narrowed the gap with two more penalties Skewen defended stubbornly.
Great pressure by the Quins pack forced their way over the line but the ref ruled against Adam Dawes claim for a try. Several penalties close to the line followed in the closing minutes but surprisingly there was no yellow card shown. The losing bonus point for the Quins raised them to third place in Division two (West) 

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10th Nov 2011 (Away)

Skewen 27 Aberavon Quins 8
Skewen easily put paid to the Quins aspirations in the WRU Plate competition scoring three tries to one at Tennant Park.
The Quins started a little shakily and were forced to concede an early penalty goal to fly half Richard Davies.
No. 8 Dan Webb broke from a scrum to set up a Quins attack with support from scrum half Matt Morgan winger Steve Colarusso was held just short. From the resulting line out strong mauling saw the visitors take the lead through a Darren Gibbs try. Davies put Skewen ahead with his second penalty but Matt Potsuma replied in kind for the Quins to make it 8-6 at half time. An injury to influential lock Gibbs hampered the Quins effort and although the home side were twice reduced to fourteen men the Quins failed to take advantage.
The Skewen back row steadily took control and the Quins were forced to defend stubbornly. Wave after wave of home attacks finally opened the Quins defence and fly half Davies crossed beneath the bar for a try that he converted. In the closing minutes scrum half Jamie Kirkhouse and replacement Chris Grimes crossed for tries converted by Richards. The Quins will be hoping for better things on Saturday when the teams meet again at Skewen in a league match.

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26th Nov 2011 (Home)

Aberavon Quins 29 Cwmllynfell 14

The Quins swept away the challenge of Cwmllynfell in fine style in a game, which saw both sides endeavouring to play open and expansive rugby. Outstanding Quins flanker Chris Jones was given the task of keeping Cwm’s influential No.8 Jim Morgan under wraps and he did just that. A great tackle by Jones forced a penalty out of Morgan and the following line out saw Dan Webb securing possession, a front peel executed by Craig Cox split the defence and it was Jones who grounded for a spectacular try. Matty Potsuma’s conversion made a mockery of the tricky conditions.
Full back Mike Parfitt then gave supporters a reminder of what they have missed through his long lay off due to injury as he followed his kick ahead to charge down a would be clearance kick to score. Potsuma again smacked over the conversion. If things looked too easy for the Quins they were given a sharp reminder of why Cwmllynfell are two places above them in the league when some powerful forward play allied to some over ambitious play in the Quins defence allowed Alex Wilkins to cross at the corner. Craig Jones stunned the crowd by converting into the teeth of the wind. Alex Condon enjoyed his first start at fly half for the Quins and always seemed in control with some astute kicking which found eager chasers on both wings Stuart Dighton and Steve Colarusso who both made significant contributions. Gritty scrum half Nathan Flynn always looked to vary his play with the occasional dart from the base of the scrum and combined well with No.8 Webb.  It was Chris Jones’ hounding of Morgan that gave a penalty chance for Potsuma and he duly obliged to stretch the home lead. Mostly under the cosh the Cwm pack gained temporary ascendancy and some really smart three-quarter play enabled Wilkins to cross for his second try at the corner flag. Jones again converted magnificently. Just on half time Parfitt and Condon combined well to set up an attack which ended with hooker James Davies scoring wide out and Potsuma again struck the conversion.
Facing the wind in the second half the ten-point lead did not seem enough for the Quins but a spectacular aggressive defence forced a catalogue of errors from the visitors. The forward effort with the three Dans, Webb, Morgan & Phillips shirking nothing gradually ground down the will of the visitors. Flankers Craig Cox and Chris Jones were immense with Liam Puckett and Webb dominating the possession from the line out Cwmllynfell were denied the quality possession needed to engineer a victory. Conditions got worse but the endeavour of both sides to play open rugby never waned. Time was running out as the Quins pressed for the bonus point try. Great harrying play from Colarusso caused panic in the visitor’s defence and a five metre scrum controlled by Cox gave replacement scrum half Matthew Morgan a chance to dive over at the corner flag for the bonus point try.

