Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
Swansea moved a step closer to the Super Rygbi Cymru Trophy quarter-finals with a hard fought victory over Carmarthen at The Park.
The match was televised by S4C, which unfortunately highlighted three highly debatable tries that could, and probably should, have been chalked off – one for Carmarthen and two for the visiting All Whites.
The match started brightly for Swansea as, returning after a long spell out, full back Lewis Edwards ran back at the Quins from his own half, and a chip ahead from Iwan Glynn almost saw the winger race through to score, but he out a foot in touch.
Centre Callum Carson tried to intercept the ball following a slick Quins move, but a penalty followed, with fly half Steffan Jac Jones chipping up to the 22.
The home side collected the ball at the lineout and centre Gabe MacDonald tried to power towards the line, but was well stopped. Number eight Lewis Millin and hooker Lewis Morgan made good yards, and flanker Ethan Fackrell was penalised for handling in the ruck. This time Jones kicked the simple three pointer.
Scrum half Aron Hemmings fumbled the ball at the back of a ruck, but fly half Josh Phillips’ chip through was easily defused by full back Eilir George, with Glynn unable to chase it down.
Lock Ben Roberts took a lineout on half way and the Whites gained metres upfield, with a penalty following after the Quins’ crept offside in midfield. Phillips0 chipped to the corner and Fackrell tidied up a lineout fumble, with prop Daf Davies charging forward, but superb defence by Morgan earned a turnover penalty.
Winger Brandon Wood took a high ball inside his own half but was promptly tackled, and instead George took a Matthew Aubrey box kick, which he spilled backwards. A penalty followed soon after when centre Jack Hoskins entered a ruck from the side and Jones found touch on the 22, but the move broke down.
Another penalty followed for the home side after a tackler failed to roll away quickly enough, but Jones missed his effort at goal.
Lock Chris Thompson took a lineout and Hoskins popped up on the crash ball to make great yards, and the ball was swept out wide for Wood to use his power to squeeze over for a try. Phillips converted from out wide.
Ben Roberts lost a lineout to give the home side an attacking platform, with Jones trying to dummy forward, before flanker Osian Willians knocked the ball forward, and Phillips was able to clear.
Wood spilled forward a high ball under pressure from winger Thomas Williams to gift Carmarthen a scrum inside the Whites half. In one of the most exciting moves from a backline all season, the Quins scored a first try with the ball going through multiple hands, before Thomas Williams found winger Ilan Phillips, who squeezed over at the corner. Jones converted.
The visitors were awarded a penalty at the scrum, allowing Phillips to chip into the Quins half. Hooker Rhodri King raced through from open play, and Carson was tackled out wide, before a forward pass from Phillips to Fackrell brought a premature end to the move.
Fackrell made a powerful run and was well tackled by prop Connor Allen, but the Whites kept possession with Edwards and Fackrell linking up to send Glynn racing through on the wing, but his chip through was charged down into touch by Thomas Williams. The follow-up lineout was stolen by Carmarthen though.
A fantastic up and under by Glynn got the Whites back on the attack and a good chip through by Carson pinned the home side deep inside their own 22, although a long lineout was collected by Millin to allow his side to clear.
A powerful scrum by the home side forced Swansea backwards at the rate of knots, with a penalty following, which Jones chipped into the Whites’ half.
In one of the tries of the season, Jones superbly collected a chip and chase with one hand to set up a backs move, with flanker Shaun Evans finding Hemmings, who dummied his way over for a try on the stroke of half time. Jones missed the conversion.
Half-time: Carmarthen Quins 15-7 Swansea
The home side carried on where they left off after the interval, but a looping pass out wide was above the head of Osian Williams, who knocked the ball on into touch.
Phillips stepped into touch after taking a high kick to gift Carmarthen with a lineout in the opposing half, but following a short throw, Hemmings overcomplicated a pass that was adjudged forward.
A superb piece of work by flanker Callum Bowden followed, as he charged forward with the ball in one hand and offloaded to scrum half Aubrey, with the Quins giving away a penalty soon after. Phillips chipped into the corner, but King’s lineout throw wasn’t straight.
Millin tried to run the ball out of a scrum inside his own 22, but lost the ball forward to give Swansea another attacking opportunity. Number eight Iwan Shenton got the ball quickly out of a retreating set piece, and Wood raced through to touch down at the corner. Phillips converted.
Phillips took a high ball inside his own 22 and offloaded to Edwards who used his pace, before Aubrey box kicked forward. George took the ball and was met with a crunching tackle by Ben Roberts, but the supporting Fackrell was penalised for offside.
