By: Paul Hopkins
The All Whites came within a whisker of a shock upset against high flyers Cardiff at the Arms Park, but were denied by a late Ethan Lloyd try.
In a match that Swansea never looked out of, Lloyd’s late score unfortunately meant that the visitors left the capital city with zero points, despite a performance that deserved so much more.
It was a dream start for the visitors as fly half Harri Williams chipped up to the Cardiff 22 with a penalty touch finder, before the Whites formed a devastating 20 metre rolling maul that resulted in number eight Geraint Powell squeezing over for a try. Full back Josh Phillips converted.
Winger Edmund Anya superbly took a high kick, but centre Jason Harries dropped a regulation pass in midfield under no pressure. The visitors earned a penalty at the scrum, but winger Callum Dodd used the advantage to power over the 22, although fellow winger Marcus Brown was brought down a few metres of the line.
Williams chose to kick to the corner in a bid to hammer home Swansea’s early promise. A clever kick through by Phillips should have been dealt with by full back Joe Goodchild, but a miscommunication allowed Powell to nip in for his second try. Phillips missed the conversion though.
Lock Sean Moore took a lineout inside the Swansea half, but the supporting number eight Benji Williams spilled the ball forward. However, the All Whites gave away a penalty at the next play so fly half Josh Thomas was able to chip up to the 22 with his penalty touch finder.
The lineout was again taken by Moore and this time a well formed rolling maul saw hooker Alun Rees power over for a try. Josh Thomas missed the conversion.
A superb break by Josh Thomas gave Cardiff great territorial advantage, but his pass to Harries was poor and the visitors were able to clear.
Lock Ben Roberts just about held onto a lineout, but the visitors were driven backwards and ended up giving away a penalty, which Josh Thomas chipped into the corner.
Lock Craig Hudd this time took the lineout and another Cardiff drive saw Harries pop up on the crash ball, before the ball was worked quickly out wide for winger Kodie Stone to touch down at the corner. Josh Thomas missed the conversion.
Centre Luke Pollock managed to evade a weak tackle as the home side looked to attack but his pass to Anya was deemed forward and the move broke down.
A mistimed chip ahead by Phillips inside his own 22 was taken by Harries, but thankfully for the full back the Blue and Blacks weren’t able to make any headway, although they remained inside the opposing 22 with an attacking scrum.
Swansea gave away a penalty when the backs crept offside in midfield, and Josh Thomas chipped into the corner. It looked as though the home forwards had mauled over for a try, but a superb Whites defence held the ball up over the line.
Cardiff struggled to gain any momentum from the drop out, but Josh Thomas found touch with a grubber kick. The visitors managed to claim the lineout though and scrum half Iwan Temblett cleared to touch.
The visitors gave away yet another penalty, this time for an offside offence, with Josh Thomas kicking to the corner again, although in a sloppy piece of play, his kick strayed the other side of the try line.
Prop Ed Thompson was yellow carded as the visitors gave away one penalty too many, and Josh Thomas this time made no mistake with his touch finder, although a determined Whites defence prevented the ball from releasing from the maul.
A crossfield kick by Josh Thomas found Stone on the wing, and although he was tackled a metre short of the line, Lloyd threw a superb dummy to nip in for a well taken try. Josh Thomas converted.
A well angled restart by Williams forced Stone to step into touch just shy of the 22, although Cardiff stole the lineout. On the stroke of half time, Williams almost intercepted a pass that would have resulted in a certain try, but he spilled the ball forward.
Half-time:- Cardiff 17-12 Swansea
A superb run by Josh Thomas almost resulted in a try for Cardiff, but the supporting flanker Lucas de la Rua rushed his pass. Instead, Pollock raced down the wing in a counterattack, but he was well tackled, and the Whites were awarded a penalty. Phillips cut the gap to just two points with a successful kick at goal.
Lloyd was penalised for holding on after the tackle and Phillips kicked deep inside the 22 with his touch finder. The visitors got quick maul out of the maul with Ed Thompson and Roberts charging forward, before the Blue and Blacks stole possession a metre short of the line.
A superb run down the wing by Anya almost resulted in a try, and Lloyd recycled the ball quickly with a Josh Thomas crossfield kick taken by Stone, although the winger was tackled in the air so Cardiff were awarded a penalty. From the lineout, Alun Rees crashed over for a try from an unstoppable rolling maul. Josh Thomas dragged the conversion attempt wide.
