Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photo by: Riley Sports Photography
An injury-ravaged All Whites side managed to rescue a late bonus point as they fell to an opening day defeat to Carmarthen Quins following a difficult second half.
Things couldn’t have started better for Swansea as great counter rucking from secured a turnover on half way, with prop Chris Davies tidying up possession on the floor. Then a good run out wide by full back Harri Houston caught the Quins’ defence napping, and centre Lewis Edwards raced clear for a well taken try. Fly half Josh Phillips converted.
The visitors strayed in front of an Aron Hemmings box kick to gift Carmarthen a penalty, which fly half Ifan Davies chipped into the 22. Lock Lee Taylor took the lineout and the Quins’ pack drove forward, but centre Osian Jones failed to take a pass and knocked on.
Another home penalty soon followed when the Whites’ forwards failed to roll away after a tackle. Ifan Davies opted to chip into the corner and Taylor rose high to collect the lineout, with winger Louis Rees well tackled out wide, before flanker Gethin Davies stretched over to score. Ifan Davies converted.
A powerful drive by the Quins’ pack took play up to half way, but Chris Davies did well to win the ball on the floor, although the home side were soon back in possession, albeit a forward pass brought an end to any potential attack.
Full back Eilir George made an outstanding run, where he weaved inbetween Whites defenders, before finding touch deep inside the Swansea 22. The visitors gave away a penalty following intense pressure by the Quins, with Ifan Davies dinking the ball into touch.
A routine lineout by the home side saw hooker Lewis Morgan peel off the ruck and crash over the line for a second Carmarthen try. Ifan Davies missed the conversion.
Ifan Davies cut through the Swansea defence but a loose pass was taken by replacement hooker Owen Thomas, who fed Callum Dodd on the wing, although he was tackled. The home side quickly recycled the ball though with Hemmings firing a pass to replacement flanker Ryan Jones who burst through to score under the posts. Phillips converted.
A Swansea player was taken out in the air so Phillips found touch inside the Carmarthen half with his penalty. The Quins were penalised again, this time for killing the ball, and Phillips chipped right into the corner.
Lock Chris Thompson took the lineout and the visitors tried to spread play out wide, but Houston was tackled, and then Phillips’ chip through beat winger Tom Edwards over the dead ball line.
An outstanding passing move between flanker Geraint Powell, number eight Luca Giannini and centre Joe Thomas took the Whites over half way, and the Swansea men were awarded yet another penalty. Phillips found touch just inside the 22, but prop Cameron Jones spilled the lineout forward into the grateful hands of Morgan.
The home side looked to attack again and the touch judge stepped in to speak to both captains, with Cameron Jones shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle. Ifan Davies therefore chipped up to the 22 with the penalty and the home side rumbled forward, before Morgan picked up to score Carmarthen’s third try. Ifan Davies converted.
A superb break by Phillips got the Whites back on the front foot and a chip ahead was knocked forward by the Quins, giving Swansea an attacking set piece on the 22.
Joe Thomas took a crash ball and made some yards and was backed up by replacement prop Freddie Chapman, before the home side gave away a penalty. Sensing half time approaching, Phillips opted to kick a goal and he successfully narrowed the deficit to two points.
Half-time:- Carmarthen 19-17 Swansea
A superb chip and gather by Phillips looked to have sparked an attack for the visitors straight after the restart, but the ball was lost forward.
Taylor then took a lineout on half way, but Cameron Jones came away with possession from the maul, although Hemmings held on after the tackle and was penalised.
A clever chip over the top by Ifan Davies was almost taken by winger Iori Badham, but the ball beat him into touch with the try line begging.
Tom Edwards took a crossfield kick by Phillips, but Hemmings was adjudged to have taken out a man without the ball. Centre Osian Jones kicked the resulting penalty goal.
A strong run by Giannini on the flank got Swansea on the front foot, with Cameron Jones also breaking through a tackle, handing a pass to Hemmings, but Cameron Jones dropped a pass to end the move.
Tom Edwards dropped a high ball under pressure, and the visitors compounded his error by straying offside, giving Ifan Davies an opportunity to find touch on the 22. Failure to roll away at the ruck gave the Quins another penalty, which Osian Jones converted.
