Rugby Union: Jenkins finds the mark

Pontypridd 32

Colomiers 27

PONTYPRIDD ENJOYED one of their better French experiences yesterday as they went top of Pool D in the European Cup with a magnificent victory over last season's French championship semi-finalists Colomiers at Sardis Road.

After their Brive encounters last season had hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, this time all the talk was about the rugby - and, almost inevitably, the phenomenal kicking of Neil Jenkins.

Colomiers outscored Pontypridd five tries to two but still walked off losers, as the Wales fly-half and metronomic kicker booted his side to a significant victory with a 22-point contribution.

Jenkins missed just one kick out of nine attempts and ended up being the difference in a thoroughly entertaining contest. Pontypridd, who have now won two out of two and next face the Italian champions, Benetton Treviso, in two weeks' time, did a fine job in giving Welsh rugby a badly needed lift.

They also scored the try of the game after half an hour. Greg Prosser took a re-start cleanly and handed it on to the back-row forwards Geraint Lewis and Dale McIntosh, for them to make inroads into the French defence. When the ball was released, the centre Jason Lewis made a scything break to put Dafydd James away.

The centre still had plenty to do but his weaving run turned the defence inside out and then had the pace to go over for a superb try that had the 5,000-strong crowd roaring their approval.

Naturally, Jenkins made both the first and the last scoring contributions on an afternoon when he kicked six penalty goals and both conversions.

Colomiers had drawn first blood with a try from flanker Bernard de Giusti, before Jenkins went about the business he does best. The Frenchmen, who were regularly penalised for diving in recklessly at rucks, handed him three opportunities in the opening half-hour and he took the lot. It was the same with his conversions, his touchline effort for their second try, scored by the wing Rhys Shorney, being a truly superb effort.

That try was also a gem of a score. The Pontypridd forwards again did the initial damage with some pounding drives and when the astute scrum- half Paul John saw the French defence had all but one option covered, he threw out a long overhead pass to Shorney.

The wing, who scored a League record seven tries three weeks ago, kicked ahead and then had the pace to outstrip the defence and dive over wide out. The rest was all about Jenkins, with three more penalties, as Pontypridd made a big mark on Europe.

Pontypridd: G Wyatt; R Shorney, D James, S Lewis, G Lewis; N Jenkins (capt), P John; A Griffiths, M Thomas (A Lammerton, 59), M Griffiths, G Prosser, I Gough, GP Lewis, M Williams, D McIntosh (M Lloyd, 64).

Colomiers: D Skrela; M Biboulet (B Lhande, 72), C Barrau (M Carre, h- t), J Sieurac, P Martinez; L Labit, F Galthie (capt)(S Milhas, h-t); J- P Beyssen, R Tremoulet, P Pages (R Nones, h-t), G Moro (P Pueyo, h-t), H Manent, B de Giusti, P Tabacco, S Peysson.

Referee: D McHugh (Ireland).