Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
The All Whites opened their home campaign at temporary home Broadacre with a gutsy win over Newport – a second over the Gwent men in five days.
The match was played under the lights in torrid weather conditions, but it was the home side who successfully managed the game throughout, taking them into third place in the Super Rygbi Cymru ahead of the weekend’s games.
Newport gave away an early penalty, which fly half Josh Phillips chipped into the corner. Lock Chris Thompson took the lineout, but hooker Jamie Cox’s throw wasn’t straight.
The home side were awarded a penalty at the scrum, and Phillips’ kick to the corner was almost taken by winger Morgan Williams, but it beat him into touch. A well worked lineout saw Cox maul towards the line, before Dunvant product, number eight Jacob Hopkins, fittingly peeled off to score in the corner. Phillips converted.
Winger Ieuan Cornelius spilled the restart to gift Newport a scrum inside the home 22. Lock Morgan Burgess charged forward, but the home side stole possession and ended up hacking the ball clear.
Winger Fin Baker and centre Jac Lloyd linked up well, and centre Dai Richards chipped through on the wing, but the ball beat him into touch and Swansea were able to tidy up and clear from the lineout.
Richards chipped through but flanker Ethan Fackrell collected the ball on the floor, and then winger Iwan Glynn chipped through on the wing, but the ball again went into touch inside the 22.
The home side were awarded another penalty after some neat play by the backs, and Phillips kicked the three pointer.
Cornelius made a mini break to set up an attack and Phillips chipped through, but the Black and Ambers dealt with the danger and cleared.
Baker made a break and forced the home side offside, with fly half Matt O’Brien chipping to the corner. Newport collected the lineout, but O’Brien chipped to the corner, although the visitors gave away a penalty.
A clever chip through by O’Brien was almost taken by Baker but Swansea managed to get back to defend and take the ball dead. Play was brought back for a penalty and O’Brien chipped to the corner, but the visitors gave away a penalty.
O’Brien chipped to the corner with a penalty, and the visitors laid siege to the line, before an excellent tackle by prop Ed Thompson knocked them backwards, before they were edged into touch.
Half-time:- Swansea 10-0 Newport
The Black and Ambers were awarded a penalty after the Whites illegally slowed down the ball on the ground. Burgess took the lineout and the Black and Ambers struggled to make yards, before replacement centre Jon Morris made a superb break through the middle, but he threw a pass straight into the grateful arms of Ethan Fackrell. However, the Whites lost possession to give Newport a scrum five.
The Black and Ambers got their first points on the board after a powerful unstoppable scrum saw number eight Cerrig Smith touch down with ease. Lloyd converted.
Lock Ben Roberts spotted a gap in midfield and raced through the middle, but an ankle tap stopped him, before he popped up a pass to prop Daf Davies, but support was slow to arrive and Newport were awarded a penalty.
Lloyd chipped to the corner with a penalty, and lock Josh Skinner took the lineout and the visitors drove towards the line, with the Daf Davies yellow carded for a professional foul. Newport opted for a scrum, and the forwards battered the line, but play was brought back for another penalty.
A scrum followed, but this time the home side repelled and secured a turnover, with Phillips able to clear at the next play.
Skinner took the resulting lineout, but a poor kick by Lloyd sailed out on the full to give the Whites a rare spell of possession. The home side were then awarded a penalty, which Phillips chipped up to the 22.
A superb link up between Richards and scrum half Dafydd Buckland sparked an attack for the visitors and a high tackle gave the visitors a penalty, which Lloyd chipped to the corner.
Hooker Henry Palmer charged towards the line from the rolling maul, which stretched the Newport defence and enabled Lloyd to find Richards for the try. Lloyd converted.
Replacement prop Tom Crockett and Daf Davies powered forward for the Whites, and scrum half Iwan Temblett looked to dance his way around a couple of tackles, but play was brought back for a penalty, which Phillips chipped to the corner.
Roberts took the lineout and a superb rolling maul, joined by a few Swansea backs, sent Ethan Fackrell over for a try. Phillips converted.
The visitors looked to attack from half way, initially stretching the Whites’ defence, before replacement scrum half Logan Franklin’s high kick was knocked forward by full back Lewis Edwards, but the Black and Ambers failed to make the most of the chance.
Lloyd found touch inside the Swansea half with a penalty, and the visitors collected possession, but knocked the ball forward.
Hopkins made a superb break upfield, and found replacement winger Willis Wood was in support, as the Whites’ pack looked to manage the game in the dying seconds.
The Black and Ambers regained possession and looked to run from their own 22, but it was the All Whites who regained possession, with replacement hooker King racing clear from the 22 to touch down for a superb try to seal a hard fought victory. Phillips converted.
Next up for Swansea is a trip to Colwyn Bay to face RGC 1404, while Newport travel to Carmarthen.
Full-time:- Swansea 24-14 Newport
Swansea:
Tries:- Jacob Hopkins (8), Ethan Fackrell (77), Rhodri King 80+8)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (9, 78, 80+9)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (19)
Yellow cards:- Daf Davies (58)
Newport:
Tries:- Cerrig Smith (51), Dai Richards (73)
Cons:- Jac Lloyd (52, 74)
Match facts:
Venue:- Broadacre, Dunvant
Weather:- Heavy rain, 15C
Man of the match:- Jacob Hopkins
Referee:- Ben Whitehouse
Attendance:- 500
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Iwan Glynn (rep: Willis Wood 72)
13 Callum Carson
12 Joe Thomas
11 Ieuan Cornelius (rep: Tom Crockett 60-70)
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Kai Inker 78)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 70)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Rhodri King 72)
3 Ed Thompson
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Cai Arnold 72)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Callum Bowden (cc)
7 Ethan Fackrell (rep: Brandon Owens 78)
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Rhodri King
17 Logan Heaven-Hearne
18 Tom Crockett
19 Cai Arnold
20 Brandon Owens
21 Kai Inker
22 Luke Davies
23 Willis Wood
Newport team:
15 Carwyn Penny
14 Fin Baker
13 Dai Richards
12 Jac Lloyd
11 Morgan Williams
10 Matt O’Brien (rep: Jon Morris 41)
9 Dafydd Buckland ©
1 Tom Workman (rep: Liam Newstead 78)
2 Henry Palmer
3 Garin Harris (rep: Ollie Drake 65)
4 Josh Skinner
5 Morgan Burgess (rep: Callum Bradbury 65)
6 Tiehi Chatham
7 Josh Reid (rep: Ioan Rhys Davies 65)
8 Cerrig Smith
Replacements:
16 Aneurin Jenkins
17 Liam Newstead
18 Ollie Drake
19 Callum Bradbury
20 Ioan Rhys Davies
21 Logan Franklin
22 Jon Morris
23 Joe Salter