5th Annual Golden Bola Awards (2008)

The 5th Annual Golden Bola awards night was held at the Cambrian in Seaside on June 7th 2008. A long day - the Warriors played Cambrian 1st (review here), Wales played South Africa (review here) and finally the awards were held. Unfortunatley quite a few players were unable to attend (special mention for John Horwood who travelled up from the Isle of White) but those who did (the hardcore) made up for the others.

Anyway the winners....

1st up Lewis Jones presented Captain Tony Whittaker with the Dai Spriggs Memorial Shield which the team claimed with their win over the Swansea Gladiators.

There was then a medal for all players who had made 3 or more apperances for the team during the season (and of course linesman Lewis Jones whose help and experience is always much appreciated).

Joshua

Darren

Colin

so to the individual awards: 1st up, the greedy bastards award, better known as top points scorer: Jonathan Kerr re claimed the title he had previously won in 2005/06 with a total of 54 points made up of 8 tries and 7 conversions.

Sportsman of the Year was next: for attitude and conduct on and off the field: This season it went to new boy Darren 'Petticoat' Pollitt.

The next award was for Most Improved Player and went to another debutant; Joshua Crowther.

So it was on to the big awards, firstly - Players' Player of the Year. All players who had played 3 or more matches were invited to vote. It was a very open field with over 11 players nominated but the winner was....

Richard 'Hapus' Evans (and to be fair he looks happy, in this photo)

And so finally to the Golden Bola award for Player of the Year 2007/08. As this was the Warriors most successful season there were plenty of candidates but fittingly it went to the only player who had played in all 12 matches:

Jonathan 'Killer' Kerr

Jumpin' John Horwood finally arrives from the Isle of White to claim his medal!

Finally - as a mark of appreciation to the Cmbrian for hosting the Warriors for another season, a bouquet of flowers was presented to Landlady Val by Lewi, what more could a girl wish for ??

Lewis gives his lips a quick wipe - the old smoothie

NO TOUNGES LEWI!!!

after that it was just left to an ever decreasing number of drinkers to celebrate the night with a move along the traditional Warriors pub crawl - along station road and into town.

Huw trying to join the netball team

Guiness time

how low can you go

The brains behind the Warriors !!??!

taxi for Parker

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Facts N Figures Llanelli Warriors 2007/08

Playing record 2007-2008: Played 12, Won 11, Drawn 0, Lost 1.
2007/08 Select XV (H) W 27-25 Dai Spriggs Memorial
Tumble (A) W 24-20
Swansea Gladiators (H) W 19-5 D Spriggs Shield
New Dock Stars (A) W 46-44
New Dock Stars (A) W 45-41 D Spriggs Cup
Betws (A) W 19-5 140th match
Cefneithin (A) W 37-17
Swansea Uni Freshers (A) L 20-24 longest unbeaten run
Duke of Wellington (H) W 31-24
Tumble (A) W 34-32
Carmarthenshire CC (H) W29-25
Cambrian (H) W 34-22

Nominations for Golden Bola awards night 7.7.08:
Top Points scorer: Tony Whittaker, Jon Kerr, Simon Jenkins.
Most Improved Player: Joshua Crowther, Jason Bennett, Darren Pollitt, Richard Evans, Tony Whittaker.
Sportsman: John Horwood, Colin Talcon, Jason Jenkins, Chris Spriigs, Darren Pollitt.
Players' Player: Jon Kerr, Simon Jenkins, Richard Evans.
Player of the Year: Tony Whittaker, Richard Evans, Jonathan Kerr, Jonathan Jones, Alun Stephens.

Appearances:
12: Jon Kerr; 6 at lock, 5 as 6 and one on the wing
11: Tony Whittaker (cpt); 5 at 15, 2 each 6, wing and lock
Jason Jenkins all at hooker
Richard Evans; 7 as prop, 4 on wing
Darren Pollitt; 2 at prop, 2 at lock, rest on the wing
10: John Horwood; all lock, Alun Stephens; 8 at centre, 1 on wing, 1 at prop
Gwilym Lewis; 6 at 7, 2 and 9, one each at 8 & 10
9: Dean Gilasbey mainly 9, Simon Jenkins, 8 except once 7
8: Jason Bennett; 2 at 8, 6 as prop , Jonathan Jones; all 10 except once as 15
Chris Spriggs; 1 as 6, 1 as 8, rest as 7, Joshua Crowther; wing
6: Colin Talcon; prop
5: James Howells; wing except once prop
Lee Rowlands; centre twice, 15 twice and prop, David Carpenter; wing
4: Andrew John; 10.10.c.c.
Roger Thomas; lock
Mathew Jones; full back
Neil Parker; c.c.c.15.
Liam Carpenter; wing
Lee Barber; 9.6.9
3: Alan Taylor ; 4.p.15
Stuart Taylor; 4.10.c
Meredith Pugh; p.p.w.
David Edwards; prop
James Dew p.p.2.
2: Martin Smith; c.p.
Nathan David; prop
Chris Bonar; prop
Jonathan Bonar; 8.6.
1: James Davies (c), Dean Roberts (10), Mike James (6), Harvey (15), Chris Morris (c), Derrick Lewis (p), Andy Greene (p), Nigel Mills (15), Anthony Bonar (7), Tom Corcoran (15), Gareth Corcoran (c), Scott (9), Chris (9), Keith Harris, Justin Hughes, Lee Williams, Pontins (p), Mike Esney (6), David Newson (8), Richard Pegler (w), Wayne Rodger (c), Gareth Davies (4), Robert Roberts (15) Andrew Thomas (c) and Kerrie Thomas (4)

