Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
Swansea got back to winning ways at a wet Broadacre as they comfortably defeated neighbours Aberavon, earning six points in the process.
It was a cagey opening period with neither side looking like troubling the scoreboard, although it was the home side who dominated territory and possession.
In the first notable piece of play, scrum half Matthew Aubrey cleared up to half way, but full back Felix Gilbert took a quick lineout, although a chip ahead found fly half Josh Phillips who made great yards upfield with his kick.
Flanker Ben Gregory took the lineout, but number eight Jacob Hopkins spilled forward a Scott Whitlock box kick and the move broke down. Phillips then took a high ball and fed full back Harri Houston, but he held on after the tackle and gave away a penalty. Fly half Keillen Cullen kicked the three pointer.
Houston failed to take a high ball, which was collected by winger Cori Lewis-Jenkins inside the Swansea 22, but the home side did well to regain possession, although the clearance went only as far as Cullen. Another Whitlock box kick was taken by Phillips, who found Houston and winger Liam Lloyd in support, but the ball was lost forward.
Centre Ieuan Bissell hacked forward a loose ball, but Gregory got back to regather possession, and scrum half Whitlock was able to clear. Houston collected the ball and threw a long pass out wide to winger Iwan Glynn, but he knocked the ball forward.
The home side were awarded a penalty, but Phillips missed touch, although the Whites were soon back in possession from a drop 22. Another home penalty followed and Hopkins initially collected the lineout, before he lost the ball forward.
Lloyd ran back at the Aberavon defence from a goal line drop out, and the Whites were awarded a penalty after the visitors failed to roll away after the tackle. Phillips’ kick was good as he tied the scores at three apiece.
Centre and head coach Joe Thomas raced forward from a Wizards’ mistake, but was tackled a few metres short of the line. The home side recycled the ball and Phillips chipped forward, although centre Connor Moyse was able to ground the ball dead. Play was brought back for a penalty though and Phillips chipped to the corner. Flanker Iwan Shenton took the lineout and a maul formed, but hooker Jamie Cox was penalised for obstruction.
Cox collected a misfiring lineout and powered forward, with captain Joe Gage given a stern warning on behalf of his team after a Wizards player committed a high tackle. Phillips again chipped to the corner and lock Matt Dodd collected the lineout, but Cox spilled the ball forward.
Lock Ben Roberts took a lineout and Hopkins powered forward, with flanker Callum Bowden making further yards, before the ball was fed out to Houston, but the supporting Lloyd dropped a pass on the wing.
The home side came again through Thomas who was taken down in midfield, before a typical burst through the middle by Hopkins, saw the ball swept out to Bissell who dived over for a try. Phillips missed the conversion.
Replacement centre Noah Mason made a break inside the Swansea half but was well tackled, forcing Cullen to kick high, and Aubrey initially caught the ball, but then spilled it forward on the floor.
Lock Shay Smallman took a lineout on half way, but the Whites were penalised for pulling down a man off the ball, allowing Cullen to find touch inside the Swansea 22. Shayman again collected the lineout, but prop Daf Davies secured a turnover and the home side tried to run the ball from their own 22, but settled with an Aubrey box kick.
The home side almost capitalised on a knock on with Phillips racing down the wing, but his inside pass was collected by a desperate Wizards defence, who cleared.
A loose kick by Aubrey was taken by Gilbert who raced through the middle and found Lewis-Jenkins, but an excellent tackle by Houston secured a turnover and penalty.
Dodd took a lineout on half way and a powerful rolling maul saw Phillips sprint through the middle, but the supporting Lloyd put down a simple try scoring pass. Play was brought back for a penalty though, which Phillips chipped to the corner, and a superb rolling maul followed with Cox powering over for a try on the stroke of half time. Phillips converted.
Half-time:- Swansea 15-3 Aberavon
The Whites struck immediately after the interval when Shenton collected an Aubrey box kick and Cox tried to power forward, before a deft chip ahead by Phillips was taken by Thomas, who burst through and weaved past a tackler, before the supporting Cox picked up and did the rest to score a third Whites try. Phillips converted.
The Wizards tried to attack, but Houston diffused a chip through, but he was penalised for holding on after the tackle. Whitlock tried to take a quick tap penalty, but lost the ball forward with the line at his mercy.