Millin took a lineout and Jones chipped through dangerously, but Edwards was able to get back to ground the ball dead.
The Quins came again and MacDonald chipped ahead but the Whites were able to regain possession. Phillips also tried an audacious chip and chase, and although he couldn’t quite gather, he forced a Quins knock on.
Thomas Williams picked up a Whites kick and chipped ahead himself, but the ball sailed out on the full. At the next phase of play, a Swansea attack stalled so Aubrey used his experience to grubber kick for touch inside the Quins’ 22. The home side messed up the lineout, allowing Swansea a surprise attack, but Hoskins was held up over the line.
The Quins were warned after giving away a penalty to prevent another Whites attack, and Phillips chose to chip deep into the corner. Fackrell took the lineout and the home pack brought down a rolling maul, with Millin yellow carded.
Phillips again dinked the ball into touch at the corner and Ben Roberts collected the lineout with a superb rolling maul, joined by the backs, resulting in the unlikely Edwards crashing over for a try. Phillips converted.
Edwards did well to prevent a Jones 50/22 and made good yards with his reply. Replacement winger Liam Lloyd superbly took a high kick and raced back at Carmarthen, with Edwards sprinting through the middle and chipping ahead, but centre Jac Howells was able to touch the ball down for a goal line drop out.
A poor chip ahead by Edwards crept over the dead ball line, with Carmarthen awarded a scrum back inside the Swansea half.
Replacement fly half Aled Thomas had a chip through charged down, but he was able to keep possession, although Edwards superbly took a Hemmings box kick. Carson was then charged down near his own line, but it was Phillips to the rescue, and a high tackle on Ben Roberts gave Swansea breathing space.
Phillips took a kick and chipped forward with a poor unforced error by Hemmings gifting the Whites an attacking scrum just shy of the Quins’ 22. Hoskins sprinted into the 22 and the home side gave away a penalty in front of the posts, which Phillips successfully kicked to keep up his 100% record for the evening.
With time running out the home side tried everything to get back into the match, but Howells was tackled out wide, although the pack kept inching forward, before the visitors regained possession by keeping the ball inside the maul.
Looking for a losing bonus point, the home side threw the kitchen sink at the Swansea defence, with a penalty awarded after an offside offence. Thomas chose to kick at goal and secured what could be a vital bonus point in his side’s quest for the SRC Trophy quarter-finals.
Next up for Carmarthen is a trip to Colwyn Bay to face RGC 1404, while Swansea host league leaders Ebbw Vale.
Full-time: Carmarthen Quins 18-24 Swansea
Carmarthen Quins:
Tries:- Ilan Phillips (28), Aron Hemmings (40+3)
Cons:- Steffan Jac Jones (29)
Pens:- Steffan Jac Jones (9), Aled Thomas (80+3)
Yellow cards:- Lewis Millin (61)
Swansea:
Tries:- Brandon Wood (23, 49), Lewis Edwards (62)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (24, 50, 63)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (75)
Match facts:
Venue:- The Park, Carmarthen
Weather:- Clear, 9C
Referee:- Keith David
Man of the match:- Lewis Edwards
Attendance:- 350
Carmarthen team:
15 Eilir George
14 Ilan Phillips
13 Jac Howells
12 Gabe MacDonald
11 Thomas Williams
10 Steffan Jac Jones (rep: Aled Thomas 69)
9 Aron Hemmings
1 Rhys Fawcett (rep: Keanu Evans 63)
2 Lewis Morgan (rep: Ifan James 72)
3 Connor Allen (rep: Chris Davies 63)
4 Tom Phillips (rep: Ryan Bean 69)
5 Lee Taylor
6 Osian Williams (rep: Iestyn Richards 63)
7 Shaun Evans © (rep: Ben Williams 64)
8 Lewys Millin
Replacements:
16 Ifan James
17 Keanu Evans
18 Chris Davies
19 Ryan Bean
20 Iestyn Richards
21 Ben Williams
22 Bowyn Clarke
23 Aled Thomas
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Iwan Glynn (rep: Joe Thomas 71)
13 Callum Carson
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Brandon Wood (rep: Liam Lloyd 63)
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 71)
1 Daf Davies (Rep: Tom Crockett 15)
2 Rhodri King (rep: Jamie Cox 52)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Mat Pryce 52)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Theo Currie 71)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Callum Bowden (cc)
7 Ethan Fackrell (rep: Jake Roberts 63)
8 Iwan Shenton
Replacements:
16 Jamie Cox
17 Tom Crockett
18 Mat Pryce
19 Theo Currie
20 Jake Roberts
21 Iwan Temblett
22 Joe Thomas
23 Liam Lloyd