By: Paul Hopkins
It was heartbreak for the All Whites as a last gasp try by former player Morgan Allen clinched a one-point victory for Pontypool in the first ever Super Rygbi Cymru Cup match.
In the opening stages, lock Ben Roberts took a lineout inside the Pontypool half with number eight Joe Greaves charging forward, but fly half Harri Williams’ crossfield kick was well taken by winger Amosa Nove, who marked the ball inside his own 22.
Nove made a superb break on the wing and up to the Swansea 22, but centre James Price ripped the ball out of the hands of his opponent, although play was brought back for a home penalty. Fly half Kieran Meek successfully kicked the three pointer.
Lock Ieuan Jones tapped back a lineout on half way and the home forwards made good yards upfield, but scrum half Owain Leonard’s box kick was well taken by winger Tom Edwards.
The home pack managed to regain possession at the maul though and were also awarded a penalty when the Swansea defence crept offside in midfield. Meek doubled his side’s lead with a penalty goal.
Flanker Geraint Powell was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the air, and Meek found touch inside the Swansea half, although his side lost possession and gave away a penalty.
Nove kept the touch finder infield with a flying catch and the All Whites’ defence again crept offside, allowing Meek to find touch just shy of the 22.
Lock Dan Hill took the lineout and Pooler got the ball out wide for full back Jordan Thomas to make a mini break, before Meek burst through a tackle to hand a scoring pass to Leonard. Meek converted.
Flanker Adam Stratton rose superbly to collect the restart, but a poor pass out wide by Meek slowed down the move, forcing Leonard to box kick possession away, although flanker Owen Thomas took his eye off the ball and spilled it forward.
Out of nowhere, a moment of ill-discipline by Thomas cost his side a penalty and saw him sent to the sidelines for 10 minutes.
A flashpoint saw a fight break out and it was the home side who were awarded a penalty, with Meek finding touch deep inside the Swansea 22, but the visitors stole possession at the maul and looked to counterattack.
A well-angled box kick by scrum half Matthew Aubrey found touch just five metres from the Pontypool line to give the home side a rare spell of territory.
Roberts stole in at the lineout to give Swansea an attacking opportunity, but a crunching tackle forced Price to knock on just short of the line.
Hill took a lineout inside his own half and winger Edwards spilled a Leonard box kick into touch to give Pontypool possession on half way. Stratton this time took the lineout, but centre Scott Williams lost possession, with Owen Thomas setting his side on the attack.
Winger Callum Dodd made a break on the wing into the Pontypool 22 and the ball was switched quickly across to the other wing, with Price showing great strength to stay up in as maul, before Callum Dodd popping up to score in the corner. Full back Josh Phillips converted.
Centre Joe Thomas powered over half way for a rejuvenated Swansea and Greaves spotted a gap in midfield as he raced through and found Aubrey on his shoulder for a try. Phillips converted.
A wayward kick by Thomas was taken by Callum Dodd and the Whites used their backs well, with the winger linking up again to send Aubrey over for his second try. Fly half Harri Williams converted.
The visitors were awarded a penalty after a Pontypool chaser was in front of Meek’s kick. Williams chipped inside the 22 and Powell took the lineout, but the home side were penalised for offside. Phillips kicked his side into an 11-point lead at the interval.
Half-time:- Pontypool 13-24 Swansea
Lock Ieuan Jones made a superb break through the middle and found Leonard in support. Flanker Scott Matthews was close to being driven over and the Whites gave away a penalty, from which Pontypool took a quick tap, with Jones crashing over for a try. Meek converted.
The home pack gave away a penalty inside their own half and Williams chose to chip into the corner. Powell took the lineout and the visitors drove forward with Greaves close to crashing over, before Scott Williams was able to regather possession and clear.
A powerful scrum from the Pontypool front eight gave the home side a penalty, but Meek missed his touch finder.
Nove made a break on the wing, with replacement flanker Mikey Herbert and centre Joel Mahony providing support in midfield, but players were too slow to arrive so the visitors were awarded a relieving penalty.
A super 50/22 kick by Phillips gave Swansea an attacking lineout. Roberts rose high to collect the ball, but the supporting prop Ed Thompson held on after the tackle.
Swansea were back in possession moments later with a scrum inside the Pooler half. The backs spread the ball out wide, Edwards’ chip ahead was deflected into touch off a Pontypool hand.
