“A STEP BACK IN TIME”
(By Percy Jones)
SEASON 1983 –84
Hooker David Evans was the players’ choice as captain for this season and Dai rewarded their trust in him by playing in 31 out of 33 games. The Quins played 18 League games; winning 11; losing 6 with one match drawn. They won 6 out of 9 friendlies.
In the Welsh Cup competition, the Quins beat Lampeter away by l6pts -9 in the first round and were victorious away to New Dock Stars in the second round by 6pts -3. Their journey ended in the third round when they were beaten at home by 24pts -12 by a well organised Maesteg XV. In the West Wales Cup competition they won away at Crynant in a preliminary round by 13pts-10 but went out away at Tumble in the first round by 21pts -3.
The Quins played Carmarthen Athletic at the Park on the 19th October 1983 as part of the Floodlights Appeal Fund and Quins won by 12pts -8. Fly-half Dylan Richards scored all the Quins points bagging a try, a penalty and a dropped goal. At the end of season District ‘G’ Sevens competition at Carmarthen Park, the Quins went out in the first round to Burry Port who then went on to beat the Athletic in the final.
The season’s top points scorer was Dylan Richards with 240 points which included 7 tries but left wing Nigel Langdon went one step further to be top try scorer on 8 tries.
24th September 1983
Llangennech 10 pts, Carmarthen Quins 17 pts
(By kind permission of the Carmarthen Journal)
CONFIDENT QUINS
Quins went into this match determined to reverse last season’s disappointing display against one of the few sides to beat them. And in warm and humid conditions Quins got the better of the early exchanges. Dylan Richards put them ahead with a penalty after the Llangennech backs were caught offside.
Llangennech hit back almost immediately and capitalised on some sloppy Quins handling to gain possession. A combination of weak tackling and slick handling involving the Llangennech backs and forwards produced two tries within the space of ten minutes.
Quins were struck a cruel blow when centre Paul Thomas was forced to leave the field through injury but Peter Jenkins was to prove an able deputy. Slowly Quins began to find their rhythm and attacks began to flow. The bail was worked out from a set piece and it was Steve Thomas who made a brilliant break before rounding the full back for a corner try.
During the interval there was some straight talking from skipper Dai Evans and when play resumed Quins, trailing 10-7, shook off their apathy and began to stamp their authority on proceedings. They were rewarded early on. Llangennech won possession at a scrum but the ever alert Adrian Wray forced his opposing inside-half into a
fluffed pass. Hywel Griffiths scooped up the loose ball to score and add to his
growing try tally for the season. Richards converted.
Back came Llangennech. They forced several scrums near the Quins line and only timely strikes against the head by Evans relieved the pressure. Then Richards put in a siege gun clearance kick which failed to find touch and Llangermech set up the
counter, Only a crunching tackle by Peter Jenkins saved the line and amazingly set up a try scoring move. Jenkins fly hacked the ball half the length of the field and Steve Thomas was on hand to go over for his second try.
Michael James and Dyfrig Richards marked their return to the side with sound performances and with an unbeaten record in three outings Quins must be confident of victory in tomorrow’s home match against Pontardawe.
With more players becoming available Quins have been forced to adopt a rota system for the wing positions. The imminent return of Gethin Curzon, side-lined after
fracturing his arm, means that four men will be fighting it out for two places. But the departure of centre Paul Thomas to start his university studies does ease the problem slightly. It is expected that one of the four wing hopefuls will be slotted in to fill the gap.