Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
As the Valentine’s passage goes…Roses are red, the Whites shone in blue, Swansea took victory, with Jacob Hopkins breaking through.
Number eight Hopkins was the hero at the death as Joe Thomas’ men booked a place in the semi final of either the cup or plate with a bonus point win over Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground.
The opening 20 minutes were dominated by the home side and a clever inside pass from full back Scott Delnevo found lock Lewis Marsh who tidied up play, before scrum half Scott Whitlock made a sniping break, forcing the Whites’ defence off their feet at the breakdown. Fly half Keillen Cullen turned down a simple penalty in front of the posts to chip to the corner.
Lock Shay Smallman took the lineout and after a patient period of play, centre Bradley Roderick was well tackled in midfield, although play was brought back for an earlier penalty, which Cullen again chipped to touch.
The lineout was again taken by Smallman and this time a much more coordinated rolling maul saw hooker Luke Davies power over for the game’s opening try. Cullen converted.
Winger Brandon Wood tapped back a Iwan Temblett box kick, but the home side soon regathered possession. An off the ball grab by a Swansea player gifted the Wizards a penalty, which Cullen chipped deep into the 22. Flanker Charlie Herdman took the lineout and a powerful drive by the home pack almost resulted in a try, but the ball became loose and Whitlock was penalised for holding on in the tackle.
A superb dummy by centre Callum Carson almost saw the Whites break through the Wizards’ defence from deep, but he was well tackled. Delnevo comfortably took a Temblett box kick and prop Jordan Walters powered forward, with centre Jack Hoskins penalised for an off the ball tackle.
Number eight Cameron Loveys took a lineout on the 22, with Roderick juggling a pass, before Walters popped up again to tidy up play. Smallman then used his strength to make further yards, before Herdman and flanker Owen Popple took play to within a few metres of the line, but the visitors were awarded a relieving penalty, with Walters also yellow carded for foul play.
A superb take by Wood from a Temblett box kick began a Whites’ attack, but fly half Josh Phillips kicked possession away. Phillips retook the clearance kick but was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
Full back Iwan Glynn chipped out on the full with a kick to gift Aberavon an attacking lineout inside the Swansea half. Smallman collected the lineout and Delnevo tried a jinking run, but was stopped in his tracks. Instead, the home side got the ball out wide to the pacey winger Mason Archer, but he lost the ball, and play was brought back for a Wizards penalty. Cullen chose to kicked his side into a 10 point lead.
Davies was penalised for driving into a ruck from an offside position, and Phillips found touch inside the Aberavon 22 for the home side’s first real attacking opportunity.
Lock Chris Thompson took the lineout and a powerful maul saw Hopkins peel away to score against the run of play. Phillips converted.
The visitors almost made a mess of collecting the restart as the ball bounced out of Wood’s hands, but Temblett was able to clear to touch.
A clever move involving Davies and Smallman at the lineout sent Whitlock racing clear, but his pass was deemed forward, with a certain try going begging.
A poor lineout throw by Davies gave Swansea possession, and the Whites tried to get the ball out wide, only for Carson to drop the ball. Phillips then spotted a gap in the middle and sprinted 30 metres upfield, finding flanker Ethan Fackrell in support, despite a poor pass. The Wizards managed to track back but Fackrell released a scoring pass to hooker Jamie Cox. Phillips converted.
Phillips chipped up to the 22 with a penalty and a well taken lineout saw the Whites power forward in a maul, but good defensive play by the home pack turned over possession.
Cullen missed touch with a penalty, but a Mat Protheroe clearance kick gave him another chance, from which he made no mistake, albeit handing the lineout to Swansea.
A superb quick tap penalty by Protheroe injected pace into a Swansea attack, with Carson providing support, but his chip through was grounded dead by the home side. Then Wood raced down the wing into the Aberavon 22, but his inside pass was intercepted by Herdman and the home side were able to clear for half time.
Half-time:- Aberavon 10-14 Swansea
After the interval the home side were awarded a penalty at the scrum and Cullen found touch just shy of the Swansea 22, although Chris Thompson nipped in to steal the lineout.
Another scrum penalty followed for the Wizards and the result was the same: a Cullen chip just shy of the 22, but this time Smallman rose high to collect the ball and get his side moving forward, although they were unable to get possession out of the maul.
