By: Paul Hopkins
Ebbw Vale completed a treble over Swansea and claimed the inaugural season-ending Shield in a tough encounter at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium.
Results elsewhere condemned Swansea to the bottom of the league anyway, and they’ll now face a trip to Bridgend in the wildcard playoffs, with the unenviable task of the Arms Park awaiting the winner.
Prop Daf Davies dropped a pass in his own 22 in the opening seconds to gift Ebbw Vale with an attacking opportunity, from which the Whites collapsed a scrum.
Fly half Ethan Phillips chose to chip into the corner and lock Ewan McIntyre took the lineout, with hooker Joe Franchi powering over for an opening try from a rolling maul. Winger Ewan Bowden converted.
Swansea hit back immediately after a mistake by the home side allowed full back Harri Houston to stretch his legs, and he ghosted past a tackle to score. Fly half Tal Rees converted.
A superb take by winger Harry Rees-Weldon got the home side back on the attack and the visitors were caught offside in midfield. Phillips found touch right in the corner with a booming kick and from the lineout lock Jack Pope collected the ball, but flanker Cameron Regan was held up over the line.
Play was brought back for another Ebbw penalty, which Phillips again chipped to the corner. Pope rose high again and this Joe Franchi broke clear of the maul and crashed over for a try. Bowden converted.
A high kick by Houston was easily taken by Pope and ping pong between Phillips and Houston ended up with an Ebbw Vale lineout on half way.
Houston fired a pass out to centre Joe Thomas, who dummied his way past a tackler and found Houston again with an inside pass, before the Ebbw Vale defence crept offside in midfield. Rees found touch deep in the corner with his penalty and flanker Dan Gemine took the lineout, but his side overcomplicated the move and lost possession forward.
The Steelmen were penalised for failing to roll away from the ruck, and Rees found touch just inside the 22, but McIntyre stole the lineout and the home side were able to clear.
Ebbw Vale were awarded a penalty at the lineout and Phillips chipped up to the 22. Regan took the lineout and a rolling maul made important yards before centre Cameron Davies popped up on a crash ball, but the home side lost possession forward.
Phillips almost broke through a tackle in midfield as the home side looked to show some enterprise, but scrum half Dan Buffery spilled the ball at the base of the ruck.
The Whites used their backs well to get over half way and were awarded another offside penalty, which Rees chipped to touch. Lock Liam Edwards collected the lineout and winger Ieuan Cornelius secured possession by claiming a loose ball, but Daf Davies was penalised for a dangerous tackle and promptly yellow carded.
The Ebbw Vale forwards inched forward with plenty of carries, before the Whites transgressed by straying offside. Phillips chipped into the corner and McIntyre took the lineout, but the visitors superbly defended the rolling maul to earn a much needed turnover.
Joe Franchi stole in at the back of a Swansea lineout, but Phillips’ chip ahead beat the chasing Bowden into touch a couple of metres short of the line.
The home side gave away a penalty at the scrum and poor discipline saw them marched 10 metres back too. Rees found touch on the 22 with his penalty and lock Ben Roberts took the lineout, with number eight Cai Davies stopped in his tracks. The ball was recycled out wide to Joe Thomas, but Gemine lost the ball in the tackle.
Roberts took another lineout and centre Callum Dodd brought down in midfield, before the ball was sent out wide for Cornelius to run onto a pass for a superb try. Rees missed the conversion.
Half-time:- Ebbw Vale 14-12 Swansea
The visitors were awarded a penalty after half time, which Rees chipped up to the 22. Hooker Jamie Cox charged forward from the lineout and hands in the ruck prevented Gemine from getting the ball out, so Swansea were handed another penalty, which Rees again kicked to touch. A dogged Ebbw Vale defence forced a mistake though and they were able to clear from a scrum.
Number eight Ryan Jenkins spotted a gap but it was promptly closed by the Whites’ defence, although Hugh Gustafson’s men gave away a penalty moments later, with backchat taking them ten metres back.
Phillips found touch just shy of the 22 and centre Dom Franchi took a crash ball from the lineout, before Jenkins powered forward, but a professional foul by prop Ed Thompson saw him yellow carded, and Phillips also chipped deep into the corner with the penalty.
