By: Paul Hopkins
The All Whites fell to a heavy defeat in their opening Super Rygbi Cymru Trophy match against Ebbw Vale at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium.
Despite a promising first half when Joe Thomas’ men played some superb running rugby, the Steelmen took complete control up front after the interval to seal a comfortable win.
The visitors enjoyed the first spell of possession from the kick off, but Mat Protheroe chipped the ball away under pressure, although the full back earned a penalty soon after when his side were back in possession and forced the home side to kill the ball.
Lock Matt Dodd took a lineout just over half way and the Ebbw pack illegally collapsed the maul, with fly half Josh Phillips chipping up to the 22 with the penalty. Dodd again took the lineout, and it looked as if opposite number Dylan Bartlett had managed to steal possession, but he knocked the ball forward.
Swansea were awarded a penalty at the resulting scrum and Phillips this time found touch just 10 metres from the line, although hooker Logan Lloyd’s throw wasn’t straight to gift Ebbw Vale a reprieve.
An outstanding clearance kick by fly half Kai Kinsey found touch on the Swansea 22, but Protheroe took a quick lineout to get his side moving. Phillips made a break over half way, but centre Thomas was unable to get a crucial pass away to winger Brandon Wood.
Flanker Alfred Bateman Lloyd took a lineout in his own half, but scrum half Gruff Tough made a complete mess of the pass back, forcing Kinsey to clear out on the full to give the Whites an attacking lineout. Flanker Jake Roberts collected the ball and Phillips was brought down just short of the line, before Dodd popped up, but lost possession forward.
Lloyd took a short lineout to prop Mat Pryce and his side were awarded a penalty after the Ebbw forwards failed to roll away after the tackle. Phillips found touch on the 22 and Roberts tapped back the lineout to Lloyd, but Roberts then popped up again in midfield, but lost the ball forward.
A clever crossfield kick by Kinsey was almost taken by winger Dafydd Thomas, but the ball beat him into touch, although play was brought back for an earlier penalty conceded by the Whites at the scrum. Kinsey found touch midway between half way and the visitors’ 22 and a solid lineout got centre Cam Davies powering forward, but prop Daf Davies was able to turn over possession.
An outstanding move by the slick Whites backline saw the ball move through the hands, before Protheroe chipped ahead for Wood to chase, but the defending winger Ewan Bowden managed to take the ball back over his own line. The visitors got the ball quickly out of a retreating scrum, but Thomas was turned over as he powered to the line, and the Steelmen were able to clear.
In a similar move similar, the Whites again spread the ball out wide through the hands of Protheroe and Wood, and this time Thomas popped up to slide over for a try. Phillips missed the conversion.
The home side earned a penalty at the scrum, but winger Iwan Glynn superbly kept Kinsey’s touch finder in play. Instead Phillips put up a high kick that full back Morgan Rees spilled forward inside his own half.
Flanker Callum Bowden and number eight Jacob Hopkins combined well to turn over the ball from number eight Ryan Jenkins, and they earned a penalty in the process.
Phillips chipped into the 22 with his touch finder and lock Theo Currie took the lineout, with the home side penalised at the maul. Scrum half Matthew Aubrey took a quick tap penalty and got the ball out through centre Callum Carson, but Protheroe dropped the ball under little pressure to end the scoring opportunity.
Bateman Lloyd took a lineout on half way and the home pack motored forward with a rolling maul, with the visitors penalised for offside. Kinsey turned down the kickable penalty to chip into the Swansea 22.
Lock Curtis Gregory this time rose to collect the lineout with the ball fed to Davies who powered forward, and the visitors were penalised for failing to roll away in the tackle.
Kinsey dinked the ball into the corner and Gregory took the lineout, with the backs joining the set piece, resulting in a try for hooker Ieuan Morris. Kinsey converted.
A poor box kick by Tough gifted Swansea possession inside the Ebbw Vale half and a superb long pass by Carson found Glynn on the wing, but he was tackled a few metres short. The Whites remained patient though and Aubrey threw a pass for Protheroe to dive over for a try. Phillips converted.
Ebbw Vale retook the lead thanks to a moment of magic when Rees cut through the Swansea defence and touched down under the posts. Kinsey converted.
Half-time: Ebbw Vale 14-12 Swansea
After the interval, the visitors secured a turnover just shy of the Ebbw Vale 22, but a poor pass was down the throat of Phillips, although his clearance kick sailed out on the full. Swansea messed up at the lineout though, giving Ebbw Vale a relieving scrum.
Protheroe tried to go on his own, but was well wrapped up, but a dangerous tackle on Carson saw Phillips sent to the sin bin. Phillips found touch deep inside the Ebbw Vale 22, but Lloyd’s throw wasn’t straight.
Swansea kept up the pressure on their opponents though, and Tough was forced to hurriedly clear to touch. A short lineout found Roberts, and the supporting Dodd was tackled on the 22, but held on for too long, gifting the Steelmen with a penalty.
