Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
An outstanding second display saw the All Whites sweep to a bonus point victory over Carmarthen Quins, although an Ebbw Vale victory ended Hugh Gustafson’s side’s faint hopes of reaching the cup final.
It was a frantic start for both sides with centre Ryan Davies flying in with a tackle on opposite number Callum Dodd, but the first Whites’ attack lost impetus with fly half Josh Phillips penalised for holding on after the tackle. Fly half Ellis Payne chipped into the corner.
Lock Iestyn Wood took the lineout and the Quins’ pack drove forward with scrum half Lucca Setaro making a sniping run to the line, before he was stopped just short. The ball was recycled quickly, but the Swansea defence remained resolute and Setaro threw a needless forward pass.
Lock Lee Taylor took a lineout on half way and flanker Keanu Evans caught a pass on the crash ball, but the supporting Payne lost possession forward, and the home side gave away a penalty.
Carmarthen gave away a penalty after a chaser strayed in front of a kick, giving Phillips the chance to kick deep into the corner. Hooker Jamie Cox drove forward from the lineout, but a skilled Quins defence turned over possession on the line.
Lock Matt Dodd collected a lineout inside his own half and the Whites’ pack drove forward with a rolling maul, but scrum half Matthew Aubrey’s box kick was easily taken, although an outstanding tackle by centre James Price stopped the Quins in their tracks.
Flanker Taine Morgan burst through the middle at the next play though to get the home side back into an attacking position. This allowed Payne to make a break, but was he tackled in the 22, and the Quins recycled ball, with a long pass out wide sending full back Eilir George strolling over for a try. Payne missed the conversion.
Price nipped in to steal a loose ball that spilled out of a ruck and the Quins’ defence was penalised for failing to roll away after the tackle. Phillips found touch a few metres short of the line with a superb kick, but lock Chris Thompson spilled the lineout forward.
The Whites were soon back on the attack though as Aubrey fed flanker Owen Thomas on the wing, with prop Ed Thompson taking a difficult pass, before Cox dummied his way over for a try in the corner. Phillips missed the conversion.
A poor restart by Payne sailed out on the full to give Swansea a scrum on half way. Phillips superbly switched play to the right hand side of the pitch with full back Iwan Glynn making a devastating break, but the visitors were penalised for diving over the top of a ruck.
Flanker Joe Greaves took a lineout and the home side worked their way forward with superb backs play but winger Tom Edwards’ pass out wide sailed into touch to end the move.
Cox stole in at a lineout, but Greaves was unable to take a pass, allowing the Quins to clear after the visitors failed to roll away from a tackle.
The home pack gave away a penalty at the scrum and Phillips chipped up towards the 22. The fly half was stopped with a thunderous tackle and the Whites lost possession soon after.
A superb tackle saw Quins spill the ball on their own 22, with prop Kian Hire charging forward, but winger Harri Houston’s little chip through was easily dealt with by the home side. Swansea came close to a second try when Tom Edwards chipped through, but he was unable to take the ball with the line at his mercy.
Number eight Cai Davies tried to race out of defence and he worked the ball to winger Ifan Davies, who chipped through, but Glynn dealt with the danger and cleared long.
A powerful rolling maul by the visitors made 10 metres, before the Whites got the ball out into midfield, although Price was penalised for holding on after the tackle, and Payne chipped up to the 22.
Taine Morgan took the lineout and hooker Lewis Morgan charged into the 22, but the All Whites superbly stole possession and cleared to touch for half time.
Half-time:- Carmarthen Quins 5-5 Swansea
A superb link up between Payne, Setaro and George took the Quins into the Swansea 22 as they upped the pace in the second half. Number eight Lewys Millin powered towards the line but was stopped and play was brought back for a home penalty.
Payne opted to chip into the corner and Taylor took the lineout, with Millin powering over for a try. Payne converted.
The home side were penalised for an infringement at the lineout and Phillips chipped deep into the 22. Chris Thompson collected the lineout and the Whites’ pack drove forward, before the ball was swept out wide with Houston close to scoring, before the ball was held up just short. Play was brought back for a penalty after the Quins’ pack brought down the maul, with Phillips chipping into the corner again.
Greaves this time took the lineout and Cox peeled off the maul, but he was well tackled. Matt Dodd came close to scoring, before Aubrey snipped over for a try. Phillips converted.