Aberavon were awarded a penalty after the home side strayed offside in midfield, and Cullen booted deep up to the 22. Number eight Ashton Evans charged forward on the crash ball from the lineout, before hooker Saul Hurley picked up a loose ball to crash over for a try. Cullen converted.
The home side were awarded a scrum on the Wizards’ 22 and a quick pass saw Bissell find Thomas on a crash ball. Roberts picked up the ball, but he became isolated and lost possession forward.
Dodd took a lineout on the Aberavon 22, but a Phillips chip ahead was diffused by Moyse, although his own grubber kick was poor, with Houston collecting the ball and turning on the afterburners to race home for a bonus point try. Phillips missed the conversion.
Gilbert dropped a high ball on half way to compound the Wizards’ woes, and soon after the Whites were awarded a penalty at the scrum, from which Phillips found touch on the 22. Hopkins collected the lineout, but possession was lost in the maul.
In another shocker, Gilbert dropped a pass inside his own 22 and the Whites’ pack tidied up possession, with Phillips picking up the ball and racing in for a try. He missed the conversion though.
Mason tried to run back at the home side, and the Wizards were penalised for offside. Cullen chipped to the corner and Marsh took the lineout, but Shenton gave away a penalty for entering a ruck from the side, earning himself a yellow card.
The visitors took a quick tap penalty, and a powerful drive by the Wizards saw Evans crash over for a try. Cullen converted.
The home side responded seconds later when Lloyd made a break on the wing, and sent an inside pass to replacement flanker Luca Giannini, who scored in the corner. Phillips missed the conversion.
And moments later it was Aberavon back on the scoreboard with replacement scrum half Jayden Grey squeezing over for a try after the home side messed up at the restart. Cullen missed the conversion.
With the visitors looking to take away Swansea’s second bonus point, winger Frankie Jones tried to race out of defence and he found Gilbert in support, and the Wizards were awarded an offside penalty. Cullen chipped the corner, but the move came to nothing and the Whites were able to celebrate a well earned victory.
It’ll be a very happy Christmas for the All Whites, with both sides set to face each other again at the Talbot Athletic Ground in eight days’ time, in the final match of 2025.
Full-time:- Swansea 37-22 Aberavon
Swansea:
Tries:- Ieuan Bissell (32), Jamie Cox (40+5, 43), Harri Houston (60), Josh Phillips (66), Luca Giannini (78)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (40+6, 44)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (20)
Yellow cards:- Iwan Shenton (75)
Aberavon:
Tries:- Saul Hurley (51), Ashton Evans (77), Jayden Grey 80)
Cons:- Keillen Cullen (52, 78)
Pens:- Keillen Cullen (6)
Match facts:
Venue:- Broadacre, Dunvant
Weather:- Light cloud, 8C
Man of the match:- Joe Thomas
Attendance:- 250
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Liam Lloyd
13 Joe Thomas (rep: James Price 79)
12 Ieuan Bissell
11 Iwan Glynn
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Ellis Lewis 71)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 71)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Rhodri King 71)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Berian Williams 71)
4 Matt Dodd (rep: Cai Arnold 67)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Iwan Shenton
7 Callum Bowden (cc) (rep: Ethan Fackrell 67)
8 Jacob Hopkins (rep: Luca Giannini 71)
Replacements:
16 Rhodri King
17 Tom Crockett
18 Berian Williams
19 Cai Arnold
20 Luca Giannini
21 Ethan Fackrell
22 Ellis Lewis
23 James Price
Aberavon:
15 Felix Gilbert
14 Frankie Jones
13 Connor Moyse
12 Joe Gage (rep: Noah Mason 30)
11 Cori Lewis-Jenkins
10 Keillen Cullen
9 Scott Whitlock (rep: Jayden Grey 52)
1 Jordan Walters (rep: Freddie Chapman 63)
2 Saul Hurley (rep: Ross Fox 55)
3 Morgan James (rep: Geraint James 55)
4 Shay Smallman
5 Lewis Marsh (rep: James Clegg 55)
6 Ben Gregory (rep: George Merritt 55)
7 Charlie Herdman
8 Ashton Evans
Replacements:
16 Jayden Grey
17 Noah Mason
18 Scott Delnevo
19 George Merritt
20 James Clegg
21 Geraint James
22 Ross Fox
23 Freddie Chapman