Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
The All Whites suffered a third successive defeat as in-form Cardiff were able to celebrate topping the league phase of the Super Rygbi Cymru Trophy with a well deserved win at Broadacre.
The Blue and Blacks played some inspiring rugby throughout the afternoon and began well when lock Ethan Phillips charged forward, with a clever short pass finding number eight Aled Ward, before play was brought back for a Cardiff penalty.
Fly half Harri Wilde chose to kick to the corner and Phillips collected the lineout, although a crossfield kick evaded winger Rhys Cummings and went into touch, but play was brought back for another penalty. It was a quick tap and go that sent prop Ioan Emanuel over for a try. Wilde converted.
Winger Dewi Cross made a superb break through the middle and found full back Matty Young and Cummings in support as Cardiff looked to grab a second score in as many minutes, but the home side were able to clear.
Centre Jason Harries got the ball out quickly from a turnover and flanker Ben Fry charged forward, but Young was unable to take a grubber kick and Swansea were able to clear.
Hooker Alun Rees stole in at the back of a lineout and Wilde sprinted through the middle, but Cross was unable to take the pass out wide.
In the home side’s first real attack of the afternoon, flanker Jake Roberts burst through the middle after taking a short pass, and although Cardiff defended well, they were penalised for diving over the top of a ruck. Fly half Mat Protheroe chipped to the corner and lock Ben Roberts took the lineout, with centre Jack Hoskins racing in at a great angle, but Ben Roberts dropped the return pass.
Full back Lewis Edwards took a quick lineout to himself, but was well tackled by Cummings, while the supporting hooker Jamie Cox lost the ball forward in the tackle.
Harries dummied his way forward, and prop Will Davies-King was tackled off the ball, so the visitors were awarded a penalty. Wilde found touch just shy of the Swansea 22, and lock Craig Hudd took the lineout and Young made a clever line break, but play was brought back for a high tackle on Wilde, and he chipped into the 22.
Phillips rose high to collect a lineout in the Swansea 22 and Ward charged forward, but Hoskins superbly intercepted a pass and raced downfield, finding the pacey winger Liam Lloyd in support, but the ball was knocked forward. The Whites seemed to freeze and a chip into the corner was collected by Cummings, who gathered to score. Wilde missed the conversion.
Try number three followed shortly after when winger Ieuan Cornelous dropped the ball and it was collected by opposite number Cummings, who gathered and used his pace to score his second try. Wilde converted.
With his side well in the ascendency, Wilde casually kicked a 50/22 following a scrum to take his side into an attacking position, although Phillips spilled the lineout forward.
Cox stole in at the back of the lineout following a poor throw by Rees, and the Whites were awarded a penalty, which Protheroe chipped deep into the corner. Ben Roberts took the lineout and Cox crashed over for a try. Protheroe converted.
Cummings rose to collect a high ball and then Edwards stole in at a Wilde up and under, with Hoskins tidying up play, but Wilde was able to collect a poor chip ahead to get his side back in possession.
The Blue and Blacks attacked with style and conviction as they got the ball through six pairs of hands to take play into the Swansea 22, with prop Cameron Jones sent to the sin bin for an off the ball challenge.
Wilde chipped to the corner and a routine lineout saw Rees drive over for a try at the rolling maul. Wilde missed the conversion.
The visitors looked to run from everywhere on the pitch and Emanuel picked up a ball to charge over half way, before Craig Hudd and Phillips linked up well, but the latter lost the ball forward.
The home pack pushed Cardiff backwards at a scrum to earn a penalty, and Protheroe found touch inside his own territory, but the move came to nothing as the half came to an end.
Half-time: Swansea 7-24 Cardiff
It was a perfect start to the second half for Cardiff when Wilde burst through the middle from a scrum as his side got the ball out wide, with Fry popping up in support to send Cross over for a try at the corner. Wilde’s conversion attempt hit the post.
Scrum half Ethan Lloyd then found Wilde, who sprinted through a gap in the Swansea defence, but a poor decision by Craig Hudd, who opted to chip ahead, brought an end to the move. However, the home side were penalised for speaking out of turn to the referee, but Wilde chipped dead.
Swansea tried to attack through Liam Lloyd out wide, and Protheroe looked to race through the middle, but he lost the ball forward.
