Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
A Mat Protheroe hat trick saw Swansea book a place in the Super Rygbi Cymru Plate Final after a hard fought victory over Carmarthen Quins at the Athletic Ground in Gowerton.
It means the All Whites have a rare opportunity against RGC 1404 next Saturday to gain a first piece of silverware since a Scott Gibbs led side won the Welsh/Scottish League in 2001.
It was the home side who were on the front foot early on when scrum half Matthew Aubrey tried to run out of his own 22, and a poor pass out wide to full back Protheroe forced him to hack the ball forward, but play was brought back for a penalty.
A powerful scrum by the Quins forced number eight Jacob Hopkins to play the ball quickly from the base of the set piece, and he fed Aubrey, who in turn spun a pass to Protheroe, who got up to the 22, before being tackled, albeit from an offside position.
Fly half Josh Phillips chipped to the corner and lock Ben Roberts took the lineout, with centre Joe Thomas and prop Daf Davies both close to scoring, before the ball was swept out wide through the hands for Protheroe to touch down for his first try. Phillips converted.
Aubrey cleared up to the 22 and lock Lee Taylor took a lineout to give the Quins a first attack, but the supporting player hung onto possession for too long.
The home side gave away a penalty at the scrum, with replacement fly half Bowyn Clarke chipping up to the 22. Centre Jac Howells burst through the middle from the lineout, and worked the ball out to the backs but they were penalised for holding on after the tackle again.
Phillips instead found touch inside the Quins’ 22 and Ben Roberts rose to collect the lineout, with a clever box kick by Aubrey finding space, but the visitors dealt with the danger and were able to clear.
The visitors were back on the attack and were awarded a penalty on the 22 after the Whites’ defence crept offside. Clarke chose to kick at goal, but hit the post and the ball was cleared.
Taylor took a lineout and tried to spread play but full back Eilir George was dumped in the tackle by winger Brandon Wood, although the ball was recycled and the Quins were awarded a penalty. Clarke found touch on the Swansea 22, but Ben Roberts superbly nipped in to steal the lineout.
Hooker Jamie Cox caused mayhem at a Carmarthen lineout and he was able to hack the ball forward, forcing his opponents into touch. Ben Roberts took the lineout and the ball was fed out to Protheroe, who surged over the 22, before an overcomplicated pass gave Quins possession.
Ben Roberts lost a lineout with the ball collected by prop Connor Allen, but the Quins failed to make the most of the possession.
Clarke chipped deep into the Whites’ 22 with a penalty and a good lineout take saw the Quins drive forward with a maul, earning a penalty, which Clarke kicked to the corner again.
Taylor took the lineout and the Quins stayed patient, getting the ball out wide to winger Thomas Williams, who was stopped a metre short of the line. Play was brought back for a penalty, which Clarke chipped to the corner, and a solid lineout take saw hooker Shaun Evans maul over for a try. Clarke missed the conversion.
Cox stole in at the back of a lineout and charged towards the line but was well tackled, and Taylor superbly ripped the ball out of the tackle.
Protheroe then picked up a loose kick by scrum half Rhodri Lewis, but was stopped close to the line and instead Thomas Williams chipped through and almost scored, but he lost the ball forward over the line.
The home side attacked through centre Callum Carson and Wood, but the Quins regained possession with Howells racing over half way, and the ball was fed to flanker Iestyn Richards, but the Quins were penalised inside their own 22.
Ben Roberts took a lineout inside his own half with prop Berian Williams and flanker Iwan Shenton both powering forward, with Thomas gaining important metres up to the 22, before Protheroe chipped ahead and Quins were able to clear.
Clarke chipped to the corner with a penalty and Taylor took the lineout with the pack rolling forward, before the visitors spread play through their backline.
Winger Dylan Richards was well tackled, but a chip forward by Clarke was collected by Carson who chipped ahead, only for Dylan Richards to superbly track back to defend with the half time whistle sounding soon after.
Half-time: Swansea 7-5 Carmarthen Quins
After the interval Ben Roberts took a lineout inside the Quins half, but a poor speculative pass out wide gifted Carmarthen a scrum.