The home pack formed a dangerous looking rolling maul, but Swansea reclaimed possession and Aubrey kicked deep, forcing the Steelmen into a clearance to touch.
Roberts took the lineout and got the Whites’ backline moving, with Protheroe superbly delaying a pass to Glynn, who raced forward, but he became isolated on the Ebbw Vale 22 and gave away a penalty.
Hopkins collected a loose lineout and Carson thought he’d sent Protheroe in for a try, but the pass was inches forward.
A powerful Ebbw Vale scrum earned a penalty, allowing Kinsey to chip deep into the Swansea half. Morris rescued a poor lineout for his side and a penalty soon followed when the Whites’ defence crept offside.
A poor lineout throw by Lloyd was taken by Morris who chipped the ball into touch, making a few yards in the process. The Steelmen continued to attack and were awarded a penalty, which Kinsey chipped into the corner.
Gregory collected the lineout and the Ebbw backs again joined the rolling maul, and this time the ball was popped out to Phillips who crashed over for a try. Kinsey converted.
Kinsey found touch just shy of the Swansea 22 and Dafydd Thomas managed to break through two tackles in midfield, but Kinsey lost the ball forward.
Thomas tried to race through the middle, but threw a stray pass into the hands of Phillips. Instead, it was the home side who threatened as Bartlett popped up to take a pass in midfield and used his power…and pace…to score and put his side out of sight. Kinsey converted.
Thomas was well wrapped up in midfield as Swansea looked for a way back into the game, and the supporting Protheroe tried to dance his way through, but was stopped on the 22, before Roberts spilled the ball forward.
A superb link up between Bowden and replacement full back Devon Shorney saw the latter chip through, but Swansea managed to get back to defend to prevent a certain score.
The visitors gave another penalty away at the scrum, and this time replacement prop Morgan James was yellow carded. Kinsey chipped into the corner and Gregory took the lineout, and a well weighted crossfield kick was taken by Bowden, who touched down under the posts. Kinsey converted.
The home side looked to rub salt into the wounds of their opponents by spinning the ball quickly out wide, but Shorney dropped a pass, although play was brought back for an earlier penalty.
A rolling maul formed from a lineout on the 22, which the Whites were unable to contain, and in a carbon copy of the last try, a crossfield kick was taken by Dafydd Thomas, who scored. Kinsey missed the conversion.
Next up for Ebbw Vale is a trip to Aberavon, while Swansea face a trip to Cardiff.
Ebbw Vale:
Tries:- Ieuan Morris (33), Morgan Rees (40), Ethan Phillips (62), Dylan Bartlett (71), Ewan Bowden (80), Dafydd Thomas (80=6)
Cons:- Kai Kinsey (34, 40+1, 63, 72, 80+1)
Swansea:
Tries:- Joe Thomas (19), Mat Protheroe (37)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (38)
Yellow cards:- Morgan James (79)
Match facts:
Venue:- Ciner Glass Community Stadium, Ebbw Vale
Weather:- Light rain, 17C
Referee:- Ben Breakspear
Man of the match:- Dylan Bartlett
Attendance:- 1,000
Ebbw Vale team:
15 Morgan Rees (rep: Devon Shorney 72)
14 Dafydd Thomas
13 Ethan Phillips ©
12 Cam Davies (rep: Dom Franchi 56)
11 Ewan Bowden
10 Kai Kinsey
9 Gruff Tough (rep: Jon Evans 56)
1 Luke Garrett (rep: Regan Jones 72)
2 Ieuan Morris (rep: James Talamai 72)
3 Morgan Bosanko (rep: Adam Williams 48)
4 Dylan Bartlett
5 Curtis Gregory
6 Alfred Bateman Lloyd
7 Ben Main (rep: Joe Rees-Waldon 67)
8 Ryan Jenkins (rep: Chad Thomas 72)
Replacements:
16 James Talamai
17 Regan Jones
18 Adam Williams
19 Chad Thomas
20 Joe Rees-Weldon
21 Jon Evans
22 Dom Franchi
23 Devon Shorney
Swansea team:
15 Mat Protheroe
14 Iwan Glynn
13 Callum Carson (rep: Jack Hoskins 57)
12 Joe Thomas
11 Brandon Wood
10 Josh Phillips (cc) (rep: Luke Price 63)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 74)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Morgan James 67)
2 Logan Lloyd (rep: Sam Cawsey 63)
3 Mat Pryce (rep: Tom Crockett 57)
4 Matt Dodd (rep: Cai Arnold 51)
5 Theo Currie
6 Jake Roberts
7 Callum Bowden (cc) (rep: Ethan Fackrell 51)
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Sam Cawsey
17 Morgan James
18 Tom Crockett
19 Cai Arnold
20 Ethan Fackrell
21 Iwan Temblett
22 Luke Price
23 Jack Hoskins