Barry RFC boosted their Admiral League survival hopes with a 47-33 derby victory in Penarth.

The Bombers dashed the Bears' hopes of going into Christmas at the top of Division One East Central, scoring seven tries at the Athletic Field as they took revenge for a heavy opening day defeat.

It was, according to Barry head coach Mike Morgan, “a complete performance, really strong. All we have been doing in defence, in attack, worked really well. We changed a few things in our game plan from an attacking perspective, and it really paid dividends.”

Penarth, who remain second in the table behind St Joseph’s - as the division’s leading try scorers - were hot favourites to complete the double over the Bombers.

“But they also bleed tries,” said Morgan, “so as long as we could stop them scoring, we would be in control."

“We contained them defensively and were able to play some great rugby and score some fantastic tries. And the scoreline would have looked more impressive if we hadn’t made a couple of mistakes that gifted them tries.”

In a lengthy, injury-interrupted first half, Barry reached the vital four-try bonus point target after 30 minutes of play. Morgan has been stressing the importance of picking up at least a try-scoring bonus from every game, crucial for the league position. On Saturday, they took five points.

The bulk of the 12 tries in the game came in the first half. “In the second half we got on top and were in control, and in the last ten minutes, at 47-33, Penarth pressed, but our defence was as good as it had been at the start,” said Morgan.

“Penarth weren’t complacent, they came out to beat us. A win would have taken them top and given them bragging rights in a local derby. But we played exactly as I would want us to play."

"We minimised the errors, but emphasised the positive aspects of what we can do. It was everything we have been working towards, a performance filled with pride and passion.”

Barry have now scored 29 tries in ten games, an improvement on last season’s 31 tries in 20 games, and the team – 11 of the starting line-up, including five of the pack, were under 22 years old – are a young side maturing quickly.

“We are not the finished article yet,” said Morgan, “and our feet are firmly on the ground.”

Barry: tries – Aled Rees (2), Dafydd Jones (2), Rhys Forse (2), Flynn Baker; conversions – Jack Davies (6)
Penarth: tries - James Candy (2), Tom Griffiths, Dom Owen, Harry Roberts; conversions - Rhys Mottram (4)

Barry’s next league fixture is at Rhydyfelin on January 4th, while Penarth resume their Division One campaign at home to Llanharan.

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Division Two side Cowbridge go into the Christmas break in second following a 57-22 victory at Gilfach Goch on Saturday.

Llantwit Major sit fourth in Division Three, but with two games in hand having last played on 30th November, when they beat Penygraig 56-14 at home.

Dinas Powys won 27-19 at Llandaff North to keep the pressure on Division Four leaders Pontyclun going into 2025 - while Old Penarthians went down 28-13 to Caerau Ely in Division Five.

In the WRU Women's Championship, Old Penarthians lost 34-24 at Lampeter Town on Sunday.