When Jenkins’ full house downed Llanelli
When Jenkins’ full house downed Llanelli
As Pontypridd prepare to head into West Wales to play Llanelli on Saturday, it got us feeling nostalgic – the two clubs have had some epic battles over the decades in both league and cup. The match we are going to look back on was almost 25 years ago and we caught up with Neil Jenkins to reminisce about this particular occasion, when he stole the show.
On Saturday 18th April 1998 the sides met at Llanelli’s famous old ground Stradey Park, a place that hadn’t been a particularly successful hunting ground for Ponty over the years. The previous season, on the way to winning the Premiership Title, Ponty only lost two league matches all season – one being away to the men in Scarlet.
But to the day in question, heading into the match Ponty sat in 3rd place in the table – 8 points behind leaders Swansea with a game in hand whilst Llanelli were two places and 7 points behind Ponty in 5th.
The Champions weren’t going to give up their title without a fight and knew only a win would do to realistically keep any slim hopes of catching Swansea at the summit of the table – a statement also acknowledged by Llanelli Chief Executive Stuart Gallagher.
Club Captain Neil Jenkins missed the trip to, and loss at Stradey Park the previous season, so one could say he was making up for lost time. “Stradey Park was always a tough place to go,” said Jenkins. Looking back at that era he said “Llanelli, along with Swansea and Cardiff were our main rivals at that time and they were always important matches.”
“Llanelli were in a bit transitional phase but were always tough to play against particularly at Stradey, and I remember a young Stephen Jones playing at fullback for them on the day.”
Onto the match, Neil recalls “I remember the conditions being dry although it was quite windy, and we played into the wind in the second half.”
“Matches between us and Llanelli were always high-scoring and I felt on the day it was really important to keep the scoreboard ticking over as the match was tight. I’d kick the points, we’d get back down the pitch and we’d build again. I had a pop at a drop-goal which also went over.”
On the day Ponty’s talisman would go on to notch up a haul of twenty-six points which included a try, four penalties, three conversions and one drop-goal for a rare ‘full-house.’ “I can’t remember getting many, if any full-houses for Ponty – you’d have to check the record books,” joked Neil. “I think I got one or two playing for Wales over the years.”
Despite his match-winning contribution and starring role on the day, Jenkins who is as modest as ever said “It was a real team performance that got the win, we played as a real unit that afternoon.”
The match finished three tries apiece but, as on so many occasions during his Pontypridd career it was Jinx’s kicking that made the difference and it sealed a 36-25 win against Llanelli that afternoon.
PONTYPRIDD:
15. Simon Enoch. 14. Gareth Wyatt. 13. Jason Lewis. 12. Dafydd James. 11. Geraint O Lewis. 10. Neil Jenkins © (Mathew McCarthy). 9. Paul John
1. Aled Griffiths. 2.Andrew Lamerton (Jonathan Evans). 3. Mike Griffiths. (Neil Eynon). 4. Greg Prosser (Sean Bundy). 5. Stuart Roy. 6. Geraint P Lewis. 7. Martyn Williams. 8. Dale McIntosh
Tries: Neil Jenkins, Simon Enoch, Geraint P Lewis
Conversions: Neil Jenkins x 3
Penalties: Neil Jenkins x 4
Drop-goal: Neil Jenkins