The home side used their muscle to work upfield and the visitors were penalised for failing to roll away after the tackle. Replacement fly half Osian Jones chipped deep into the corner and Wood took the lineout, but the home side gave away a penalty. Substitute scrum half Rhodri Lewis took a quick tap penalty, but Carmarthen transgressed seconds later by holding on after the tackle.
George fielded a high Aubrey box kick, but the scrum half was handed a second opportunity, and this time was successful with a 50/22.
Chris Thompson took the lineout just inside the Carmarthen 22 and the ball was worked to Lewis, before Glynn tried a chip to the corner. Although the Quins initially dealt with it, they weren’t able to clear very far, giving Swansea a close range attacking lineout.
Greaves rose high to collect the ball and a well-controlled rolling maul saw Cox power over for a try. Phillips converted.
The Quins looked to hit back immediately and were back in the Swansea 22 immediately, earning a penalty when the Swansea defence failed to release the man in the tackle. Osian Jones chipped into the corner and replacement lock Josh Helps took the lineout, with substitute hooker Griff Williams driving over for a try. Osian Jones missed the conversion.
Swansea were awarded a penalty after the Carmarthen defence failed to roll away. Phillips chose to kick at goal and booted his side five points clear.
Replacement lock Geraint Powell dropped the restart to give the Quins an attacking scrum inside the Swansea half with just 10 minutes left on the clock. Swansea managed to regain possession in a maul after the ball was ripped out of the hands of George, and Powell powered forward, but the supporting man spilled the ball forward.
A poor kick by Callum Dodd sailed out on the full to give Carmarthen a lineout on half way, but a late tackle gifted the Whites a penalty, which he successfully converted.
The visitors sealed a well-earned victory when replacement scrum half Iwan Temblett stepped in to intercept a pass, and he raced clear unopposed to score under the posts. Phillips converted.
Greaves took a scrappy clearance kick by the Quins inside their own 22 and the visitors were awarded a penalty, which Phillips chipped into the corner. Powell collected the lineout, but the Quins’ defence managed to repel the rolling maul.
Millin managed to make ground inside his own 22 despite a retreating Quins scrum, but the visitors stole possession, and Houston rounded off the win by squeezing over for a try in the corner. Phillips converted.
Next up for Carmarthen is a trip to Pontypool, while Swansea host Ebbw Vale.
Full-time:- Carmarthen Quins 17-39 Swansea
Carmarthen Quins:
Tries:- Eilir George (15), Lewys Millin (45), Gruff Williams (66)
Cons:- Ellis Payne (46)
Swansea:
Tries:- Jamie Cox (22), Matthew Aubrey (52), Jamie Cox (62), Iwan Temblett (80), Harri Houston (80+6)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (53, 63, 80+1, 80+7)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (68, 77)
Match facts:
Venue:- The Park, Carmarthen
Weather:- Sunny, 9C
Referee:- Matthew Leon
Man of the match:- Josh Phillips
Attendance:- 300
Carmarthen Quins team:
15 Eilir George
14 Ifan Davies
13 Ryan Davies
12 Elis Thomas (rep: Gabe McDonald 61)
11 Louis Rees
10 Ellis Payne (rep: Osian Jones 47)
9 Lucca Setaro (rep: Rhodri Lewis 47)
1 James Newnian ©
2 Lewis Morgan (rep: Gruff Williams 57)
3 Ifan James (rep: Connor Allen 57)
4 Lee Taylor (rep: Josh Helps 63)
5 Iestyn Wood
6 Taine Morgan (rep: Iestyn Richards 47)
7 Keanu Evans
8 Lewys Millin
Replacements:
16 Gruff Williams
17 Lewis Jones
18 Connor Allen
19 Josh Helps
20 Iestyn Richards
21 Rhodri Lewis
22 Osian Jones
23 Gabe McDonald
Swansea team:
15 Iwan Glynn
14 Harri Houston
13 Callum Dodd
12 James Price (rep: Joe Thomas 73)
11 Tom Edwards
10 Josh Phillips
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 67)
1 Ed Thompson (rep: Tom Crockett 57)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Daf Davies 57)
3 Kian Hire
4 Matt Dodd (rep: Sam Pailor 70)
5 Chris Thompson (rep: Geraint Powell 70)
6 Joe Greaves
7 Owen Thomas © (rep: Callum Bowden 41)
8 Cai Davies (rep: Seb Davies 63)
Replacements:
16 Seb Davies
17 Tom Crockett
18 Daf Davies
19 Sam Pailor
20 Geraint Powell
21 Callum Bowden
22 Iwan Temblett
23 Joe Thomas