FORMER Ospreys rugby union professional Jay Baker scored four tries as ABERAVON FIGHTING IRISH retained the WALES JES GROUP CONFERENCE title with a 44-14 GRAND FINAL win over SOUTH WALES JETS.
The Jets, who won the championship in 2023 – with a 100 percent record, an achievement now emulated by Aberavon – were 22-0 adrift at the break, having conceded Baker’s first three scores and a try and three conversions by Ryan Pugh, who closed with six goals.
The Jets (whose only defeats have ever been at the hands of the Fighting Irish) opened the second period with a David Hooper touchdown, before Aberavon posted tries by Morgan Meaclem, Cody Rees, Jake Parker and Baker.
A record Grand Final reverse was avoided when Ieaun Sims and Alex Langworth dotted down for the Jets, Shane Lee adding a conversion.
BRIDGEND BLUE BULLS, while never behind, had to work hard for a 20-16 win over SOUTH WALES JETS in the UNDER 18 GRAND FINAL – one of three matches played at The Lextan Gnoll, Neath, in an entertaining triple-header.
Juris Kesans scored a try and two goals for the Bulls, with Lewis Evans, Sam Elias and Kyson Rees also dotting down, while a highlight was a try-saving tackle by Fin Jones on the Jets’ Madoc Lane when the scores were pegged at 6-6.
Thomas Underwood, Ellis Muller and Ollie Bellavia-Walker crossed for South Wales, Caine White adding a couple of goals.
Tries in the last ten minutes for Jake Leighton and Alfie Davies, with Ryan Williams landing the last two of his three goals, helped ABER VALLEY WOLVES topple BRIDGEND BLUE BULLS 18-12 in the UNDER 16S clash.
Davies had given the Wolves an early lead while Bridgend had gone in at the break 12-6 ahead through Ceirion Emment-Jones’ conversions of tries by William Dawson and Theo Tooze.