Old Pens set for Plate action

7:40am Thursday 13th November 2008

HAVING had a period of 14 days in which to lick their wounds following the disappointing reverse at the hands of Penygraig earlier this month, Old Penarthians return to action on Saturday when they entertain the students of Cardiff University in a first round match in the inaugural SWALEC Plate competition.

Following consistent complaints on the part of grass roots clubs that the current league structure does not provide enough fixtures to keep the interest of players, the governing body has responded by introducing an extension of the knock-out action provided by the well established SWALEC cup competition. Sides defeated at the preliminary and first round stages of the main competition are, as a consequence, drawn in groups of clubs who will compete on a knock-out basis to produce the final pool of 16 teams who will then do battle to determine the two sides that compete in the final round at the Millennium Stadium on the same day in May that the main competition final is scheduled.

A further extension of the competition sees first round losers consigned to yet another knock-out competition that will similarly proceed through to a main final where the two teams remaining will compete for the SWALEC Bowl trophy on that same May Saturday.

The effect of the new arrangements is to ensure that every side competing in the SWALEC competition is guaranteed a minimum of two extra games in a season with the possibility of even more in the event of progress at any one of the three stages of the tournament.

Whilst this is a situation that will be applauded by many and does afford players the opportunity of competing against opponents not normally associated with their own fixture lists, it is not necessarily seen as the complete answer to the difficulties facing the clubs at large.

Old Penarthians, for example, play in a league that comprises a total of 11 teams. This provides the club with a season¹s fixture list of 20 fixtures on a home and away basis. The addition of, say, 3 extra cup games increases that total to 23.

Bearing in mind that the current season comprises no fewer than 35 Saturdays, the players themselves are without activity on a massive 12 occasions that does little to maintain their enthusiasm for the game, not to mention the effect that this state of affairs has on already severely stretched Club finances when no games are taking place at the various headquarters.

That said, the Old Boys themselves are looking forward to the opportunity of returning to winning ways after the successive setbacks that were suffered in the two weeks before the South Africa match break.

They will not, however, be able to underestimate the challenge that will undoubtedly come from youthful opponents about whom little is known.

The University side does not participate in league competitions, preferring to allow the players to operate with local sides at the weekend whilst undertaking its own midweek involvement in the BUSA championships at various levels and participating in the Welsh Varsity match in opposition to their Swansea counterparts.

In the event that they do succeed in making it to the second round, Alun Haines and his men will go into the hat with the winners of the Fairwater v Canton and Llandaff v Cardiff HSOB ties plus a Rhyl side awarded a bye on this occasion.

Second round matches are scheduled to take place on December 20.

Saturday's match at Cwrt-y-Vil is scheduled to kick off at 2.30pm at which time the Seconds should be taking the field away to Pentyrch.

James Williams's men will be seeking to extend their winning run to three on the trot and will be hoping to improve upon the performance that saw them defeat the same opponents by 10 points to 7 when the sides met at Penarth in the opening game of the season.

Whilst no further fixtures are formally scheduled before December, it is hoped that arrangements can be made to take advantage of the late Wales v New Zealand kick off time by arranging a midday friendly at home on Saturday week.