Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
An outstanding second half performance was enough to get Cardiff over the line at the Arms Park against a spirited All Whites side.
Swansea played some delightful rugby throughout the match, but it was the power of Cardiff’s pack that made the difference as they eased to victory in the final quarter.
It all began so well for the Whites when a well-weighted box kick by scrum half Matthew Aubrey forced a mistake from fly half Ben Coomer, as he stepped into touch on his own 22 while trying to prevent a 50/22. However, hooker Jamie Cox’s lineout throw wasn’t straight.
The Whites were soon back in possession after a poor Cardiff clearance and lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, with centres Callum Carson and Jack Hoskins combining in midfield, but with the move losing impetus, fly half Josh Phillips found touch inside the Cardiff 22.
Hoskins and Carson again injected pace into the Swansea attack, with a clever offload almost resulting in a score for winger Brandon Wood, but he was denied by an excellent last gasp tackle.
Great work by the Swansea defence held full back Sonny Greenman up in a maul to give the visitors an attacking set piece on the 22. The Whites got the ball out to their backs and a well-weighted chip through by Hoskins wasn’t dealt with by Coomer, who made a mess of gathering the ball, allowing Wood to pounce for a try. Phillips converted.
A superb break by Phillips got the Whites on the front foot again, but his pop up pass to Aubrey was forward so the move broke down.
Things got even better for the Whites when scrum half Ethan Lloyd broke clear from a rolling maul and popped up a pass into the grateful hands of Hoskins, who superbly held off a tackler to touch down for his side’s second try. Phillips hit the post with his conversion attempt.
The home side finally enjoyed a spell of attacking possession and earned a penalty after the Whites crept offside at the breakdown, compounded by an extra 10 metres for dissent. A routine lineout was taken by flanker Craig Hudd, with replacement number eight Tirion Bowen scoring a try from the rolling maul. Coomer converted.
Phillips found touch inside the Cardiff 22 with a long penalty kick, and a good lineout take got the Whites moving quickly. The visitors were awarded a penalty when the Cardiff defence strayed offside, and Phillips kicked the three pointer.
Greenman dropped a high ball inside his own half to gift the Whites unexpected possession. Quick hands by the Swansea backs got them wo within five metres of the Cardiff line and the ball was swept out wide for Wood to score his second try. Phillips missed the conversion.
A long pass out wide to winger Iwan Prys Jones sent the Blue and Blacks racing forward and an offside offence by winger Mat Protheroe gave the home side a penalty, which Coomer chipped to the corner. Craig Hudd collected the lineout and it was the same again with a routine lineout catch and drive sending hooker Tom Howe crashing over for a try. Coomer converted.
The Cardiff backs finally got going with winger Dewi Cross finding lock Sonny McCabe on the wing, but he was well tackled and a poor forward pass by Craig Hudd ended the move.
Cross managed to prevent a 50/22, and make good yards at the same time, but the All Whites were awarded a penalty after prop Ioan Emanuel held on after the tackle. Phillips kicked the three pointer.
A fight then broke out near the Swansea 22 and both Dodd and prop Tom Harper were yellow carded for their part in the melee. The home side were awarded a penalty after the visitors failed to release the man in the tackle, and Coomer chipped to the corner.
Flanker Sean Moore collected the lineout and a devastating rolling maul was illegally stopped by the Whites’ pack, with a penalty following. Coomer again chipped to the corner and a misfiring lineout was taken by Craig Hudd, and the visitors gave away another penalty at the maul, with co-captain Phillips given a warning by referee Rhys Jones.
Deep into first half injury time, Howe took a tap penalty and despite an initially good Swansea defensive effort, McCabe squeezed over for a try on the stroke of half time. Coomer converted.
Half-time: Cardiff 21-23 Swansea
The Blue and Blacks got the ball out wide to centre Joe Goodchild, who raced down the wing, but excellent work by the forwards secured a turnover and penalty. Flanker Ethan Fackrell collected a shortened lineout on half way and an Aubrey box kick was well taken by Wood. Another clever box kick by Aubrey put Prys Jones and Goodchild under pressure, and Coomer was forced to clear to touch.
Hoskins glided in to take a lineout and the visitors got the ball out wide to Protheroe, but he was well tackled and spilled the ball forward at the next phase of play.
Coomer took a high Aubrey box kick, but a handling error in the Cardiff backline gave Swansea an attacking scrum. Hoskins made good yards from the scrum, before the ball was swept out wide for Wood to score a hat trick. Phillips converted.
As the try was scored, the Whites gave away a penalty for an off the ball push, allowing Coomer to find touch on the Swansea 22 with a penalty. A rolling maul followed and centre Jason Harries took a crash ball, but the visitors turned over possession and cleared.
