By: Paul Hopkins
Swansea rounded off the 2023/24 season with a convincing bonus point win over RGC 1404 at a sun soaked Maescollen Ground in Morriston, as Rhys Jones, Tom Sloane and Lloyd Ashley played their final match for the Whites.
In the opening exchanges, winger Rhys Tudor took an Aron Hemmings box kick, but was penalised for holding on after the tackle. Fly half Rhys Jones chipped to the corner and lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, before a crossfield kick by centre Tom Florence was taken by winger Sam Stoddard, but play was brought back for another penalty.
Rhys Jones again kicked to the corner and this time flanker Lewis Marsh took the lineout, but despite an advancing maul, the home side were penalised for driving in at the side.
Prop Sloane nipped in to steal a loose lineout and fed hooker Llew Phillips-Taylor, but as the Whites got quick ball out wide, winger Llien Morgan dropped the ball under pressure.
Winger Cori Lewis-Jenkins tried to sprint through the middle but was tackled, although the RGC defence was penalised for offside in midfield. Rhys Jones chose to kick at goal and converted his chance.
A superb break by centre Gareth O Rees got Swansea back on the front foot and he cleverly found Lewis-Jenkins in support, with the RGC defence penalised for offside. Rhys Jones doubled his side’s lead with another successful kick at goal.
A stray Rhys Jones high kick was fielded by opposite number Dion Jones, who dummied past a couple of tacklers but the home side were soon back in possession, although a knock on brought an end to the move.
The home front row collapsed a scrum to give RGC a penalty on half way, which Dion Jones chipped into the corner. The visitors formed a maul, which Swansea illegally took out so Dion Jones dinked into touch again.
Number eight Sam Williams took the lineout and the home side tried to go through the phases, but lock Billy McQueeney lost possession forward and Rhys Jones cleared.
A superb link up between Stoddard and full back Sam Earl-Jones got the North Walian side on the attack, but handling again proved their downfall as Swansea were able to clear.
Full back Harri Houston tried to dance past a tackler but was caught and held on to give away a penalty. Dion Jones found touch on the 22 and lock Tal Taylor retrieved the lineout, but Sloane was penalised for failing to release the man in the tackle.
Dion Jones then found touch just a metre out from the Swansea line and Sam Williams rose high, with McQueeney making good yards before a long pass was fired out to Stoddard, but he was well tackled. Hooker Jordan Liney then took a crash ball, but Dion Jones couldn’t quite find Stoddard out wide, who was unable to take the scoring pass.
RGC grabbed the game’s first try with a superb solo effort by scrum half Efan Jones, whose quick thinking saw him take a quick tap penalty and stroll over for a try. Earl-Jones converted.
Swansea retook the lead in style when Florence raced through a weak tackle in midfield and found Hemmings in support. The scrum half was tackled but quick ball through the hands of Houston and flanker Lloyd Evans sent Morgan over for a try. Rhys Jones missed the conversion.
Stoddard and Earl-Jones linked up well as RGC embarked on another attack, but flanker Charlie Probert was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
On the stroke of half time the home side scored one of the tries of the season when Houston stretched his legs and raced 30 metres upfield, linking up with Hemmings and looping around to collect a return pass to score under the posts. Rhys Jones converted.
Half-time:- Swansea 18-7 RGC 1404
Florence tried to power through a tackle but was penalised for holding on the floor, but a poor kick by Dion Jones failed to find touch.
The home side were awarded a penalty at the scrum, but this time it was Rhys Jones who missed his touch finder. A loose clearance kick by Earl-Jones gave the Whites another chance though, but Sloane was well wrapped up in the tackle by McQueeney and his side surrendered possession.
However, a superb scrum by the home pack earned a penalty under the sticks, and the forwards opted for another scrum, but it proved the wrong option as Houston was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
A mass brawl took place on half way and Tudor was shown a yellow card for his part in it, with the All Whites also awarded a penalty, which replacement fly half James Davies chipped up to the 22.
