A thrilling weekend of competition unfolded at the Home Nations Qualifier, hosted by the Pontyclun Petanque Club from June 28–29, as fourteen pétanque teams vied for eight prestigious spots in the upcoming 2025 Home Nations Championship.
Over two action-packed days, teams competed in 91 matches under intense pressure, each aiming to earn a place to represent Wales this August against England, Jersey, and Scotland. Each squad faced 13 rounds — seven on Saturday and six on Sunday — in a rigorous test of endurance, strategy and teamwork.
Combined Team from Twyn-y-Ffrwd PC & Vale PC Triumphs
Steve Love’s combined team from Twyn-y-Ffrwd & Vale Petanque Clubs emerged as dominant leaders early, finishing Saturday undefeated with a perfect 7-0 record. Maintaining momentum into Sunday, they secured top rank with 11 wins and an impressive +66-point differential, despite dropping two matches late in the tournament.
Surprise Comebacks and Late Surges
Sunday’s matches saw surprising shifts in standings. Julie Bailey’s team (Vale PC), hindered by an injury on Saturday, made a strong comeback on day two, securing five wins and a sixth-place finish overall. Meanwhile, Tania Howard’s team (Caerleon RFC PC) and Bernard Adshead’s team (Monkstone PC), ranked outside the top eight on Saturday, surged forward, knocking out previously favoured squads.
Teams Qualifying for the 2025 Home Nations Championship:
| Rank | Team | Club | Wins | For | Against | Diff |
| 1 | S Love, C Jones, G Griffiths & D Paine | Twyn-y-Ffrwd PC/Vale PC | 11 | 159 | 93 | 66 |
| 2 | D Langeurand, A Rios-Hall, K Tomczyk & R Derett | Caerleon RFC PC | 11 | 159 | 103 | 56 |
| 3 | D Mack, J Williams, S Smith & D Hardwicke | Vale PC | 10 | 156 | 99 | 57 |
| 4 | S Snudden, D Jones, K Aston & J Attfield | Caerleon RFC PC/Pontyclun PC | 8 | 143 | 110 | 33 |
| 5 | J Bailey, I Bailey, L Field & J-Y Robic | Vale PC | 7 | 147 | 122 | 25 |
| 6 | S Spencer, J Caston, G Coombes & S Murray | Caerleon RFC PC/Unaffiliated | 6 | 131 | 139 | -8 |
| 7 | T Howard, I Wheeler, S Foster & G Foster | Caerleon RFC PC | 6 | 106 | 133 | -27 |
| 8 | B Adshead, R Griffin, V Adshead & P John | Monkstone PC | 5 | 128 | 140 | -12 |
Reserve Teams:
| Rank | Team | Club | Wins | For | Against | Diff |
| 9 | J Fackrell, R Edwards, K Price & D Horrigan | Twyn-y-Ffrwd PC | 5 | 132 | 147 | -15 |
| 10 | D Rawlings, M Toor & M Chapman | Vale PC/Harlequins PC | 5 | 120 | 141 | -21 |
Full Results:
  |
 |
| Day 1 Results | Day 2 Final Results |
A Weekend to Remember
The Welsh Petanque Association (WPA) commended all competitors for their passion and sportsmanship. Special thanks were extended to the Pontyclun Petanque Club and Pontyclun RFC Social Club for hosting a seamless event under the leadership of WPA President Tony Smith.
The eight qualifying teams will prepare to represent Wales at the Home Nations Championship this August.