Lock Chris Thompson took a lineout inside his own half and the visitors were penalised for foul play at the maul. Phillips chipped up to the 22 and Ben Roberts collected the lineout, with Cox mauling forward and replacement prop Tom Crockett making further yards. Phillips then tried to dart forward and Thomas dummied a pass, before Wood put down a scoring pass out wide.
A superb touch finder by Protheroe was spilled into touch by opposite number George and a good lineout take saw the Whites maul forward, before Carson chipped through for Protheroe to touch down for his second try. Phillips converted.
Aubrey took a quick tap penalty, which ricocheted off a Quins player into touch. A scrappy lineout followed, with Davies collecting the ball at the back, before Aubrey found touch deep inside the Quins’ 22.
The visitors earned a penalty at the scrum and Clarke found touch on the Swansea 22, but Shaun Evans’ throw wasn’t straight.
The home side were driven off the ball and gave away a penalty, although they initially played on with replacement lock Ryan Bean charging forward, but play was eventually brought back, with Clarke chipping up to the 22.
Then in a moment of magic, Protheroe nipped in to intercept a long pass and raced from his own 22 to score a hat trick try and put his side 16 points clear. Phillips converted.
Phillips chipped into space inside the Carmarthen 22, forcing the Quins to run the ball back, but they had to settle for a chip to touch midway between half way and the Swansea 22.
Replacement flanker Iestyn Wood took a lineout and the Quins mauled forward but Phillips stole possession in the tackle and hacked the ball away, with George then chipping to touch deep inside the Swansea 22.
Thompson held onto a contested lineout and Aubrey box kicked to touch, giving the visitors an attacking lineout inside the 22.
Bean took the lineout and got the ball out into the middle, with replacement prop Hudson Nevin well tackled, before flanker Ben Williams popped up and was also brought down, but a low pass forced centre Ilan Phillips to kick the ball dead, much to his frustration.
The visitors came back again though with Bean charging up to the 22, but the Quins were knocked back in tackles and a mistake gifted Swansea a lineout.
The Quins battered Swansea’s line in search of a lifeline, and the Whites were penalised for an offside offence. Clarke chipped to the corner, but Ben Roberts crucially stole the lineout.
Clarke took a quick tap penalty after replacement prop Nathan Hills tried to kick the ball off the park, and the match ended with a huge fight, with a Carmarthen player yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.
It was to be the final play of the match though as Swansea were left to celebrate a place in the final next Saturday against RGC 1404.
Full-time: Swansea 21-5 Carmarthen Quins
Swansea:
Tries:- Mat Protheroe (7, 52, 65)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (8, 53, 66)
Carmarthen Quins:
Tries:- Shaun Evans (35)
Match facts:
Venue:- Athletic Ground, Gowerton
Weather:- Sunny, 9C
Man of the match:- Mat Protheroe
Attendance:- 300
Swansea team:
15 Mat Protheroe
14 Iwan Glynn (rep: Harvey James 73)
13 Callum Carson
12 Joe Thomas
11 Brandon Wood
10 Josh Phillips (c)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 73)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Nathan Hills 73)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Logan Lloyd 53)
3 Berian Williams (rep: Tom Crockett 41)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Oliver Jones 73)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Iwan Shenton
7 Luca Giannini (rep: Jake Roberts 64)
8 Jacob Hopkins (rep: Rhodri King 77)
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Tom Crockett
18 Nathan Hills
19 Jake Roberts
20 Oliver Jones
21 Rhodri King
22 Iwan Temblett
23 Harvey James
Carmarthen Quins team:
15 Eilir George
14 Dylan Richards
13 Ilan Phillips
12 Jac Howells
11 Thomas Williams
10 Ifan Davies (rep: Bowyn Clarke 9)
9 Rhodri Lewis (rep: Dylan Rowe 28)
1 Rhys Fawcett (rep: Hudson Nevin 64)
2 Shaun Evans ©
3 Connor Allen
4 Tom Phillips (rep: Ryan Bean 53)
5 Lee Taylor
6 Iestyn Richards (rep: Iestyn Wood 64)
7 Ben Williams
8 Lewys Millin
Replacements:
16 Keanu Evans
17 Hudson Nevin
18 Ifan James
19 Ryan Bean
20 Iestyn Wood
21 Dylan Rowe
22 Bowyn Clarke
23 Ryan Davies