Following a dust up involving props Daf Davies and Walters, play was brought back for an earlier penalty, with both captains also given a warning. Loveys took the lineout and the ball was worked into midfield for Delnevo to score. Cullen converted.
Hoskins and Carson linked up well to get the Whites on the attack, with Protheroe brought down, before Cox found Chris Thompson, although the latter was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
Glynn messed up with his attempt of taking a Delnevo high ball, but the Whites countered through Wood, who raced down the wing and found Hoskins on his shoulder, who raced clear for a superb try. Phillips converted.
Whitlock came close to scoring following a chip ahead, but Protheroe tracked back and sprinted forward from within his own dead ball line, although he inexplicably threw a long pass into touch.
The visitors gained a turnover over half way, with referee Paddy Bateman also awarding a penalty, which Phillips chipped up to the 22, however the lineout didn’t function as the Whites would have liked.
Cullen found touch deep into the Swansea 22 with a penalty after the Whites failed to roll away after the tackle. Replacement hooker Tyler Marvai took the lineout and the visitors got the ball out wide to substitute winger Lewis Ingram, but the visitors crucially managed to turn over possession and clear through replacement scrum half Ellis Lewis.
The home side came at the Whites again, with Roderick almost slipping a tackle in midfield, before Delnevo was stopped, but the Whites turned over possession with a poor kick by Cullen straying over the dead ball line.
Aberavon were soon back in the Swansea 22 with a Cullen penalty touch finder. Smallman popped up in midfield to power forward and replacement winger Elis Horgan tried a chip and go, but play was brought back for a penalty, which Cullen chipped to the corner.
Loveys took the lineout and a rolling maul saw Marvai crash over for a try in the corner to regain the lead for his side. Cullen missed the conversion.
The visitors managed to regain possession from the restart and worked the ball up to the Wizards’ 22, but a poor crossfield kick was taken by Carson, who raced through and chipped ahead, forcing an Aberavon defender to take the ball over his own line, resulting in an attacking scrum five.
With the last play of the game Hopkins picked up at the back of the scrum to crash over for a match winning try. Phillips converted.
Next up for Aberavon is a trip to RGC 1404 in the league, while Swansea host Bridgend in the cup.
Full-time:- Aberavon 22-28 Swansea
Aberavon:
Tries:- Luke Davies (6), Scott Delnevo (50), Tyler Marvai (79)
Cons:- Keillen Cullen (7, 51)
Pens:- Keillen Cullen (24)
Yellow cards:- Jordan Walters (19)
Swansea:
Tries:- Jacob Hopkins (27, 80+4), Jamie Cox (33), Jack Hoskins (56)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (28, 34, 57, 80+5)
Match facts:
Venue:- Talbot Athletic Ground, Port Talbot
Weather:- Light cloud, 6C
Referee:- Paddy Bateman
Man of the match:- Jacob Hopkins
Attendance:- 500
Aberavon:
15 Scott Delnevo (rep: Sam Jardine 74)
14 Noah Mason (rep: Lewis Ingram 25)
13 Sam Matthews
12 Bradley Roderick
11 Mason Archer (rep: Elis Horgan 35)
10 Keillen Cullen
9 Scott Whitlock ©
1 Jordan Walters (rep: Geraint James 64)
2 Luke Davies (rep: Tyler Murvai 64)
3 Conrad Delfosse (rep: Jamie Goldsworthy 64)
4 Shay Smallman
5 Lewis Marsh
6 Charlie Herdman
7 Owen Popple (rep: Ashton Evans 64)
8 Cameron Loveys
Replacements:
16 Elis Horgan
17 Lewis Ingram
18 Sam Jardine
19 Jamie Goldsworthy
20 Tyler Murvai
21 Brynley Thomas
22 Ashton Evans
23 Geraint James.
Swansea team:
15 Iwan Glynn (rep: Joe Thomas 68)
14 Ieuan Cornelius (rep: Mat Protheroe 35)
13 Callum Carson
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Brandon Wood
10 Josh Phillips (c)
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Ellis Lewis 68)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 61)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Logan Lloyd 61)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Ellis Fackrell 61)
4 Cai Arnold (rep: Luca Giannini 61)
5 Chris Thompson
6 Iwan Shenton
7 Ethan Fackrell
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Tom Crockett
18 Ellis Fackrell
19 Luca Giannini
20 Rhodri King
21 Ellis Lewis
22 Joe Thomas
23 Mat Protheroe