Dodd powered towards half way, with Aubrey box kicking possession away, although Cardiff were knocked back in the tackle. Full back Lewis Edwards stayed strong in the tackle after taking a high ball and he also unceremoniously dumped Coomer as he ran into him out of his 22, although Wood spilled a Coomer kick into touch to gift Cardiff with an attacking lineout.
A well taken lineout by lock Tom Cottle got his side powering forward at an unstoppable maul, with Emanuel picking up to score Cardiff’s fourth try. Coomer converted.
Cardiff took the lead for the first time when a fantastic chip ahead by Coomer was taken by replacement full back Isaac Marsh, who comfortably touched down for a try. Coomer converted.
The visitors were awarded a penalty when the Blue and Blacks’ crept offside at the breakdown, and Phillips found touch on the opposing 22. The lineout initially misfired but the Whites managed to rescue possession through flanker Callum Bowden. Then the ball was sent out to Aubrey, who raced towards the line, but was tackled as he tried to force a pass and the opportunity was lost.
It was the visitors who were awarded the scrum though and Aubrey fed number eight Jacob Hopkins, but he was held up over the line to force a goal line drop out.
Goodchild made good yards for the home side as they looked to attack again, but McCabe became isolated and held on after the tackle.
Edwards misjudged a chip through and the ball sailed off his hands over the dead ball line, despite replacement winger Calen Edwards’ efforts to touch the ball down. From the five metre scrum substitute scrum half Sion Davies fed the ball out quickly and Harries superbly rolled over the line for a try. Coomer converted.
Looking to get back into the game Phillips chipped to the corner with a penalty, but the Blue and Blacks stole the lineout and were able to clear. Edwards then kicked long, but Phillips was penalised for an offside offence. The home side opted for a scrum on the Swansea 22, but the decision failed to pay off as replacement prop Harry Fry was penalised for diving over the top of a ruck.
The ball was fed out wide to Edwards, and Hopkins charged forward into the 22. Replacement winger Luke Price then tried to pop a pass up to substitute flanker Cai Howell, but Cardiff defended well, and Carson dropped a pass in midfield. Things went from bad to worse when Phillips knocked the ball on inside his own 22 under little pressure.
A powerful scrum by the home side put the Whites on the backfoot, and enabled a quick pass out wide for Cross to use his strength to score in the corner. Coomer converted.
Despite the defeat, it was Swansea who had the final say when replacement hooker Logan Lloyd burst through a tackle and fed substitute prop Morgan James, before Hopkins popped up in midfield and threw a pass to Phillips, who grabbed a consolation score. He failed to drop kick his conversion attempt.
Next up for Cardiff is a home match against Pontypool, while Swansea travel to Carmarthen.
Full-time: Cardiff 49-35 Swansea
Cardiff:
Tries:- Tirion Bowen (22), Tom Howe (35), Sonny McCabe (40+10), Ioan Emanuel (58), Isaac Marsh (64), Jason Harries (75), Dewi Cross (80+7)
Cons:- Ben Coomer (23, 36, 40+11, 59, 65, 76, 80+8)
Yellow cards:- Tom Harper (40+5)
Swansea:
Tries:- Brandon Wood (11, 31, 49), Jack Hoskins (20), Josh Phillips (80+10)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (12, 50)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (28, 40+2)
Yellow cards:- Matt Dodd (40+5)
Match facts:
Venue:- Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Weather:- Light cloud, 17C
Referee:- Rhys Jones
Man of the match:- Ioan Emanuel
Attendance:- 1,500
Cardiff team:
15 Sonny Greenman (rep: Isaac Marsh 48)
14 Iwan Pyrs Jones (rep: Calen Edwards 52)
13 Joe Goodchild
12 Jason Harries
11 Dewi Cross
10 Ben Coomer
9 Ethan Lloyd (rep: Sion Davies 52)
1 Ioan Emanuel (rep: Harry Fry 65)
2 Tom Howe (rep: Alun Rees 65)
3 Tom Harper (rep: Louis Fletcher 65)
4 Sonny McCabe
5 Tom Cottle
6 Sean Moore
7 Craig Hudd ©
8 Nathan Hudd (rep: Tirion Bowen 7)
Replacements:
16 Alun Rees
17 Harry Fry
18 Louis Fletcher
19 Tirion Bowen
20 Harvey Bryant
21 Sion Davies
22 Calen Edwards
23 Isaac Marsh
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Mat Protheroe (rep: Joe Thomas 72)
13 Callum Carson
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Brandon Wood (rep: Luke Price 76)
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 80+5)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Morgan James 41)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Logan Lloyd 72)
3 Mat Pryce (rep: Tom Crockett 65)
4 Chris Thompson
5 Matt Dodd (rep: Cai Arnold 65)
6 Callum Bowden (cc) (rep: Cai Howell 80+1)
7 Ethan Fackrell
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Morgan James
18 Tom Crockett
19 Cai Arnold
20 Cai Howell
21 Iwan Temblett
22 Luke Price
23 Joe Thomas