Ebbw Vale went on an 11-try rampage as they eased to a 73-5 win over Neath at Eugene Cross Park in the Indigo Premiership.

Scrum-half Rory Harries helped himself to four of those as Jason Stange’s men convincingly returned to winning ways after being edged out by leaders Llandovery in their previous game.

Back rower Cameron Regan, part of the Ebbw team that won the Premiership in 2016, captained the side on his 200th appearance for the Steelmen.

Ebbw scored five first half tries and were 31-0 to the good at half time with the bonus point already secure.

Morgan Richards, Dylan Bartlett, Ieuan Morris, Ethan Phillips and Harries all scored before the break with outside half Evan Lloyd converting three of them.

A further six tries followed in the second half, with the outstanding Harries helping himself to three of them, as Ebbw turned the screw.

Joe Franchi, Kieran Meek and Ewan Bowden also got in on the act, while Lloyd added a further four conversions and Meek also kicked two.

Newport also won with a bonus point for the fifth match in succession but were made to work hard for their eventual 36-5 win over Carmarthen Quins at Newport Stadium.

The match remained scoreless for the first 30 minutes with second row Josh Skinner’s try breaking the deadlock. Matt O’Brien’s missed conversion meant Newport held a slender 5-0 lead at the break.

Jac Lloyd danced his way through the Quins defence just after the re-start to score a second Newport with O’Brien taking care of the extras, before sending over a penalty.

Carmarthen then got a try of their own through Iestyn Gwilliam as they went from one end of the field to the other.

Newport’s third try came after 78 minutes with Chay Smith cutting through, converted by O’Brien.

They would go on to secure that all important bonus point after being awarded a penalty try before Oli Andrew went through for try number five almost straight from the re-start, converted by O’Brien.

 

Pontypool were unable to spoil Chris Dicomidis special day as he marked his 400th appearance for Pontypridd with a 29-26 win at Sardis Road.

There was some consolation for the visitors in that they left with two bonus-points, but the victory allowed Ponty to leapfrog them into fifth in the table.

Hooker Rob Jones scored a try in each half for the home side, with full-back Josh Phillips and No8 Aled Ward also on the scoresheet. Morgan Lloyd’s last-gasp try for Pooler earned them their two points.

An early try from skipper Scott Matthews, who scored twice, gave Pooler the lead, but Ponty were in no mood to fall to another narrow defeat or have the Dicomidis party ruined.

It was 19-5 to the home side at the break and that lead grew to 29-12 before Pooler were awarded a penalty try when Canadian international Sion Parry pulled down a driving maul and picked up a yellow card.

In the dying seconds Lloyd spotted a gap to score the fourth try for Pooler, which Mathew Jarvis converted to close the gap to three points.