RUGBY UNION: Pontypridd fail to cash in bonus

Pontypridd 44 Neath 7

THE BONUS POINTS system used in Welsh rugby has been heavily criticised down the years but it certainly keeps teams playing right to the final whistle. There was little or nothing for Neath to claim out of this game when they found themselves trailing by 44 points, yet they were still able to salvage some satisfaction by denying the home side a second bonus point with a try seven minutes from time.

That try by the replacement prop Mike Morgan, allied to the one scored by the Llanelli No 8 Chris Wyatt in the third minute of injury-time at Aberavon to clinch a full-house for the Scarlets, could be the difference between winning and losing the title at the end of the season.

Not that Llanelli's three-point advantage at the top of the table is enough to make them feel totally secure at this stage of the campaign. All that could be wiped out when they host Pontypridd at Stradey Park on Saturday.

Even then there will still be a long way to go. The top four teams in the eight-strong WRU Premier Division will play each other twice in the second half of the season before the champions are determined.

As for Ponty, they are bound to be there or thereabouts in the title shakedown, even though they are not functioning as well as they have done in recent seasons. They should have buried Neath under an avalanche of points instead of losing out on their bonus in the end.

The skipper Neil Jenkins realises there is still room for improvement, but knows that his side is capable of rising to the occasion. It is going to be a big fortnight for his men as after Saturday's trip to Stradey Park they have to go to Paris to meet the French champions, Stade Francais, in the quarter-finals of the European Cup.

Tough assignments, yet exactly the stimulus Ponty need. With a little more control in their front five, and with Jenkins to run the show behind, they could find themselves on the verge of an exciting new era going into the new year.

Then they might not have to worry about Morgan's try. Instead, it will be the rest of Europe who will be worrying about them.

Pontypridd: Tries Morgan 2, Lloyd 2, McIntosh, Wyatt; Conversions Jenkins 4; Penalties Jenkins 2. Neath: Try Morgan; Conversion McCarthy.

Pontypridd: K Morgan; R Shorney, S Lewis, D James (J Lewis, 65), G Wyatt; N Jenkins, P John; A Griffiths (K Jones, 63), A Lamerton (M Thomas, 69), N T'au, (N Eynon, 63), G Prosser, I Gough, M Lloyd, D McIntosh, GP Lewis.

Neath: G Evans; J Colderley, D Tueiti, T Davies, D Williams; M McCarthy, S Williams; Duncan Jones (D Penisini, 54), M Davies, L Gerrard (M Morgan, 54), M Turner, S Martin, S Eggar (R Francis, 64), S van Rensburg, Dale Jones.

Referee: N Whitehouse (Swansea).

Bristol, the Premiership Two leaders, ran in 10 tries to beat a depleted Wakefield 66-17 yesterday to seize a big advantage in the first round first leg of the Cheltenham & Glou-cester Cup. The hosts scored five tries in the first 17 minutes.