The senior team travelled the long, winding journey to Tregaron, with a group of hardy supporters, to play a rearranged league fixture, with the weather forecast predicting extremely low temperatures and every chance of heavy snow showers.

On arrival and throughout the whole afternoon, the weather certainly lived up to its billing, as the well prepared supporters from both sides endured a real mix of periodic, heavy snow showers, intermingled with strong icy winds and bright sunny periods.

Pembroke had had to make a number of changes due to injuries, after the bruising cup match the previous weekend, whilst the game was also used by the Pembroke coaches to rotate their squad to provide valuable game time for their players, prior to selection for the matches over the next two weeks against a resurgent Laugharne away and the historic WRU Bowl semi-final, at a venue yet to be confirmed.

The teams kicked off in a windy, bitterly cold snow storm and right from the off the visitors imposed themselves on the home team. Cold hands led to some handling errors on both sides and early opportunities were spilled on many occasions.

However, the Pembroke pack very quickly began to dominate in the set-piece and in the loose, setting up opportunities for their speedy backs to attack the home line. Despite the conditions, the visitors assumed their well cemented game plan and moved the ball wide at every opportunity; there was some excellent interplay between backs and forwards and Pembroke’s big ball carriers regularly probed and put the home defence under constant pressure.

Pembroke scored six tries and two conversions in the first half. The opening try came after a typically belligerent thrust by lock Cyle Weatherall, who covered 25 metres before creating space and feeding Dom Coleman to charge 20 metres through a crowded defence for the touchdown.

After this, tries came very regularly, as the visitors played their high tempo game. Winger Simon Stanford ran in from 30 metres after being freed wide out, Toby Smith minutes later finished off a very good team try, Coleman then scored his second with another barnstorming run from 20 metres out.

Tregaron, however, retaliated and built a very good position, from which centre Hugh Bonner crossed for a well-taken unconverted try.

Pembroke bounced back almost immediately and scored two more tries in the last 10 minutes of the half; the first involved interplay between the forwards, allowing flanker Rhodri Walters to pick up and drive over from close range, the second minutes later saw scrum-half Tom Lewis (who had another excellent match as pivot) break wide from a scrum 20 metres out from the home line to give a sublime switch pass to centre Dan Colley, who danced past a number of flat-footed defenders to cross wide out on the left side.

This lefty the half time score deservedly at 5-34 to the visitors.

Pembroke continued to play in the same spirit throughout the second half, after making some changes at half-time. The visitors’ forwards totally dominated the set-piece and regularly made huge inroads into home territory through some very neat interplay and good handling despite the extremely cold temperatures.

The home defence was breached and opened up on numerous occasions, as Pembroke’s backs and forwards combined adeptly, skilfully and confidently, as they had done all season.

Pembroke scored three tries in the first 15 minutes, with ever-present centre Dan Colley cleverly weaving his way in from close range, Sam Smith bullocking his way through many defenders from 20-plus metres and winger Elliott Evans coming infield to look for work, breaking tackles to score an exceptional individual effort.

Tregaron mounted sporadic attacks from their crumbs of possession and midway through the half veteran prop Dorian Pugh crashed over for a well-deserved converted try, after excellent approach work from his fellow forwards.

After this, Pembroke dominated the final quarter as the defensive workload took its toll on the Tregaron players; they scored four more tries, lock Cyle Weatherall (who had an excellent match) smashed his way over after intricate approach work, winger Elliott Evans again showed a clean pair of heels to despairing defenders as he broke down the middle after good work from his forwards, and speedy Simon Stanford ran in two more wide out after being provided with space by excellent combined work from both forwards and backs, to cap a memorable personal and team performance on the day.

The final score was 12-81 to the visitors, who looked in very impressive form again.

Pembroke’s coaches were delighted with the squad’s overall attitude, commitment and performance, given the changes and exertions of the week before, whilst they praised the home team for their endeavour and perseverance. Special praise was also given to loose-head prop Jamie Brayford, who made 16 carries, numerous tackles and proved a positive force in the scrums all afternoon, scrum-half Tom Lewis and his number 10 partner Toby Smith for another refined performance, which dictated much of the play for the visitors, the backrow, who harried the opposition all afternoon and the bench that made another positive impact.

The squads and the supporters then retreated from the very inhospitable weather to watch the Six Nations matches inside a warm, welcoming Tregaron clubhouse, where they were given excellent hospitality.

The squad now moves onto an away match in Laugharne next Saturday (supporters should check KO time with the our clubhouse on Friday night as this could be an early KO if Laugharne agree), followed the weekend after by the WRU Bowl semi-final, which will be against either Cardiff University or Nantgaredig, who will play on March 24. Once the outcome of that quarter-final is known, a venue for the semi-final will be posted by the WRU (details will appear on the club website and inside the clubhouse). Anyone wanting to travel on the supporters bus needs to get their name onto the list inside the clubhouse by Monday, March 26, at latest, so adequate provision can be made.

The Pembs KO Cup semi-final against the Quins will now be played in midweek, in weeks to come, date and times will be posted once confirmed.