Pope took the lineout and a powerful rolling maul saw replacement hooker Ieuan Morris crash over for a simple try. Bowden converted.
A fantastic kick by Phillips forced Houston to scramble back to prevent a 50/22, but the full back’s clearance kick sliced into touch to give the home side a lineout, although a forward pass in midfield brought an end to the move.
The home side didn’t retreat from a Matt Jones chip ahead and Rees chipped up to the 22 with the penalty. Roberts took the lineout and replacement number eight Owen Thomas powered forward, before winger Harvey James was well tackled out wide. Replacement scrum half Matthew Aubrey tried to go alone and was stopped a metre short, but the home defence were penalised for killing the ball.
Aubrey took a tap penalty and the Ebbw Vale men gave away another penalty, with flanker Sion Parry yellow carded. This time replacement lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, but heroic defence by the home side kept Swansea out.
Matt Dodd collected another lineout and Joe Thomas was tackled in midfield, but a chip through by Rees was well gathered by the Steelmen who cleared up to their 22.
Replacement flanker Owen Conquer powered forward from an advancing Ebbw Vale scrum, with substitute full back Morgan Richards over the 22 and Jenkins showing good strength to batter his way forward, but Swansea secured a turnover and cleared.
Phillips chipped into the corner with a penalty and a rolling maul followed, but it didn’t make much ground, forcing the home side to get the ball out. Richards made a dart through, but the supporting Jenkins lost the ball forward over the line.
The home side were handed one more chance to clinch two bonus points when an Aubrey clearance kick sailed into touch inside the Swansea half, but replacement prop Ellis Fackrell stole the lineout.
In the dying seconds the Whites were back on the attack, and a superb crossfield kick by Rees found Houston for a try in the corner. Rees hit the post with his conversion attempt.
Ebbw Vale will now face the winner of RGC 1404 and Carmarthen in the league quarter-finals, while Swansea will travel to the Brewery Field where they’ll meet Bridgend in the wildcard playoffs.
Full-time:- Ebbw Vale 21-17 Swansea
Ebbw Vale:
Tries:- Joe Franchi (3, 12), Ieuan Morris (53)
Cons:- Ewan Bowden (4, 13, 54)
Yellow cards:- Sion Parry (62)
Swansea:
Tries:- Harri Houston (5, 80+5), Ieuan Cornelius (40+3)
Cons:- Tal Rees (6)
Yellow cards:- Daf Davies (32), Ed Thompson (52)
Match facts:
Venue:- Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale
Weather:- Cloudy, 10C
Referee:- Andrew Moule
Man of the match:- Ewan McIntyre
Attendance:- 800
Ebbw Vale team:
15 Matt Jones (rep: Morgan Richards 76)
14 Harry Rees-Weldon
13 Cameron Davies
12 Dom Franchi
11 Ewan Bowden
10 Ethan Phillips
9 Dan Buffery (rep: Rory Harries 45)
1 Morgan Davies (rep: Luke Garrett 45)
2 Joe Franchi © (rep: Ieuan Morris 41)
3 Adam Williams (rep: Adam Court 56)
4 Ewan McIntyre (rep: Gethin Williams 76)
5 Jack Pope
6 Cameron Regan (rep: Owen Conquer 56)
7 Sion Parry (rep: Lewis Young 80)
8 Ryan Jenkins
Replacements:
16 Ieuan Morris
17 Luke Garrett
18 Adam Court
19 Gethin Williams
20 Owen Conquer
21 Rory Harries
22 Morgan Richards
23 Lewis Young
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Ieuan Cornelius (rep: Ellis Fackrell 56-65, James Price 72))
13 Callum Dodd
12 Joe Thomas
11 Harvey James (rep: Tom Crockett 35-41, Tom Edwards 68))
10 Tal Rees
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Matthew Aubrey 52)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 62)
2 Jamie Cox
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Ellis Fackrell 65)
4 Liam Edwards (rep: Matt Dodd 60)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Dan Gemine (rep: Owen Thomas 54)
7 Callum Bowden ©
8 Cai Davies (rep: Chris Thompson 65)
Replacements:
16 Owen Thomas
17 Tom Crockett
18 Ellis Fackrell
19 Matt Dodd
20 Chris Thompson
21 Matthew Aubrey
22 Tom Edwards
23 James Price