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19th Nov 2011 (Home)

Aberavon Quins 34 Builth Wells 29

Aberavon Quins ran out winners in a nail-biting encounter over The Bulls to lift them to fifth place in Div 2 West.
Early pressure came from the visitors and the Quins defence was stretched but held firm. The Quins scrum also came under early pressure and the Builth forwards swarmed to the attack and the impressive No.8, Ben Duggan crashed over. John Thurston converted for a deserved lead. The Quins looked a little jaded and it was the reliable boot of Marc Sheppard that kept his side in touch with two long-range penalty goals. Attacks from the Quins were sporadic but the home side raised a cheer when a break by scrum half Nathan Flynn almost created a try for winger Jamie Lean and left-winger Stuart Dighton always looked a dangerous runner. Thurston was also in fine kicking form and stretched the lead with a penalty but Sheppard gave the Quins a 12-10 lead at half time with two more penalties.
The game was played at high tempo and the pace never slackened in the second half. Many Bulls attacks foundered on the hard defending Quins three-quarters but it was the visiting eight that set up a wave of attacks which finally resulted in giant prop Jim Healy crashing over for a close range try converted by Thurston who soon added a penalty to make it 20-12 to the visitors. The Quins then stepped up their efforts and abandoned the persistent kicking of the first half in favour of a running game. The scrum was more settled and line out expert Liam Pucket revelled in James Davies’ accurate throwing to dominate line out possession and also managed to snaffle some of the Builth throws. Gareth Pugh continually probed the Builth defence and great forward support from Craig Cox, Dan Phillips and Dan Webb gained a foothold in the opposing 22 and Flynn nipped over for a smart blind side try Sheppard goaled from the touchline.
Quins appeared to be gaining the upper hand and when hooker James Davies gathered a kick ahead and dashed over for a try they took the lead. Thurston hit back with another penalty goal and the Quins were subjected to enormous try line pressure from the visiting eight, which were camped on the line for many minutes but the Quins defence bordered on the heroic.  Builth’s fate was sealed when Stuart Dighton broke out of defence and full back Alex Condon crowned an impressive display by scoring a try, which Sheppard converted. Two more penalties were to come from Thurston but Sheppard ensured  a first ever Quins victory over Builth with his fifth goal. Sponsors, Tetrosyl’s  man of the match was Marc Sheppard

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12th Nov 2011 Away

Felinfoel 14     Aberavon Harlequins 30

Felinfoel’s inability to field a front row resulted in uncontested scrums, which negated a major weapon in the Quins armoury. The powers that be must come up with a more acceptable solution to the problem, which sidelines a major part of the game.
Both sides threw the ball about in the opening quarter and it was the home side that took advantage of some sloppy Quins handling along the three-quarter line allowing Jordan Simmonite to hack on and outstrip the defence to score. Rhys Williams converted.
The game then developed a rough edge that eventually erupted into open violence resulting in yellow cards been waved. Players failed to heed the lesson and as more open violence occurred the inevitable red cards were displayed.
This cooled tempers and rugby took over again and early in the second half a great run from flanker Chris Jones supported by Stuart Dighton took play to the brink of the home line and quick recycling saw the ball swept across the back line for Alex Condon to give a scoring pass to Neil Gadd. Marc Sheppard converted to level the scores.
Felinfoel hit back when a rare slip up in the strong Quins defence following a lost line out saw fly half Jordan Dunne waltz through to score a try converted by Williams.  
Some terrific defence from centres Sheppard and Gareth Pugh took its toll on the home back line and weakened their resolve. Stuart Dighton then showed his paces by rounding off a good move with a corner try. Sheppard missed the conversion but took the lead with a penalty 
 The Quins pack also started to increase their efforts and Dan Webb, James Davies and the outstanding Craig Cox took play continually forward. Replacement scrum half Matthew Morgan put in a cameo performance and worked the blind side with Cox for Sheppard to score a try. Sheppard then added his second penalty and it was Dan Phillips then scored the all important bonus point try after a spectacular move out flanked the tired home defence. The normally right-footed Sheppard converted cheekily with his left foot from a wide angle.  

