Mixed fortunes for Welsh sides

Neath continued their charge towards a third Welsh-Scottish League title with a comprehensive 47-14 defeat of Parker Pen Shield finalists Pontypridd at the Gnoll.

Neath crossed for five tries in all, four of them in a scintillating second-half performance.

It set up an intriguing local derby with old rivals Swansea at St Helens on Tuesday night with a league title possibly up for grabs for Lyn Jones’ side.

The impressive boot of top points scorer Lee Jarvis bagged a personal tally of 22 points.

Newport made certain of a place in next season’s Heineken European Cup and preserved their slim title hopes in dramatic style when beating Glasgow 28-26 at Hughenden.

They looked destined to plunge to another defeat, only for unsung scrum-half Llyr Lane to emerge as the hero with the clinching try in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Llanelli made the trip to Edinburgh fired up and with a point to prove after a heartbreaking defeat in the Heineken Cup semi-final on Sunday, knowing that a win would keep them in the running for the title.

But Duncan Hodge struck for Edinburgh in the first minute and the home side ran out easy 40-8 winners.