The Bridgend Blue Bulls suffered there heaviest ever defeat last Saturday going down 68-18 to a well-drilled and rampant Blackwood Bulldogs team. The reigning Champions were again forced to field a host of new players giving eight players their debuts and they had no answer to the Bulldogs power and pace.

Things were looking bleak early on for Bridgend as Blackwood raced into an early 20-0 lead with tries from Gareth Ware, Grenville Jones, Paul Young and Trevor James with Jeremy Lloyd adding two conversions, but the Blue Bulls hit back brilliantly with scores from Paul Smithson, Lloyd O’Connor and Tevita Manaseitava.

Chris McGrath and Shaun Owen both came close to giving Bridgend the lead but the final say of the half went to

Blackwoods Byron Williams and Lloyd again converted to give his team a 26-18 half time lead.

The Blue Bulls felt confident going into the second half as they had been in this situation against the Bulldogs in both previous encounters and gone on to win the game, but Blackwood were rampant in the second half with tries from Byron Williams (2) Kristian Gay, Trevor James, Lloyd Hamer, Gareth Price and Gareth Ware to run out 68-18 winners.

Despite the heavy loss Bulls teenage duo Rhys Hawkins and Ton Johnson played well beyond there years while forwards Mark Orpin, Idris Hanmer and Lewis Tutt never gave up and tackled till the end.

article by Simon Green
31 May 2008