Silver Ball         

Below is the official Worthington Silver Ball table as printed in the Glamorgan Gazette on Thursday, January, 9^th. 2003. Three teams have qualified. Unbeaten Abercwmboi and mighty Pontypridd, while the Maesteg Quins have ensured their qualification, dropping just one point in the qualification process.

It appears very tight this year, and whereas in the past a team losing two games may have gone through to the exciting quarter-final stages, it appears that the 2003 competition offers no such luxury, as the minimum number of points needed to qualify this year is 18. Luckily the Pontyberem match did not count in this season’s competition. Therefore Barry, although fifth in the table, look unlikely entrants into this year’s draw.

Of the teams fighting it out for the remaining five places on offer it appears as though Penygraig who head the Division Three (East) table are likely to reach the 18 point mark and they have scored enough tries to consider themselves safe, if of course they win the next qualifying match. Nantymoel who have been unbeaten in any competitive match for a whole calendar year also seem likely to progress, needing two points from two games. Their current form suggests they will reach their goal.

Crynant have the desired number of points and await results and the try tally to be counted. While Fairwater are handily placed and need a big win to enhance their try count, as do Aberafan Green Stars and Treherbert from their one remaining game.

Other clubs with two games remaining and who need to win both matches include Llandaff North, Bargoed, Cwmgwrach, Banwen and our fellow Division Four (West) adversaries Bryncoch. The Neath suburbanites are also within reach of claiming the Hancocks HB Trophy, won by the Quins in 1998, for the most tries scored in the competition. Abercwmboi currently lead the pack for this piece of silverware by virtue of the 51 tries they have scored. However, Bryncoch with two games left require just six tries to surpass this target.

Penygraig, Fairwater and Llandaff North are also in contention, but only if they amass a huge score against weak opposition.

All in all this season’s competition is extremely competitive with the slightest slip meaning elimination from what is the second largest cup competition in Wales, second only to the PrincipalityCup. 

My tips for the remaining five qualification places are: 

Nantymoel (20pts); Penygraig (18pts); Fairwater (18pts); Bryncoch (18pts) and Banwen (18pts). Bryncoch are also my bet to lift the Hancocks HB Trophy.

However, anything can happen in the few remaining fixtures.

Following the frost of this weekend many matches were called off. Several matches were played involving Worthington Silver Ball protagonists, yet it is uncertain whether or not these matches counted in the competition. Therefore, as one can only assume the matches were Worthington Silver Ball fixtures and the number of tries scored, this is an UNOFFICIAL table.

Div 4 (West): Kidwelly 23 – 27 Bryncoch (4 tries?)

Div 6 (East): Rhiwbina 10 – 62 Fairwater (10 tries?)

Div 7 (East): Machen 8 – 13 Llandaff North (2 tries?)

Div 7 (Cent): Aberafan GS 15 – 26 Cwmgwrach (3 tries)

If the above results counted, then Bryncoch are just one more victory from qualifying and a couple of tries short of netting a trophy. Fairwater have appeared to put themselves well into contention for qualifying as well as looking odds on favourites to move up a league. Llandaff North require a big win in their next fixture if they are to put themselves in contention of a qualifying for the knock-out phase of the competition, while Cwmgwrach, in defeating the Green Stars have done their own chances a great deal of good while condemning the Battling Irish to elimination from proceedings.

LQ = Likely Qualifiers