Welsh Rugby

Holyhead Rugby Union XV's have set a new British record after losing 181-0 at the weekend.

The team, who play in the Swalec League Division 3 North league, conceded 29 tries and 18 conversions to Llanidloes on Saturday. As things stand, the result is a new record and surpasses Norwich's 177-3 defeat to Eccles and Attleborough in 1996.

Holyhead RUC spokesman James Hart said: "The lads were shell-shocked but we still had a giggle on the coach on the way home. The world record is 350-0 so we're not there yet. Llanidloes is 120 miles from Holyhead and it takes three and a half hours to get there. A lot of the lads are self-employed or work in the morning, pre-match. So more than half of our team can miss away matches.

"On this occasion we only had five senior players and the rest were 18-year-old youth players. In the first 10 minutes, every time they came forward they had two players overlapping one of ours. The writing was on the wall. There was a big age difference and they were beefier. Their power drove us off the ball. But I was proud of our lads. It was boys against men. And afterwards, their coach and captain came over and praised the lads. They never stopped trying and competing."