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5th Nov 2011 Home

Aberavon Quins 24 Bryncoch 3

The Quins proved too strong for Division Three Bryncoch although over elaboration cost them several second half scoring chances. The visiting eight were overwhelmed in the scrums and the three-quarter line had a pace look about it with the experienced Liam Gadd adding some classy touches. No.8 Craig Cox was in aggressive mode and he combined well with scrum half Matthew Morgan to set up early attacks. It was a blistering run by Morgan that unleashed Colarusso on the wing and although held up the ball was quickly recycled and new signing Stuart Daighton crossed at the corner. Aggressive defending from Marc Sheppard and Marcus Francis produced a kick and chase try for Potsuma which Sheppard converted, Craig Thomas banged over a penalty for Bryncoch’s only score before Colarusso rounded off another Morgan break with a spectacular score.  Quins lost their way during the second half and could only add a further very spectacular try from Potsuma after good work from Gadd converted by Sheppard. Although the Quins were reduced to thirteen men during a card waving final ten minutes the defence stood firm ensuring a place in the draw for the next round.
The Quins development squad gained two recent victories with tries by Jamie Lean & Richard Diaz converted by Kristian Roberts beating Taibach 14-10 and a very satisfying victory at Tondu by 30 pts to 29 with tries from Jon Bamsey (2) & Callum Handford who also landed 2 penalties. Kristian Roberts also added 3 penalties

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29th Oct 2011 Home

Aberavon Quins 26 Crymych 6

The Quins were made to struggle far more than the score suggests securing bonus points try deep into injury time. Things started well for the home side with powerful scrummaging and some probing runs from scrum half Nathan Flynn and flanker Chris Jones. Winger Jamie Lean was held at the corner flag but the ball was recycled across the three quarter line and centre Gareth Pugh slipped through for an unconverted try.
Crymych showed a lot of heart and some good line out work from Andrew Phillips and Cennydd James provided a lot of ball but the Quins midfield defence was rock like and Pugh & Marc Sheppard repeatedly snuffed out any danger. A good run by busy flanker Tomos Jones almost brought Crymych a score but the Quins defence stood firm.  Full Back Neil Gadd was safe under the high ball despite the tricky conditions and also contributed much to the defence with some vital tackle. The experiment of playing winger Adam Dawe in the back row was a great success and together with Jones and Craig Cox played a big part in the victory, whether in attacking or defensive mode.
The Quins stretched the lead with another sweeping three-quarter movement and prop Dan Morgan provided the link to allow Steve Colarusso to sprint over for e try converted by Sheppard.
 Two penalties from Dyfed Dafydd made it 12-6 at the break.
The second half produced a lot of indiscipline from the Quins and they were continually penalised letting Crymych into the game. The Pembrokeshire pack produced some strong mauling which had the Quins back pedalling on several occasions. The Quins continued to monopolise the set scrums but failed to release their dangerous backs often enough but when they did it was Colarusso who rounded off an attacking wave for his second try which Sheppard converted. 
As time was running out the Quins were awarded a succession of penalties and chose the scrum, which inched nearer the line until inevitably Dawe grounded a push over try for the precious bonus point. The Sponsors, Friction Services Bristol nominated Craig Cox as ‘Man Of The Match’   

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15th Oct 2011 Away

Aberystwyth 8 Aberavon Quins 15

A lengthy injury list forced the Quins to deploy two permit players that played a major part in the victory over Aberystwyth.
Hooker Ryan Curtis made an immediate impact from an attacking line out by bursting over from a Liam Puckett take.  The Quins were forced to defend grimly in the face of some smart Aber attacks and Jason Rees narrowed the gap with a penalty goal. Marc Sheppard hit back in like fashion for the Quins. Centre Gareth Pugh put in some probing runs and also some trademark tackles to pressurise the home side but the score remained 8-3 at half time.
No. 8, Dave Pearson caught the eye for the Quins and worked ceaselessly in attack and defence.
A good scrummage allowed scrum half Kyle Jenkins to exploit a huge blind side and Sheppard came up at pace to out flank the defence and Jenkins took an inside pass to score a spectacular try which Sheppard converted.
Aber refused to lie down and a tough struggle ensued. Injuries to Lloyd Hayden, Chris Jones and Jenkins allied to some card waving by the ref resulted in the Quins being reduced to thirteen players for a time and Aaron Lewis grabbed a try for the home side after an intense period of pressure.  Further injuries in the front row led to the game being played out with the unpopular passive scrums and the Quins did well to deny any more home scoring. 

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