The home side added a further try thanks to the brilliance of Houston, who split the RGC defence and fired a pass out wide to Lewis-Jenkins, who sprinted clear to score. James Davies converted.
The North Walian side hit back immediately when Dion Jones intercepted a pass and raced in to score from half way. Earl-Jones missed the conversion.
Rhys Jones kicked deep into the corner with a penalty, but his side were unable to control the maul so RGC were able to turn over possession.
Lock Lloyd Ashley rose to take a lineout on the RGC 22 with Phillips-Taylor almost breaking through, before the home side were awarded a penalty.
Hemmings took a quick tap penalty and was stopped a metre short of the line, with another penalty following, from which the front row orchestrated a tap and go before replacement prop Daf Davies stretched over to score. James Davies converted.
Flanker Dan Owen picked up a loose ball from the restart and Dion Jones danced past a tackler, but was stopped a couple of metres short. The visitors came again, but replacement Harri Hughes was squeezed out at the corner.
The visitors looked to attack again with replacement Ethan Fackrell thwarted by a last gasp Joe Thomas hack into touch, but his side was unable to control the lineout.
In the dying seconds RGC grabbed a late consolation try through Earl-Jones, who weaved his way past a tiring defence to score under the posts. He also converted.
Full-time:- Swansea 32-19 RGC 1404
Swansea:
Tries:- Llien Morgan (36), Harri Houston (40+5), Cori Lewis-Jenkins (60), Daf Davies (74)
Cons:- Rhys Jones (40+6), James Davies (61, 75)
Pens:- Rhys Jones (7, 10)
RGC 1404:
Tries:- Efan Jones (33), Dion Jones (62), Sam Earl-Jones 80+5)
Cons:- Sam Earl-Jones (34, 80+6)
Yellow cards:- Rhys Tudor (55)
Match facts:
Venue:- Maescollen Ground, Swansea
Weather:- Sunny, 15C
Referee:- Matthew Leon
Man of the match:- Cori Lewis-Jenkins
Attendance:- 250
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Llien Morgan
13 Gareth O Rees (rep: Joe Thomas 47)
12 Tom Florence
11 Cori Lewis-Jenkins (rep: Finn Thomas 61)
10 Rhys Jones (rep: James Davies 52)
9 Aron Hemmings (rep: Cameron D Jones 52)
1 Tom Sloane (rep: Daf Davies 61)
2 Llew Phillips-Taylor (rep: Finn Thomas 25-30)
3 Chris Davies (rep: Tom Furtado-Mills 61)
4 Lloyd Ashley ©
5 Matt Dodd
6 Lewis Marsh (rep: Chris Thompson 47)
7 Lloyd Evans
8 Cai Davies (rep: Sam Pailor 31)
Replacements:
16 Finn Thomas
17 Daf Davies
18 Tom Furtado-Mills
19 Chris Thompson
20 Sam Pailor
21 Cameron D Jones
22 James Davies
23 Joe Thomas
RGC 1404 team:
15 Sam Earl-Jones
14 Rhys Tudor (rep: Harri Hughes 67)
13 Louis Williams (rep: Delwyn Jones 47)
12 Afon Bagshaw ©
11 Sam Stoddard
10 Dion Jones
9 Efan Jones (rep: Tudor Jones 75)
1 Gareth Parry (rep: Joe Simpson 75)
2 Jordan Liney (rep: Rhodri King 32)
3 Pedr Jones (rep: Patrick Nelson 56)
4 Billy McQueeney (rep: Jack Davies 61)
5 Tal Taylor
6 Dan Owen
7 Charlie Probert
8 Sam Williams (rep: Ethan Fackrell 57)
Replacements:
16 Rhodri King
17 Joe Simpson
18 Patrick Nelson
19 Jack Davies
20 Ethan Fackrell
21 Tudor Jones
22 Delwyn Jones
23 Harri Hughes