Scorers:
Jonathan Kerr: 8 tries & 7 conversions: 54 points
Tony Whittaker: 4 tries, 1 penalty & 5 conversions: 33 points
Simon Jenkins: 4 tries & 8 conversions: 36 points
Alan Stephens & Lee Barber: 5 tries: 25 points
Darren Pollitt: 4 tries: 20 points
3 tries: 15 points; Andrew John, Jason Benett,
2 tries: 10 points; Chris Bonar, Jonathan Jones, Dean Gilasbey, Gwilym Lewis, Dean Roberts
1 try: 5 points; Neil Parker, James Dew, Mathew Jones, Lee Rowlands, David Edwards, Chris Spriggs, John Horwood, Alan Taylor, James Howells, Martin Smith, Richard Evans, Liam Carpenter.
1 conversion: 2 points: Joshua Crowther

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Non Match report: Swansea Uni away

Either the most unstructured of games or the best ever training session, this one couldn't go down as an official game (sori Bloc) but was well worth a match report.
An epic tale, it started off with the Warriors convoy crossing the Louchor bridge and winding its way through Dunvant and Killay to Fairwood where.....nothing!
After a fair(wood) bit of waiting and some telephone problems, finally got hold of Pieface from the Uni - the game had been cancelled but he had told 'the other Gwilym' in his phonebook.
Never mind they were having a training session at Sketty if we fancied mucking in so on the convoy went, and if that wasn't enough treking about Simon led the boys on 'a tour of facilities' (ie they got lost).

After this pleasant stroll the students turned up - all 5 of them, so with Gwilym (duel qualified) Killer, Bloc, Colin, Rich Hapus and Meredith defecting a game of sorts (CriSp reffed) was sorted.
it was full of incidents which included; CriSp the ref tackling Jack, Juice brushing off Gwilym, Simon Tarw 'lomu'ing late comer Hoover, Bloc flying about on the wing like a young Ieuan Evans (and scoring 2 tries), Duw Duw munching Gwilym any time he went near a ruck, James Tew sporting a selection of erotic rugby wear and using every inch (and a few extra) of the field to score a try, Killer & Tarw having several lovers tiffs and pwdis, Darren Petticoat skinning Tarw, Jack ripping his trousers, Simon thinking you have to hit the post to score a conversion and Moleys 'worse than CriSps' reffing. All rounded off by dumping birthday boy Tony in the mud and 'accidently' bloodying his nose - quite what Roy the Spy from the Market team made of it all one can only imagine. The final score was (probaly) 51 all with Killer, Conan and Bloc top scorers for the Uni whilst Simon got most of the Warriors points.
Over at the pub (on the pond) Bloc kept us entertained with his best chat up lines whilst Al warmed ice cubes for the lime tray in the crack of Bloc cheeks.
Finally it was home time and the Warriors trekked off into the sunset ready for the fixture for real later in the season...

Warriors: Big Al, Deano, Juice, Simon Tarw, Jumpin' John, Roger Birthdays, Dai Posh, James Duw Duw, Andrew John, James tew (Meredith), Tony Wheredyatakeher, Lee Mole (CriSp) Jason 2 Guns

Swansea University: Jack, Tom, Hoover, Pieface, Chabal, Conan, Gwilym Lulu, Meredith (James Tew), Bloc, Rich Hapus, Killer, Darren Petticoat, Colin Campese

Al turns his back on the Warriors

As a member of both teams Gwil had twice as many friends

Colin Campese and his evil smile

Huw Bywd

James 'Tew' Howells

Roger Murphy & Petticoat - Morfa South Central XV

James trying to cool his hot pint

Jason 2 Guns tries to pass as a student

Lee 'Mole' Rowlands: worse ref than Chris Spriggs

One of these men caused the cock up

James tries to work out if Al & Bloc look like testicles or tits

New Kids on the block had really let themselves go

Dai Newson - You had to be fit in my day!

Rich Hapus almost smiling (wind)

Have I got mud on my tongue

Rich Hapus recovered from wind and back to happy self

Sophisticated mature rugby player seeks...

Cuddly mature centre would like to meet...

Something has come between Killer and Tarw

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