Rugby Union round-up: Lewis injury sours Scarlets' day of success

A DAY of drama in Wales: while Pontypridd stole the headlines with their surprise defeat of Neath, Swansea took advantage and took over in first place with a 26-6 win over Newbridge, two late tries from Robert Jones and Ian Davies finally sinking the brave visitors.

Llanelli leapfrogged over Neath into second place but their 20-9 win at Pontypool was overshadowed by a neck injury to skipper Emyr Lewis, who was carried off and taken to hospital: Llanelli coach Alan Lewis said that Lewis 'could not feel his fingers'. His team-mates won the match, with tries from Wayne Procter, Andrew Richards and Anthony Copsey, and Lewis was later discharged from hospital after tests and X-rays revealed no serious injury. Cardiff won 17-3 at Aberavon, while winless Cross Keys lost their 11th game of the season 30-0 at Bridgend.

Only two First Division games survived the frost in Scotland: Edinburgh Academicals beat Kelso 23-14, and Stewart's Melville FP steamrollered Watsonians 24-3.

It was a big day for the clubs in the Pilkington Cup third round. Bridgewater & Albion dominated their encounter with Clifton, winning 24-12. Bridgewater's Nick Edmonds kicked three penalties, a conversion and a drop goal; full-back Danny Spenser and wing Darren Marshall scored tries. Havant's 24-13 victory over Cambridge sounds similarly dominant, but in fact the visiting Fenlanders fought hard to hang on. Havant's tries came from Steve Boydell, Jimmy Bates and Ivan Torpey; Thane Gummer kicked three penalties. Henley beat North Walsham 17-3; Gavin Sharp, the left wing, scored their only try early in the second half and stand-off Mike Poulson kicked the rest of his side's points. Coventry eased out Preston Grasshoppers 10-5, with three tries supplying all the points: Mark Douglas and Julian Horrobin touched down for Coventry, Barry Greenwood for Preston. Neither Basingstoke nor Sudbury had ever survived this round of the cup intact, and Sudbury didn't manage it today: Basingstoke won 25-6, with two tries from Simon Denning and one from Paul Goodall, two conversions and two penalties from Richard Rowledge.