Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Swansea are made to pay by Hayes

Paul Trow
Sunday 09 September 2001 00:00 BST
Comments

Swansea stumbled to their second successive home defeat as 16 points from their fly-half Tommy Hayes steered Glasgow to a surprise 21-13 victory at St Helens in the Celtic League yesterday. Last season's Welsh-Scottish League champions were guilty of a glut of errors throughout the game and the Scottish visitors took full advantage.

Tries from Hayes and the second row Nathan Ross thwarted the All Whites, who were flattered by the scoreline, thanks largely to a late consolation touchdown from their Welsh international hooker Garin Jenkins.

Hayes, who controlled play superbly, finished with a conversion, two penalties and a drop goal as well as his try while Swansea's other points – a conversion and two penalties – all came from the boot of their fly-half Gavin Henson.

Swansea's problems were compounded during the first half when their scrum-half Rhodri Jones was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg after falling awkwardly while being tackled.

Glasgow led 8-3 at the break after a miserable 40 minutes which were blighted by basic mistakes and the shrill blast of the referee's whistle. But the pace picked up in the second half and the best moment of the game came when Hayes, a 27-year-old Cook Islander, sped past the Swansea cover from 40 metres out to dash over in the corner.

Worcester, who have narrowly failed to secure promotion to the Zurich Premiership in each of the past two seasons, already have a two-point lead at the helm of National League One after demolishing Birmingham/Solihull 53-3 at Sixways.

The Midlanders ran in seven tries – two each for the Canadian wing Winston Stanley and the centre Dan Hinshelwood and one apiece for Chris Garrard, Chris Yates and Tony Windo – while Sateki Tuipulotu suppled four conversions and two penalties and the former Scotland fly-half Craig Chalmers landed two late conversions following the Tongan's early departure.

Another Tongan, the flanker Jon Koloi, scored two tries as Coventry moved up to second place with a 24-8 home success over Henley and third-placed Bedford maintained their steady start to the season by beating visitors Exeter 36-27.

Heriot's FP head the BT Scotland Premiership following their 25-18 defeat of Hawick but Melrose are level on points having eased their way past Kirkcaldy 27-10 and unfancied Aberdeen GSFP are third, just a point behind, after edging Gala 17-12.

Even though newly-promoted Leeds may have stunned the rest of the Zurich Premiership by beating Bath last weekend, it has not stopped their director of rugby Phil Davies from making changes for this afternoon's trip to London Irish.

The Scotland centre Jamie Mayer stands down against the Exiles and is replaced by Tristan Davies. "Tristan played well off the bench last week and deserves his chance," said Phil Davies. Meanwhile, the former New Zealand and Western Samoa fly-half Stephen Bachop, who was in outstanding form last weekend, is expected to be a key performer against the club where he spent two successful seasons before moving north. Leeds' other Samoan, the No 8 Isaac Fea'unati, will also be turning out against his former club, but a third one-time Exile, the prop Kristyan Fullman, will be missing as he is not expected to finalise his three-year contracy with Leeds until next week.

Following the decision by the South African prop Cobus Visagie not to move to England, Fullman, who looked set for a season confined mainly to the replacements' bench at Bristol, has decided that his career will be best-served by becoming a Tyke.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in