By: Paul Hopkins
Swansea let slip a 12 point lead as Ebbw Vale came back to gain a bonus point win that booked them a place in the Super Rygbi Cymru Cup final.
It was an incredible start for the home side as number eight Cai Davies stole possession from the kick off, and the backs spread ball out wide for centre Callum Dodd to hold off a tackle and back his pace to score. Fly half Josh Phillips missed the conversion.
Lock Matt Dodd tried to run out of defence but was penalised for holding on after the tackle. Amidst a swirling wind, fly half Evan Lloyd chose to chip into the corner.
From the lineout lock Curtis Gregory collected the ball and the visitors worked the ball out for full back Morgan Richards to stroll over for a try. Lloyd converted.
The Ebbw Vale chasers were penalised for not retreating from a kick, giving Phillips an opportunity to chip up to the 22. Lock Ben Roberts took the lineout and Phillips made a superb break through the middle, with Cai Davies in support. Hooker Joe Franchi was penalised for killing the ball and Phillips chipped to the corner.
Roberts again collected good lineout ball and centre Joe Thomas was stopped just short of the line, although the Whites recycled ball to the other flank, but Phillips knocked the ball forward.
The visitors controlled the defensive scrum, but Lloyd sliced his clearance kick into touch. Flanker Joe Greaves took the lineout and a superb crossfield kick by Phillips was fumbled by an Ebbw Vale defender and touched down by winger Harvey James. Phillips kicked the conversion from the touchline.
Swansea looked to cut loose again with winger Tom Edwards using his pace, but Callum Dodd was caught by an Ebbw tackler and forced to hold on to give the visitors a relieving penalty.
A booming Phillips kick from inside his own 22 earned a 50/22 attacking lineout for the home side, but Roberts failed to take the lineout and the visitors were awarded a penalty shortly after.
Greaves was taken out in the air at a lineout to give the Whites a penalty, and Phillips opted to kick to the corner. Roberts this time collected the lineout clean and Callum Dodd burst through a tackle, before Lewis Edwards was tackled and held on to gift Ebbw a penalty.
Replacement scrum Rory Harries strayed in front of a kick and the Whites were awarded a penalty, which scrum half Iwan Temblett took quickly and a chip through by Phillips bounced favourably for Joe Thomas to touch down under the posts. Phillips converted.
The home side gave away a penalty at the scrum so Lloyd found touch deep inside the Swansea 22. Gregory took the lineout, but obstruction saw the home side awarded a relieving penalty.
Replacement lock Chris Thompson took a lineout on half way, but James dropped a regulation pass in midfield. Winger Ewan Bowden made a break on the wing and fed an inside pass, but centre Dom Franchi dropped the ball.
A powerful scrummaging by the Ebbw Vale pack turned over the ball and earned a penalty, which Phillips chipped into the corner.
Gregory took the lineout and a 12-man rolling maul saw Joe Franchi crash over for a try. Lloyd missed the conversion.
James made a break on the wing, but a chip ahead by Temblett was easily marked by Richards to signal half time.
Half-time:- Swansea 19-12 Ebbw Vale
Lloyd chipped into the Swansea 22 with a penalty and from the lineout the visitors formed a strong rolling maul, with Joe Franchi crashing over for a try. Lloyd curled his conversion effort between the posts.
Gregory was penalised for obstruction from the restart, so Phillips was able to get his side back into an attacking position with a close range lineout. The home side lost possession but a huge kick by Lloyd crept over the opposing dead ball line.
Flanker Sion Parry stole possession and a superb box kick by Harries bounced into touch for a 50/22. However, Joe Franchi’s lineout throw wasn’t straight.
The home pack gave away another penalty at the scrum and this time Lloyd chipped into the corner, but the visitors lost the ball forward at the lineout.
The Steelmen used their backs to good effect with Richards and replacement winger Ned Barnett linking up out wide, before Joe Thomas picked up a loose ball and raced up to half way, chipping forward, but the Ebbw Vale defence managed to track back.
Callum Dodd used his strength to power down the wing, but the Whites lost possession soon after. Parry then picked up the ball on the wing and chipped ahead, but the ball was shepherded into touch by Lewis Edwards.
The home side gave away a penalty at the breakdown, allowing Lloyd to chip into the corner. Gregory took the lineout and a powerful rolling maul saw Joe Franchi dive over for a hat trick try. Lloyd converted.
Lloyd chipped deep into the 22 for another Ebbw Vale 50/22. The lineout failed and Swansea cleared as far as Bowden, who raced back, but was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
Replacement prop Tom Crockett and Gregory were both yellow carded for their involvement in a fight, but Lloyd failed to find touch with his penalty.
The visitors were awarded a penalty after the Whites brought down a rolling mail and Lloyd chipped to the corner. Gregory collected the lineout and a superb maul saw lock Dylan Bartlett crash over for a try. Lloyd converted.
Full-time:- Swansea 19-33 Ebbw Vale
Swansea:
Tries:- Callum Dodd (1), Harvey James (15), Joe Thomas (31)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (16, 32)
Yellow cards:- Tom Crockett (73)
Ebbw Vale:
Tries:- Morgan Richards (4), Joe Franchi (40+1, 44, 68), Dylan Bartlett 78)
Cons:- Evan Lloyd (5, 45, 69, 79)
Yellow cards:- Joe Franchi (8), Curtis Gregory (73)
Match facts:
Venue:- St Helen’s, Swansea
Weather:- Light cloud, 7C
Man of the match:- Luke Garrett
Attendance:- 300
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Harvey James (rep: Iwan Glynn 61)
13 Callum Dodd
12 Joe Thomas
11 Tom Edwards (rep: Kian Hire 80+1)
10 Josh Phillips (rep: Tal Rees 79)
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Matthew Aubrey 51)
1 Ed Thompson (rep: Daf Davies 51)
2 Owen Thomas (rep: Iestyn Thomas 69)
3 Kian Hire (rep: Tom Crockett 58)
4 Matt Dodd (rep: Chris Thompson 24)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Joe Greaves
7 Callum Bowden ©
8 Cai Davies (rep: Seb Rodriguez-Davies 58)
Replacements:
16 Iestyn Thomas
17 Daf Davies
18 Tom Crockett
19 Chris Thompson
20 Seb Rodriguez-Davies
21 Matthew Aubrey
22 Tal Rees
23 Iwan Glynn
Ebbw Vale team:
15 Morgan Richards
14 Ewan Bowden
13 Ryan Gardner
12 Dom Franchi
11 Hamish Anderson (rep: Ned Bennett 25)
10 Evan Lloyd
9 Gruff Tough (rep: Rory Harries 11)
1 Luke Garrett (rep: Morgan Davies 59)
2 Joe Franchi ©
3 Adam Court (rep: Adam Williams 50)
4 Dylan Bartlett
5 Curtis Gregory
6 Cameron Regan rep: Jack Pope 50)
7 Sion Parry (rep: Kobi Rees 69)
8 Lewis Young (rep: Adam Williams 11-21, Jacob Hopkins 50))
Replacements:
16 Morgan Davies
17 Owen Hatherill
18 Adam Williams
19 Jack Pope
20 Jacob Hopkins
21 Rory Harries
22 Kobi Rees
23 Ned Bennett