Houston was penalised for holding on after the tackle, but scrum half Rhodri Davies made the cardinal sin of taking a quick tap and losing the ball forward.
Lewis Edwards chipped out on the full to gift Carmarthen with an attacking lineout on the Swansea 22, but a poor lineout throw by Morgan was easily taken by Owen Thomas at the back.
The home pack collapsed a scrum, giving Swansea a penalty on half way, with Phillips finding touch just shy of the 22. The Whites looked to attack but were turned over by an outstanding Quins defence.
Flanker Tom Phillips took a lineout with Osian Jones making a half break, forcing the visitors offside. Osian Jones kicked deep into the 22 and replacement lock Ryan Bean took the lineout and a powerful rolling maul saw lock Josh Helps score a bonus point try for the Quins. Osian Jones converted.
Ryan Jones was penalised for holding on after the tackle moments after the restart and Osian Jones found touch on the 22. A clever chip through by Osian Jones was almost taken by Rees but the ball went dead, although play was brought back for a penalty, which Osian Jones again chipped into the corner.
From the lineout, the Carmarthen pack kept the ball tight, before number eight Lewis Millin used his power to burrow over for a try. Osian Jones converted.
Houston superbly collected the restart as the Whites went in search of some consolation, and offside by the Quins gave the visitors a penalty, which replacement fly half Harri Williams chipped into the 22.
Replacement scrum half Iwan Temblett took a further quick tap penalty and substitute prop Connor Allen was yellow carded for deliberate offside. Replacement flanker Cai Davies took a quick tap penalty and got his side a try and a possible way back into the game. Williams missed the conversion.
Carmarthen looked certain to score a try at the death, but an interception by Temblett saw the scrum half race up to the 22, and although he was tackled by Rees, winger Callum Dodd popped up to finish off the move. Williams converted.
It wasn’t enough though as despite Swansea throwing the kitchen sink, Carmarthen were able to hold on for a deserved victory.
Full-time:- Carmarthen 39-29 Swansea
Carmarthen:
Tries:- Gethin Davies (11), Lewis Morgan (21, 38), Josh Helps (68), Lewys Millin (74)
Cons:- Ifan Davies (12, 39), Osian Jones (69, 75)
Pens:- Osian Jones (48, 56)
Yellow cards:- Connor Allen (77)
Swansea:
Tries:- Lewis Edwards (3), Ryan Jones (23), Cai Davies (78), Callum Dodd (80+4)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (4, 24), Harri Williams (80+5)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (40+5)
Yellow cards:- Cameron Jones (36)
Match facts:
Venue:- The Park, Carmarthen
Weather:- Sunny, 16C
Referee:- Ben Breakspear
Man of the match:- Lewis Morgan
Attendance:- 400
Carmarthen team:
15 Eilir George
14 Louis Rees
13 Iestyn Gwilliam
12 Osian Jones
11 Iori Badham
10 Ifan Davies
9 Rhodri Davies
1 James Newnian (rep: Rhys Fawcett 9)
2 Lewis Morgan
3 Ifan James (rep: Connor Allen 48)
4 Lee Taylor
5 Josh Helps
6 Tom Phillips ©
7 Gethin Davies
8 Lewyn Millin
Replacements:
16 Sion Jones
17 Rhys Fawcett
18 Connor Allen
19 Ryan Bean
20 Iestyn Richards
21 Ryan Davies
22 Lucca Setaro
23 Callum Woolley
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Callum Dodd (rep: Freddie Chapman 40+3-41)
13 Lewis Edwards
12 Joe Thomas ©
11 Tom Edwards (rep: Brandon Wood 71)
10 Josh Phillips (rep: Harri Williams 71)
9 Aron Hemmings (rep: Iwan Temblett 52)
1 Cameron Jones (rep: Freddie Chapman 71)
2 Llew Phillips-Taylor (rep: Owen Thomas 13)
3 Chris Davies (rep: Kian Hire 55)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Cai Davies 77)
5 Sam Pailor
6 Joe Greaves (rep: Ryan Jones 13)
7 Geraint Powell
8 Luca Giannini
Replacements:
16 Owen Thomas
17 Freddie Chapman
18 Kian Hire
19 Cai Davies
20 Ryan Jones
21 Iwan Temblett
22 Harri Williams
23 Brandon Wood