Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
It was a tough day at the office for Swansea as four first half driving lineout tries from hooker Ieuan Morris condemned them to a 0-28 defeat at Eugene Cross Park.
In a frantic opening, the home side stole possession from the kick off following an error by the Whites and flanker Ben Main showed good strength to elude a tackle, before winger Dafydd Thomas showed a turn of speed, but he was well tackled on the 22. The Whites secured a turnover through scrum half Ellis Lewis, who fed centre Callum Carson, but his pass was intercepted by fly half Dorian Jones.
Swansea were awarded a penalty after the home pack collapsed a scrum, so fly half Josh Phillips found touch inside the Ebbw Vale half, but the Steelmen stole a second lineout in succession.
Flanker Callum Bowden was yellow carded for an illegal trip on Jones after the fly half tried a chip and chase, and it also allowed Jones to find touch deep inside the Swansea 22. Lock Curtis Gregory took the lineout and a routine maul saw Morris score the opening try. Jones converted.
Full back Lewis Edwards superbly collected a high ball ahead of Jones, but scrum half Gruff Tough parried Phillips’ chip through to allow his side to clear long. Winger Ieuan Cornelius then spilled forward a Jones up and under and a chip ahead by full back Evan Lloyd almost resulted in a try for Thomas, but he lost the ball.
Flanker Jack Pope took a lineout and the Ebbw Vale pack split play out wide, but Tough’s pass to Thomas was forward, spurning a certain try.
A powerful scrum by the Ebbw pack forced their Swansea counterparts backwards at a rate of knots, allowing Jones to find touch on the 22. Gregory took the lineout and it was almost a repeat scenario from the previous move, but this time Tough spilled the ball backwards and a Swansea player was tackled into touch.
Gregory took the subsequent lineout, and this time a rolling maul saw Morris crash over for a try. Jones converted.
The home side were awarded a penalty after the visitors killed the ball on the floor, with Jones quickly chipping deep into the corner. Gregory took the lineout and an unstoppable maul saw Morris claim his hat trick try. Jones converted.
Phillips took a quick lineout and found number eight Jacob Hopkins, who raced back at the Ebbw Vale defence, as the Whites began their first notable attack. However, Ebbw Vale were soon back in possession and Thomas raced up to half way, but the Whites were awarded a relieving penalty.
Making their first visit to the Ebbw Vale 22, Phillips chipped to touch with the penalty and lock Cai Arnold took the lineout, with centre Jack Hoskins breaking through the gainline, before the home side stole possession and cleared long.
A powerful Ebbw Vale scrum took play over the Swansea 22, and Jones chose to kick into the corner again. Pope took the lineout and it was a repeat of the first three tries with Morris crashing over to score. Jones converted.
The visitors almost hit back immediately when Edwards showed great strength to hold off a couple of tackles, but Lewis failed to collect the pass and knocked on over the try line.
Edwards was forced to clear from his own 22, giving the home side a lineout in a dangerous position. Jones chipped to the corner, but the forwards were too slow to reach the lineout, so the Whites were awarded a relieving free kick on the stroke of half time.
Half-time:- Ebbw Vale 28-0 Swansea
The Steelmen were awarded another penalty after the interval thanks to a huge drive by the pack at the scrum. Jones chipped up to the 22 and Pope took the lineout, but the backs overcomplicated things and winger Ryan Gardner dropped a pass into touch.
The home side stole the lineout though, but Main knocked the ball forward in the tackle, allowing the Whites to clear.
Lock Alfred Bateman Lloyd took a lineout just shy of the 22, but winger Liam Lloyd did very well to defend a chip ahead, and Lewis was able to clear.
It could have got much worse for the All Whites when Arnold lost the ball forward inside his own half and the home side got the ball out wide, but Gardner lost the ball forward.
Thomas tried to race down the wing and Gregory chipped ahead, but Lloyd lost the ball forward metres from his own line. The visitors gave away a penalty at the scrum so Jones chipped to the corner, and another rolling maul was formed, but this time replacement hooker Joe Franchi was held up over the line.
Replacement number eight Ryan Jenkins ran back at his opponents, and the Whites’ defence failed to roll away so Jones was able to chip into the 22. Pope took the lineout and centre Dom Franchi looked to set up an attack, but Bateman Lloyd lost the ball forward.
Instead the Whites were able to counterattack from their own 22, but Carson was turned over and the Steelmen cleared.
The home side stole a lineout and the Whites gave away another penalty on the 22 after failing to roll away, with Jones chipping to the corner. The Ebbw forwards lost the ball forward though.
Replacement fly half Tal Rees found touch just over half way with a penalty, but a poor kick ahead by Lloyd sailed into touch out of the full.
Substitute prop Luke Garrett was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle, but replacement scrum half Iwan Temblett failed to find touch with his penalty and the visitors cleared.
Edwards took a Carter Pritchard box kick and Lloyd made a break, finding Temblett, but an outstanding tackle by Evan Lloyd saved a certain try.
Rees found touch inside the Ebbw Vale half and replacement lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, before Temblett was bundled into touch, although play was brought back for a penalty, which Rees kicked deep into the corner. The lineout throw was poor though, allowing the Steelmen to clear.
Full-time:- Ebbw Vale 28-0 Swansea
Ebbw Vale:
Tries:- Ieuan Morris (9, 19, 25, 34)
Cons:- Dorian Jones (10, 20, 26, 35)
Yellow cards:- Luke Garrett (70)
Swansea:
Yellow cards:- Callum Bowden (7)
Match facts:
Venue:- Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale
Weather:- Heavy rain showers, 11C
Referee:- Ben Connor
Man of the match:- Ieuan Morris
Attendance:- 1,000
Ebbw Vale team:
15 Evan Lloyd
14 Dafydd Thomas
13 Ethan Phillips
12 Dom Franchi ©
11 Ryan Gardner (rep: Harry Dawes 68 (rep: Morgan Bosanko 77-80))
10 Dorian Jones (rep: Dylan Edwards 68)
9 Gruff Tough (rep: Carter Pritchard 67)
1 Morgan Bosanko (rep: Luke Garrett 61)
2 Ieuan Morris (rep: Joe Franchi 54)
3 Adam Court (rep: Adam Williams 10)
4 Alfred Bateman Lloyd
5 Curtis Gregory
6 Jack Pope
7 Ben Main (rep: Joe Rees-Weldon 61)
8 Lewis Young (rep: Ryan Jenkins 54)
Replacements:
16 Joe Franchi
17 Luke Garrett
18 Adam Williams
19 Joe Rees-Weldon
20 Ryan Jenkins
21 Carter Pritchard
22 Dylan Edwards
23 Harry Dawes
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Liam Lloyd
13 Callum Carson
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Ieuan Cornelius
10 Josh Phillips (cc) (rep: Tal Rees 56)
9 Ellis Lewis (rep: Iwan Temblett 56)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 67)
2 Rhodri King (rep: Jamie Cox 47)
3 Kian Hire (rep: Ed Thompson 67)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Matt Dodd 47)
5 Cai Arnold
6 Luca Giannini (rep: Iwan Shenton)
7 Callum Bowden (cc)
8 Jacob Hopkins (rep: Brandon Owens 52)
Replacements:
16 Jamie Cox
17 Tom Crockett
18 Ed Thompson
19 Matt Dodd
20 Brandon Owens
21 Iwan Shenton
22 Iwan Temblett
23 Tal Rees