PILL HARRIERS enjoyed a shock friendly win when they took on South Wales Academy in an under-16s rugby league encounter at Ystrad Mynach.

The rugby union club have just launched an arm in the 13-man code and already their players have started to impress with six already in the Academy and the Wales under 16 squad.

They all played for Pill in this game - so they proved more than a stern test for the South Wales Academy prospects.

Pill did most of the damage in the first half with five tries in the space of 18 minutes, four of them coming from one of the Wales squad members in utility back James McCarthy.

The club side almost took an early lead but big prop Harris Mann was held up over the line, centimetres away from scoring.

But from their next attack, South Wales took the lead as Paris Thomas slipped through for a try but failed to add the extras.

Save for a dropped ball over the line, Pill could have been level straight away but from their next attack, McCarthy sprinted half the length of the field unchallenged to level the scores. Fraser Stroud’s conversion gave them a 6-4 lead.

From kick-off, Pill scored again, the mercurial McCarthy again breaking through with Stroud kicking his second goal.

Getting onto the end of perfect chip kick, Lennon Greggains turned well to score Pill’s third straight after that with Stroud converting again to make the score 18-4.

Pill were running riot and a good passing move gave McCarthy his hat-trick, diving over in the corner for an unconverted score.

Making it almost a one-man show, McCarthy soon notched his fourth of the game with again the kick missed.

On the stroke of half-time, South Wales hit back as Macauley Harris dived over from dummy half and Cobi Green converted making it 26-10 to Pill at the break.

After a stern talking to from coaches Jon Ellis and Wayne Ponting, South Wales opened the second half well with Scott Cleary scoring in the corner after just a minute. Green’s kick hit the post.

Pill soon struck back as Matthew Williams easily touched down a grubber kick with Stroud converting.

South Wales fought back again as Harris dived over for his second with Green again hitting the post with the conversion attempt.

Harris, in the mould of Scorpions first team player Connor Farrer who was playing for this outfit five years ago, scored under the sticks straight away in a typical hooker’s try for his hat-trick. Green converted to bring the score back to 24-32.

However McCarthy broke through for another long range effort for his fifth of the game that Stroud improved to give Pill their two try cushion back.

South Wales again hit back with loose forward Tom Devine crossing and Green converting but Pill finished in style.

An amazing effort from McCarthy, who kicked the ball through twice gave him his sixth try of the evening, secured the win. Jake Thomas missed the kick.

There was still time for full back James Smith to score in the corner with Stroud again missing the goal but it was enough to secure the win.

The final score however went to the South Wales side with Jordan Ball crossing with Green missing the conversion.