Price stole in at the back of a clever lineout, but he was telegraphed by the Pontypool defence. The ball was recycled by the visitors though and winger Matthew Powell was forced to take a chip ahead into touch to deny opposite number Edwards a certain score.
Replacement lock Matt Dodd took the ball at the front of the lineout, but the home defence secured a turnover, although an inexplicable forward pass by Meek put his side under pressure.
He paid the ultimate price as Aubrey got quick ball out of the scrum and fed the ball through the hands of Williams and Price to send Callum Dodd over for a try in the corner. Phillips converted.
Callum Dodd showed superb strength in midfield and it took brave work by Nove to defend a chip through with replacement flanker Callum Bowden bearing down on him, although the home side were awarded a much needed penalty.
A superb break through the middle by replacement scrum half Dylan Davies caught the Whites off guard and a chip through wasn’t dealt with properly by Edwards, allowing Powell to nip in for a try. Meek missed the conversion.
Nove was penalised for obstruction and Williams was able to get his side into an attacking area with a touch finder. Roberts took the lineout and Joe Thomas switched direction but lost possession.
Nove tried to run out of his 22, but Meek sliced his clearance kick into touch to gift the visitors with a lineout just shy of the 22. Dodd took the ball and Williams dropped back into the pocket, but his drop goal attempt was charged down.
The visitors were awarded a late penalty and Williams chose to kick into the corner. Roberts collected the lineout, but the Swansea men were unable to make any headway and gave away a penalty, which Meek chipped up to half way. Then a second penalty followed, which Meek kicked up to within the 22.
Jones took the lineout and hooker Connor Chapman charged upfield towards the line, but he was stopped by a determined Swansea defence. The Pontypool forwards threw the kitchen sink at the line and got their reward with replacement number eight Allen powering over for a try. Meek kicked the conversion to secure a hard fought win for Pontypool.
Next up for Swansea is a home match against Newport, while Pontypool travel to Carmarthen.
Full-time:- Pontypool 32-31 Swansea
Pontypool:
Tries:- Owain Leonard (13), Ieuan Jones (44), Matthew Powell (71), Morgan Allen (80+8)
Cons:- Kieran Meek (14, 45, 80+9)
Pens:- Kieran Meek (5, 9)
Yellow cards:- Jordan Thomas (18)
Swansea:
Tries:- Callum Dodd (28, 66), Matthew Aubrey (31, 34)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (29, 32, 67), Harri Williams (34)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (40+1)
Yellow cards:- Geraint Powell (10)
Match facts:
Venue:- Pontypool Park, Pontypool
Weather:- Sunny, 5C
Referee:- Ben Whitehouse
Man of the match:- Ieuan Jones
Attendance:- 800
Pontypool team:
15 Jordan Thomas
14 Matthew Powell
13 Joel Mahoney ©
12 Scott Williams (rep: Tye Davies 73)
11 Amosa Nove
10 Kieran Meek
9 Owain Leonard (rep: Dylan Davies 67 (rep: Connor Chapman 80+6))
1 Harry Drane (rep: Kyan Best 52)
2 Connor Chapman
3 Sam Cochrane (rep: Kelvyn Williams 64)
4 Ieuan Jones
5 Dan Hill (rep: Buster Bodkin 76)
6 Scott Matthews (rep: Mikey Herbert 52)
7 Adam Stratton
8 Lewis Robey (rep: Morgan Allen 52)
Replacements:
16 Dan Morgan
17 Kyan Best
18 Kelvyn Williams
19 Morgan Allen
20 Buster Bodkin
21 Dylan Davies
22 Tye Davies
23 Mikey Herbert
Swansea team:
15 Josh Phillips
14 Tom Edwards
13 Joe Thomas
12 James Price
11 Callum Dodd
10 Harri Williams
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Aron Hemmings 72)
1 Ed Thompson
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Llew Phillips-Taylor 65)
3 Ellis Fackrell (rep: Chris Davies 56)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Matt Dodd 49)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Geraint Powell
7 Owen Thomas © (rep: Callum Bowden 49)
8 Joe Greaves (rep: Sam Pailor 79)
Replacements:
16 Llew Phillips-Taylor
17 Tom Crockett
18 Chris Davies
19 Matt Dodd
20 Sam Pailor
21 Callum Bowden
22 Iwan Temblett
23 Aron Hemmings