Replacement scrum half Aron Hemmings dropped a pass and Josh Thomas made him pay by chipping deep into the corner, with Hemmings’ clearance kick only making around five metres. Moore took the lineout and a rolling maul saw Alun Rees claim a hat trick try. Josh Thomas missed the conversion.
Josh Thomas missed touch for a second successive penalty, but the All Whites were unable to make him pay, although they were awarded a scrum.
A superb run on the wing by Replacement winger Tom Edwards set up a rare Swansea attack and the home defence were penalised for failing to roll away after the tackle. Phillips chipped to the corner and the visitors got quick ball out for Edwards to score under the posts. Phillips converted.
Stone superbly collected the restart to send the home side on another attack, but Harries’ pass to replacement centre Fraser Jones was forward.
The visitors failed to get the ball out of a maul quick enough and knocked on just ten metres from their own try line, but the Whites were awarded a relieving penalty at the scrum.
Josh Thomas’ clearance kick went out on the full to give Swansea unexpected possession inside the Cardiff half. Hooker Llew Phillips-Taylor charged forward, but replacement fly half Matthew Aubrey’s chip to the corner was defused by Anya.
Replacement lock Matt Dodd took a lineout on half way and Edwards made a break on the wing, but his kick ahead was grounded dead by the home side.
Swansea were awarded another penalty at the scrum, so Phillips found touch inside the Cardiff 22. Lock Chris Thompson took the lineout, but the home side managed to hold the ball inside the maul.
Replacement flanker Joe Greaves stole a lineout inside his own half to give the Whites one last attempt at clawing back the deficit but his side lost possession forward.
And it was Cardiff who sealed victory at the death when replacements Aled Ward and Joe Williams linked up superbly to send Lloyd over for a try in the corner. Josh Thomas hit the post with his conversion attempt.
Next up for Swansea is an opening Super Rygbi Cymru Cup match at Pontypool, while Cardiff travel to Llandovery in the same competition.
Full-time:- Cardiff 33-22 Swansea
Cardiff:
Tries:- Alun Rees (14, 52, 56), Kodie Stone (19), Ethan Lloyd (38, 80+2)
Cons:- Josh Thomas (39)
Swansea:
Tries:- Geraint Powell (3, 9), Tom Edwards (66)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (4, 67)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (42)
Yellow cards:- Ed Thompson (34)
Match facts:
Venue:- Arms Park, Cardiff
Weather:- Cloudy, 2C
Referee:- Ben Breakspear
Man of the match:- Craig Hudd
Attendance:- 700
Cardiff team:
15 Joe Goodchild
14 Edmund Anya
13 Luke Pollock (rep: Fraser Jones 28)
12 Jason Harries (rep: Joe Williams 68)
11 Kodie Stone
10 Josh Thomas
9 Ethan Lloyd
1 Marc Thomas (rep: Jared Williams 68)
2 Alun Rees
3 Tom Harper (rep: Joe Cowell 57)
4 Craig Hudd
5 Sean Moore ©
6 Evan Rees (rep: Ethan Phillips 57)
7 Lucas de la Rua (rep: Will Jameson 61)
8 Benji Williams (rep: Aled Ward 41)
Replacements:
16 Charlie Manship
17 Jared Williams
18 Joe Cowell
19 Ethan Phillips
20 Aled Ward
21 Will Jameson
22 Joe Williams
23 Fraser Jones
Swansea team:
15 Josh Phillips
14 Marcus Brown (rep: Ellis Fackrell 35-40+4, Tom Edwards 60)
13 Iestyn Galton
12 Joe Thomas
11 Callum Dodd
10 Harri Williams (rep: Matthew Aubrey 57)
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Aron Hemmings 51)
1 Tom Crockett
2 Llew Phillips-Taylor (rep: Jamie Cox 32)
3 Ed Thompson
4 Chris Thompson
5 Ben Roberts (rep: Matt Dodd)
6 Dom Colman (rep: Joe Greaves 60)
7 Owen Thomas ©
8 Geraint Powell
Replacements:
16 Jamie Cox
17 Ellis Fackrell
18 Chris Davies
19 Matt Dodd
20 Joe Greaves
21 Aron Hemmings
22 Matthew Aubrey
23 Tom Edwards