Their secretary, Eldon Lewis, said that they even train and play in Welsh - and you knew what he meant.The residents of many generations have been both burdened and enriched by the industrial revolution, and until relatively recently were dependent on coal for their livelihood. Today, it is dole, not coal, and the only anthracite dust is that lining the lungs of the old miners, many of whom were pitch-side supporting the modern-day village heroes.Heroes are common, of course, in this part of Wales, which for some uncanny reason has produced amongst others Barry John, Phil Bennett and Jonathan Davies.The romance of cup rugby could not have been more evident. The professional set-up of the visitors from Pontypridd, itself a mining community of yesteryear, contrasted with a team of local products, most of whom were cultivated through the various year groups within the club. No fat pay-cheques for the home team, but a "bloody good party", if they produced the unthinkable, or even, I suspect, if they did not.Pontyberem learnt the painful lesson of dabbling with professionalism five years ago when they attempted to reach the top. A whacking loss soon put paid to that, so they took stock, and have emerged again as a strong local club.The true spirit of rugby shone before the kick-off as both teams joined arms to appease the posse of photographers. With the niceties over, both sides blasted into each other, with realistically only the one winner emerging.Yet it was Pontyberem who drew first blood after a turnover on their own line which their snappy backs exploited to the full. A length-of-the-field counter was only thwarted when the Pontypridd backs strayed offside and Matthew Rowe slotted the penalty.The lead was short-lived as the greater physical presence of the visitors took its toll.

Their forwards rumbled and Lee Jarvis slid over in the corner, and shortly afterwards Sonny Parker strode through to send Gareth Wyatt over for a try converted by Jarvis. Pontypridd breached the home line a further three times before the interval through Craig Williams, Alun Hunte and Nalu Tau.The loudest cheer came 15 minutes into the second half when the home side secured a line-out in the corner and Phil Rowe claimed the score - described by a local as the try of the day. The village side earned a second try on time as Gary Thomas crossed in the corner. Pontypridd wrapped up the day with scores by Jarvis, Hunte, Wyatt, Brett Davey and a penalty try.Pontyberem: M Rowe; G Thomas, J Thomas (R Hardy, 50), W Thomas (capt), M Davies (M Jenkins, 70); J Lloyd, J Clayton; D Jones, K Jones, H Lloyd (G Rees, 69), I Evans (A Evans 69), O Baglin, R Thomas, G Harding, P Rowe.Pontypridd: C Williams; G Wyatt, S Parker (J Bryant, 68), J Lewis, A Hunte; L Jarvis (B Davey, 65), R Neville (P John, 69); N Gau, F Vunipola, S Cronk, W James, R Sidoli (B Cockbain, 64), M Lloyd (M Owen, 40), R Field, D McIntosh (capt).Referee: N Whitehouse (Swansea).. Harlequins may have been established in 1866, but the old club has rarely witnessed scenes like this. Quins, seemingly leagues apart from Leicester, the dominant force in English rugby, reached the final of the Tetley's Bitter Cup with an inspired performance at The Stoop yesterday.

It was more like 1066 and all that than 1866 as Quins trashed the form book with a victory by two goals, a try and a penalty to a goal, a try and two penalties. Harlequins may have been established in 1866, but the old club has rarely witnessed scenes like this. Quins, seemingly leagues apart from Leicester, the dominant force in English rugby, reached the final of the Tetley's Bitter Cup with an inspired performance at The Stoop yesterday. It was more like 1066 and all that than 1866 as Quins trashed the form book with a victory by two goals, a try and a penalty to a goal, a try and two penalties. Their reward is a final against Newcastle over the road at Twickenham next month, where they can expect considerable support. The interest here yesterday was such that ticket touts were witnessed outside The Stoop for the first time in history as a crowd of 9,000 packed the ground.For the Quins, of course, there was no Zinzan Brooke, while Leicester were without their suspended captain, Martin Johnson, so the match was a couple of icons short Not that it showed. Brooke had relinguished his job as the head coach seven days earlier following a wretched run in the Premiership which had seen the London club rooted in the basement, an astonishing 35 points behind the Tigers on the table.Not that that amounted to anything in a cup semi-final.

It would be fair to say that Leicester missed Johnson more than Quins missed Brooke. It wasn't just their respective positions in the league that made Quins not so much underdogs as rabid contenders for quarantine.Nevertheless, they displayed a magnificent fortitude here and thoroughly deserved their day in the sun while simultaneously ending the treble dream of Leicester who hold a commanding lead in the Premiership and also have a chance in the Heineken European Cup.Straight from the kick-off Leicester revealed their hand - an all-out running, passing, attacking game. Austin Healey, the scrum-half, was content to spray out a string of passes to allow the Tigers to indulge in a 15-man game. Harlequins did well to withstand the opening onslaught and after six minutes had a chance to take the lead. And a very good one it was.Leicester were penalised for offside on their own 22 but with a relatively easy kick Craig Chalmers struck an upright. However, from the rebound Paul Gusgard knocked on, giving Quins an attacking scrum, and this opportunity they did not waste.Will Greenwood made a half- break in midfield and Keith Wood, on his left, took the pass to surge over near the post. Wood didn't have far to travel but he had the midfield defence in front of him and he took a couple of players over the line with him.

It was what people have come to expect from the Ireland hooker. Chalmers snatched at the simple conversion and pushed the ball to the left of the posts.Tim Stimpson failed with a long-range penalty before Leicester drew level with a splendid try of their own. Recycling possession repeatedly, they switched play to the right, left and right again, where they had men and space to spare. Brendon Daniel went for the interception of a lofted pass and when he failed to lay a hand on it, Leon Lloyd was able to draw what remained of the defence before sending Geordan Murphy over unopposed in the right hand corner.Stimpson made a hash of the conversion attempt but in the 22nd minute the Tigers took the lead with another impressive try. Again they stretched the Quins defence all over the pitch and when Andy Goode took a pass in midfield on the Quins 22, the stand-off slipped an attempted tackle from his opposite number Chalmers and had a free run to the post Stimpson's conversion gave Leicester a 12-5 lead Chalmers was leading anything but a charmed life. He was short with a long-range penalty and then wide with another from 30 yards after Leicester had killed the ball at a ruck. That brought the former Scotland stand-off's failure rate ratio to 100 per cent: four misses out of four and his kicking out of hand had barely been more successful.However, after 36 minutes Chalmers finally found the target to reduce the deficit to four points but a couple of minutes later, after Quins were penalised for handling on the ground following a break by Healey, Stimpson landed the penalty to make it 8-15.Seconds before half-time Quins brought the crowd to their feet with a concerted attack that was reminiscent of Leicester at their best.