Rugby: Seven up for Shorney

RHYS SHORNEY was the toast of Pontypridd last night after running in seven tries as the Sardis Road club hammered the visitors Aberavon 64-28 to strengthen their position as Welsh Premier Division leaders.

The 21-year-old wing, who joined Pontypridd last summer, broke the division's scoring record of six tries, set by Ieuan Evans six years ago, and was joined on the scoresheet by the Wales fly-half Neil Jenkins who contributed 19 points. Llanelli were one try short of Pontypridd's tally of 10 as they won 51-20 at Caerphilly and Ebbw Vale also went over nine times while beating Newport 57-17 with Byron Hayward helping himself to 27 points. Neath later completed a quartet of one-sided results with a 38-9 defeat of Bridgend in which their debutant fly-half, Luke Richards, kicked four penalties and three conversions.

Manchester Sale gave cash-strapped Bedford a taste of the task which awaits them in Allied Dunbar Premiership One as they pulled clear of their guests for a 39-21 victory in which 22-year-old Matt Moore supplied two of their five touchdowns. His fellow wing Tom Beim, playing his first game since dislocating a shoulder on England's summer tour, grabbed another.

In Premiership Two, Bristol gave their supporters plenty of reasons to cheer. Not only were spectators admitted free to the Memorial Ground, but they watched a 55-14 home win over Fylde which featured a hat-trick of tries from Sean Marsden and put Bob Dwyer's men on top of the table. Bristol lead on points difference from Orrell, 32-3 winners at home to Rugby, and promoted Worcester who waltzed to a 48-22 success at Wakefield with Rob Myler going over three times.

Rotherham and Moseley saw off visitors Exeter and Leeds respectively while Waterloo's first outing under their new sobriquet, Drummers, found them strangely out of rhythm, and beaten 21-15 at Coventry.