Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
The All Whites turned the form book upside down as they crushed league leaders Cardiff in a comprehensive display in front of a bumper crowd of 2,783 at St Helen’s.
In truth Swansea dominated from the opening minute to the final whistle in atrocious weather conditions, with long serving second row stalwart Matt Dodd fittingly awarded a deserved man of the match on his 150th appearance for the club.
It was an incredible start when centre Joe Thomas chipped through the middle and full back Rhys Cummings failed to deal with the ball, shepherding it into touch. Number eight Jacob Hopkins charged forward from the lineout, and scrum half Matthew Aubrey was stopped a metre short of the line, before flanker Ethan Fackrell crashed over for a try. Full back Josh Phillips missed the conversion.
The visitors claimed a lineout on the Swansea 22 with the pack rolling forward, but centre Tom Williams was initially stopped in midfield, before the home side secured possession and cleared.
Williams then got the ball out wide to Cummings who chipped ahead, but winger Brandon Wood recovered and was able to touch down for a drop out.
Cardiff were awarded a penalty after the Whites strayed offside and fly half Ben Coomer chipped to the corner. An advancing rolling maul saw scrum half Ethan Lloyd get the ball out to Coomer who chipped to the corner, but the ball beat winger Iwan Prys-Jones over the dead ball line…however play was brought back for a visitors’ penalty.
The Blue and Blacks opted for a scrum, but this time outstanding work by the home pack earned a penalty of their own and a chance to clear.
Things got ever better for the home side when lock Cai Arnold took a lineout inside the Swansea half, before Thomas chipped ahead and gathered, feeding fellow centre Callum Carson, before Aubrey picked up the ball at a ruck, and dummied his way over for a sensational try. Phillips converted.
Number eight Ben Fry charged forward at the Swansea defence, with lock Sean Moore providing support. Coomer then broke through one tackle but was brought down, and great work by Hopkins secured a penalty turnover.
Coomer almost made a calamitous error as he left a stray ball bounce, but he managed to scramble back to stop the advancing Wood from stealing in for a try.
Aubrey burst through the middle again and sent a pass in to Daf Davies, but the prop was tackled a metre short of the line, with the Blue and Blacks securing a much needed turnover.
Ben Fry took a lineout inside his own half and a superb box kick by Lloyd was collected by his side to spark an attack. Coomer tried to break a tackle but was stopped, before the home side were penalised for diving over the top of the ruck. Coomer kicked the three pointer.
Moore dropped the ball at the restart under pressure from fly half Luke Scully to gift the Whites an attacking scrum on the 22.
The home side were awarded a free kick at the set piece, and Carson chipped through to the corner, but the ball beat winger Harvey James into touch. Play was brought back for an earlier penalty though, which Phillips successfully kicked.
A well worked move by the Blue and Blacks saw winger Harry Turner race down the wing, and the ball was sent out in the middle to Williams, but the supporting Coomer spilled the ball forward.
Coomer accidentally stepped into touch while taking a high ball inside his own 22 to give Swansea one final attack of the half, but the lineout went wrong and the interval followed.
Half-time: Swansea 15-3 Cardiff
After the interval the home side gave away a penalty after a player was caught in front of a clearance kick, so Coomer booted the ball into touch a few metres short of the line. A routine lineout followed, but the Blue and Blacks lost possession forward.
The home side were awarded a penalty soon after when the Cardiff defence crept offside in midfield and Phillips was successful with his effort at goal.
Coomer chipped the restart out on the full to give the Whites a scrum on half way. Swansea made good yards up to the 22, before the visitors gave away a penalty, which Phillips kicked to extend his side’s lead to 18 points.
The home side were awarded another penalty at the scrum, much to the delight of the pack, who celebrated hard. Phillips chipped deep into the 22, but replacement Jamie Cox’s lineout throw was crooked.
A superb 50/22 by Phillips gave the home side an attacking lineout on the 22, but a chip through was well gathered by replacement fly half Callen Edwards, who touched down for a goal line drop out.
A superb pass by Carson almost sent Harvey James racing through, but he was well tackled. The home side recycled the ball out wide but Phillips knocked on and the promising move came to an end.
The home side chipped into the Cardiff 22 with a penalty, but Cox’s throw was again poor to gift Cardiff with a defensive scrum.
Cummings made a rare dart into Swansea territory, but replacement prop Harry Fry was penalised for holding on after the tackle, although the home side took a quick tap penalty and kicked for territory.
The visitors’ pack drove their counterparts off a ruck, but the Whites were back in possession as Phillips tried an audacious chip and gather, but he lost the ball forward.
The home side attacked again, and the pack created a platform for Scully to attempt a drop goal, but he dragged his effort well wide of the posts.
In the dying minutes, the All Whites were awarded a scrum inside the Cardiff 22. Replacement fly half Luke Price tried a throw clever inside pass to Thomas, but he was well tackled. However, Price then chipped across the field, with the bounce favouring Harvey James, who gathered to slide over at the corner. Price missed the conversion.
Next up for Swansea is a trip to RGC 1404, while Cardiff travel to Bridgend.
Full-time: Swansea 26-3 Cardiff
Swansea:
Tries:- Ethan Fackrell (3), Matthew Aubrey (17), Harvey James (80+4)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (18)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (36, 47, 50)
Cardiff:
Pens:- Ben Coomer (32)
Match facts:
Venue:- St Helen’s, Swansea
Weather:- Heavy rain, 13C
Referee:- Ben Whitehouse
Man of the match:- Matt Dodd
Attendance:- 2,783
Swansea team:
15 Josh Phillips
14 Brandon Wood (rep: Ieuan Bissell 78)
13 Callum Carson
12 Joe Thomas
11 Harvey James
10 Luke Scully (rep: Luke Price 80+2)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Kai Inker 59)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Morgan James 54)
2 Osian Oliver (rep: Jamie Cox 54)
3 Tom Crockett (rep: Nathan Hills 80+1)
4 Matt Dodd
5 Cai Arnold (rep: Theo Currie 41)
6 Callum Bowden (rep: Cai Howell 78)
7 Ethan Fackrell
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Jamie Cox
17 Morgan James
18 Nathan Hills
19 Theo Currie
20 Cai Howell
21 Kai Inker
22 Luke Price
23 Ieuan Bissell
Cardiff team:
15 Rhys Cummings
14 Harry Turner
13 Joe Goodchild (rep: Jason Harries 51)
12 Tom Wilkins
11 Iwan Prys-Jones (rep: Sonny Greenman 59)
10 Ben Coomer (rep: Callen Edwards 59)
9 Ethan Lloyd (rep: Charlie Rainbird 71)
1 Ioan Emanuel (rep: Harry Fry 65)
2 Ethan Coombes (rep: Evan Nicholls-Nigasseu 51)
3 Tom Harper (rep: Louis Fletcher 51)
4 Craig Hudd
5 Sean Moore
6 Nathan Hudd
7 Alfie Prygodzicz (rep: Kian Lloyd 71)
8 Ben Fry
Replacements:
16 Evan Nicholls-Nigasseu
17 Harry Fry
18 Louis Fletcher
19 Kian Lloyd
20 Jason Harries
21 Charlie Rainbird
22 Sonny Greenman
23 Callen Edwards