Wilde chipped into the 22 from his own half, although it wasn’t a 50/22 as the ball was taken back. Replacement lock Matt Dodd just about held onto the lineout and substitute number eight Sam Morgan charged forward. Centre Ieuan Bissell made a break out wide, but replacement winger Josh Phillips was caught in possession, although the Whites recycled play with flanker Ethan Fackrell tackled, albeit from an offside position.
Fackrell took a quick tap penalty with the supporting Jones charging forward, but Protheroe’s chip to the corner sailed into touch.
The home side were soon back on the attack and a well worked move saw Jones pop up to race five metres for a try. Protheroe converted.
The visitors hit back immediately when they were awarded a penalty after the Whites crept offside in midfield. Wilde chipped into the corner and a powerful rolling maul saw Rees crash over for a try. Wilde converted.
Phillips took a lineout and Cross burst into the line, before he fed Cummings, but his chip and go was too strong and a 22 drop out was awarded.
Protheroe burst into play at the middle and Cardiff hacked the ball clear with Cummings chasing down the kick, but he flipped up a pass into the grateful hands of a Swansea player.
The home scrum was driven backwards at the rate of knots but replacement scrum half Iwan Temblett managed to keep hold of possession for his side and he cleared long.
Protheroe was penalised for holding on after the tackle, so Wilde chipped into the corner. Centre Osian Darwin-Lewis tried to charge through but was tackled, and the home side managed to secure a turnover with Phillips clearing.
Edwards showed a superb turn of pace to sprint downfield and he was supported by Liam Lloyd, but the Blue and Blacks were able to clear. The ball was then swept out to Edwards who raced clear to score in the corner. Protheroe missed the conversion.
In the closing minutes Young showed great strength to race into the Swansea 22, and Cummings was stopped five metres short, but replacement prop Tom Harper dropped the ball over the line.
Instead it was the home side who tried to get a bonus point try, with Edwards sprinting forward on the wing, but the Blue and Blacks were able to regain possession and kicked the ball dead to signal the end of the match.
The result means Swansea will travel to Newport in the quarter-finals, hoping to achieve a treble, while Cardiff will host the winners of the wildcard playoff match between Carmarthen Quins and Pontypool.
Full-time: Swansea 19-36 Cardiff
Swansea:
Tries:- Jamie Cox (32), Cameron Jones (60), Lewis Edwards (80)
Cons:- Mat Protheroe (33, 61)
Yellow cards:- Cameron Jones (37)
Cardiff:
Tries:- Ioan Emanuel (5), Rhys Cummings (22, 25), Alun Rees (39, 63), Dewi Cross (43)
Cons:- Harri Wilde (6, 26, 64)
Match facts:
Venue:- Broadacre, Dunvant
Weather:- Light rain showers, 9C
Referee:- Ben Breakspear
Man of the match:- Rhys Cummings
Attendance:- 400
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Ieuan Cornelius (rep: Josh Phillips 49)
13 Ieuan Bissell
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Liam Lloyd
10 Mat Protheroe
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 49)
1 Cameron Jones (rep: Tom Crockett 74)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Logan Lloyd 74)
3 Kian Hire (rep: Ed Thompson 41)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Matt Dodd 49)
5 Ben Roberts (rep: Callum Bowden 68)
6 Jake Roberts
7 Ethan Fackrell ©
8 Jacob Hopkins (rep: Tom Crockett 40+1-47 (rep: Sam Morgan 47))
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Tom Crockett
18 Ed Thompson
19 Matt Dodd
20 Sam Morgan
21 Callum Bowden
22 Iwan Temblett
23 Josh Phillips
Cardiff team:
15 Matty Young
14 Rhys Cummings
13 Osian Darwin-Lewis
12 Jason Harries
11 Dewi Cross
10 Harri Wilde (rep: Lloyd Lucas 67)
9 Ethan Lloyd
1 Ioan Emanuel (rep: Joe Cowell 49)
2 Alun Rees
3 Will Davies-King (rep: Tom Harper 18)
4 Craig Hudd ©
5 Ethan Phillips
6 Ben Fry (rep: Nathan Hudd 57)
7 Lucas de la Rua
8 Aled Ward
Replacements:
16 Gavin Parry
17 Joe Cowell
18 Tom Harper
19 Lucca Alexander-White
20 Nathan Hudd
21 Joe Williams
22 Lloyd Lucas
23 Bailey Cutts