East took the spoils in three Origin games at Sardis Road, Pontypridd on Sunday.
Ian Golden reports…
WRL PREMIER LEAGUE EAST 30 NORTH WALES ORIGIN 8
The WRL Premier League East side had too much in the tank for a battling North Wales Origin side in the second match of the 2018 WRL Origin Series on at Sardis Road on Sunday.
This encounter was the third game in a triple header on this particular day, the under 15 and 13 encounters between East and West Wales were played in torrential rain but the heavens closed for the senior encounter with the sun even threatening to come out during the second half.
Last week, the Premier League East and West sides drew 24-all in Llanelli, with West due to travel North next Sunday in an encounter that will take place before the League 1 match between North Wales Crusaders and West Wales Raiders.
North are now unable to win the series but will take second place if they can taste victory at home with West just need to better this 30-6 scoreline that East put on North.
Gethin King went over to give East a fifth minute lead. Mike Hurley missed the kick but did go over for the second try on 17 minutes, this time adding the goal.
Alfie Mathias got an unconverted try in the corner for North Wales to put them on the board after half an hour.
But East soon hit back via a Jared Hinnem try that Hurley converted to put them 16-4 up at the break.
Ben Stelmaszek looked to have scored for North early in the second half only for it to be ruled out for off-side.
And as soon as East got back onto the attack, they scored. Hinnem with his second try of the afternoon and Hurley converting.
North got back into the game on 54 minutes as Aled Davies twisted his way over the line with Morgan Johnson again failing to convert.
East addressed the balance when Hinnem went over for his hat-trick with a Morgan Cochran try in the corner further extending their lead. Hurley failed to convert either try.
In the junior Origin games, East Wales were victorious over West Wales at both under 13 and 15 levels on the rain-soaked Sardis Road pitch.
Alex Banks, Mattie Cotton and Marco Testagrossa were try-scorers for East in their 12-8 win in the 13s match with Corey Morgan and TJ Evans replying for West.
The 15s won 20-6 with Jack Maloney scoring a hat-trick of tries and Ewan Challenger crossing once. Kyle Huish converted twice. Harrison Garland Griffiths got West’s only try with Tom Davies converting.
PREMIER LEAGUE EAST
1 Brett Thomas (Torfaen Tigers)
2 Mark Addis (Rhondda Outlaws)
3 Jarad Hinnem (Torfaen Tigers)
4 Adam Watton (Valley Cougars)
5 Tom Hale (Rhondda Outlaws)
6 Morgan Cochran (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
7 Mike Herbert (Rhondda Outlaws)
8 Gethin King (Valley Cougars)
9 Corey Philips (Rhondda Outlaws)
10 Darryl Moyle (Torfaen Tigers)
11 Mike Hurley (c) (Valley Cougars)
12 Rhys Davies (Torfaen Tigers)
13 Rob Davies (Torfaen Tigers)
14 Dean Whatley (Rhondda Outlaws)
15 Mike Bagnall (Torfaen Tigers)
16 Jamie Iles (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
17 Duane Iles (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
18 Brandon Aviet (Valley Cougars)
NORTH WALES ORIGIN
2 Mike Walker (Chester Gladiators)
6 Damian Goss (North Wales Crusaders A)
1 Aled Davies (North Wales Crusaders A)
27 Henri Roberts (North Wales Crusaders A)
17 Alfie Matthias (North Wales Crusaders A)
25 Ryan Griffiths (Ince Rose Bridge)
7 Morgan Johnson (North Wales Crusaders A)
18 Billy Forrester (Thatto Heath Crusaders)
20 Geraint Jones (North Wales Crusaders A)
8 Jacob Hitchcox (North Wales Crusaders A)
12 Richard Williams (North Wales Crusaders A)
11 Dafydd Jones (North Wales Crusaders A)
14 Ben Stelmaszek (Thatto Heath Crusaders)
Subs:
26 Connah Harding (North Wales Crusaders A)
14 Cory Williams (North Wales Crusaders A)
24 Nathan Hood (Chester Gladiators)
4 Paul Magee (Mon RL)
JUNIOR SQUADS
EAST WALES U13: Rhys Smith (Torfaen Tigers), Corey Gilfillan (Aber Valley Wolves), Harri Ackerman (Aber Valley Wolves), Alex Banks (Torfaen Tigers), Rhys Meredith (Torfaen Tigers), Harri Ford (Aber Valley Wolves), Nick Thomas (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Bryn Price (Torfaen Tigers), Harry Beddall (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Morgan Farmer (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Rhys Davies (Aber Valley Wolves), Ethan Witchell (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Marco Testagrossa (Aber Valley Wolves). Subs: Logan Franklin, Logan Yendle (Aber Valley Wolves), Sam Dungy, Dan Buffrey, Ben Elliott (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Leo Shore, Mattie Cotton, Carter Barnes, Calon Davies (Torfaen Tigers)
WEST WALES U13: Josh Hanson (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Troy Sheran (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Harri Thomas (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Alex George (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Morgan Davies (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Connor Jones (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Nicholas Evans (Llanelli Knights), Luke Murnane (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Andrew Moore (Penlan Wild Stallions), TJ Evans (Penlan Wild Stallions), Llewelyn Hawkes (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Corey Morgan (Llanelli Knights), Lewis Welsby (Penlan Wild Stallions). Subs: Ryan Guard (Llanelli Knights), Jac Gaines (Llanelli Knights), Finley Thomas (Penlan Wild Stallions).
EAST WALES U15: Jamie Hilton (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Sean Gardner (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Jack Maloney (Torfaen Tigers), Caian Rees (Aber Valley Wolves), Gabe Santos (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Harry Johnson (Torfaen Tigers), Kyle Huish (Aber Valley Wolves), Owen Isaac (Aber Valley Wolves), Ewan Challenger (Aber Valley Wolves), Matty Brooks (Aber Valley Wolves), Joe Langley (Torfaen Tigers), Jack Lock (Cardiff Blue Dragons), William Oates (Aber Valley Wolves), Kalum Phillips (Aber Valley Wolves), Dan Brown (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Sam John (Aber Valley Wolves), Lewis Richards (Torfaen Tigers), Jamie Griffiths (Cardiff Blue Dragons).
WEST WALES U15: Sam Wooler (Llanelli Knights), Daniel Cotterell (Llanelli Knights), Joe Nethel (Llanelli Knights), Morgan Chell (Llanelli Knights), Iestyn Thomas (Llanelli Knights), Owain Hopkins (Llanelli Knights), Will Gaines (Llanelli Knights), Tom Davies (Llanelli Knights), Jay Guard (Llanelli Knights), Harrison Garland Griffiths (Llanelli Knights), Ellis Rees (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Jake Stephens (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Jake Roberts (Llanelli Knights). Subs:
Morgan Long (Llanelli Knights), Will Fyfe (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Charlie Ashpole (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Sam Rees (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Lewis Ingram (Bridgend Blue Bulls).