By: Paul Hopkins
Swansea’s winless start to the season continued after they were beaten 43-35 at Carmarthen Park in a highly entertaining match that will be remembered for an excellent cameo by young replacement scrum half Alfie Luger.
The visitors were in possession soon after kick off and the Quins were penalised for a deliberate knock down, although no card was issued. Instead fly half Luke Price chose to kick for the corner.
Lock Cai Arnold took the lineout and Swansea backs joined the rolling maul, but it was initially defended by the Quins, before the ball was swept out wide for full back Lewis Edwards to squeeze over at the corner. Price missed the conversion.
Edwards took the restart and made a few yards, but fly half Ifan Davies comfortable diffused a Matthew Aubrey box kick. Instead, his opposite number Aron Hemmings put up a box kick of his own, which was taken by Edwards, and the Whites were soon back on the front foot with a penalty following for an offside offence. Price turned down the kickable penalty to boot the ball into the corner.
Arnold collected the lineout and another powerful rolling maul saw the visitors get the ball out through the hands of Edwards for winger Iwan Glynn to dive over for a try in the corner. Price missed the conversion.
The Quins pack advanced at a scrum and centre Jayden Brown chipped forward but the ball was marked by Edwards, and his side were able to clear.
Hooker Jamie Cox stole in at the back of a lineout and the Quins were forced to give away another penalty. Price chose to kick at goal this time and he successfully extended his side’s lead to 13 points.
A sharp turn of pace by Brown caused panic in the Swansea defence and he found winger Eilur George who chipped ahead, but centre Joe Thomas managed to scramble back to kick the ball dead to concede a scrum five. The visitors’ pack gave away a penalty at the first set piece and the Quins chose to go for a second scrum. The home forwards again advanced, but outstanding defence by their counterparts earned a turnover.
Flanker Iestyn Richards took a lineout inside his own half and the home pack inched up to the Swansea 22, but Davies’ crossfield kick was comfortably marked by scrum half Aubrey.
A superb offload to George saw the pacey winger race inside the Swansea 22, and he popped up a pass for number eight Lewys Millin score a superb try. Davies converted.
The visitors won a turnover on the Carmarthen 22, but Aubrey forced a pass to Price, who dropped the ball.
Glynn used his strength to take a Hemmings box kick on half way and the Quins strayed offside from a Price chip and go. Price again went for goal, but his effort strayed wide of the post.
Prop Tom Crockett charged down the drop out, but the ball fell into the grateful hands of a Quins player. Fast forward a few phases and the home side were awarded a penalty, which Davies chipped up to the Swansea 22. A powerful rolling maul earned another penalty, and Davies turned down the kickable chance to boot the ball deep into the corner.
Lock Lee Taylor took the lineout and the Whites managed to prevent a score inches short of the line, but the ball became trapped at the ruck, to give Carmarthen a scrum five. Millin picked up the ball from the back of the set piece and found Taylor, who in turn threw a scoring pass to George. Davies dragged the conversion wide.
Flanker Theo Currie collected a lineout inside the Quins half and the ball was sent out through the hands of Edwards to Glynn, who was well tackled five metres from the line. A penalty followed and Thomas took it quickly to race over unopposed for the Whites’ third try. Price converted.
Price chipped out on the full with a touch finder to put his side under pressure in the closing stages of the half. Richards took the lineout unopposed and the home side got quick ball out to the backs, but they hit a brick wall, and the ball was instead booted downfield from a turnover, and the Quins did well to survive a real scare as the half time whistle sounded.
Half-time: Carmarthen 12-20 Swansea
It was the best possible start after the interval for the visitors when winger Callum Dodd made good yards on the wing, and a superb move saw Cox pop up in midfield and throw a pass to Hoskins, who sprinted clear to score a bonus point try. Price missed the conversion.
The match turned on its head when the home side made two inspired subs, with Luger and flanker Joe Denman taking to the field, and they immediately created a superb move out wide for Luger to score. Davies missed the conversion.
Number eight Jacob Hopkins burst through the middle and was well tackled, before Price threw a pass out wide, but Edwards was unable to take the ball, although play was brought back for an early Whites penalty. Price chipped into the 22 and lock Ben Roberts took the lineout, but the home side defended well and were able to clear.
Aubrey lost the ball at a ruck and the Quins spread play out to Davies who made a break over half way. Centre Gabe McDonald tried to power through the middle and a quick tap penalty by Luger found Badham, but his kick was charged down. Flanker Shaun Evans then spotted a gap and raced up to the line, but he failed to spot the supporting player. However, at the next phase of play Luger broke through a tackle and touched down under the posts. McDonald converted.
The Quins came again and two missed tackles on McDonald resulted in Luger taking a pass and easing over the line for his hat trick score. McDonald missed the conversion.
Price found touch inside the Carmarthen 22 with a penalty and Arnold took the lineout, but the visitors gave away a penalty for an offside offence.
Replacement centre Luke Scully was forced into touch after a difficult pass to Thomas, gifting the Quins a lineout inside the Swansea 22. Denman collected the lineout, but replacement fly half Ashton Owen dropped a tough pass from winger Callum Woolley and the move broke down.
Aubrey did very well to get the ball out of a scrum retreating at the rate of knots and he sensibly chipped to touch. Cox stole in at the lineout and an offside offence by the Quins’ defence gifted Swansea a penalty, which replacement fly half Josh Phillips chipped into the home 22.
Hooker Lewis Morgan tried to intercept a pass but knocked the ball forward and Swansea got the ball out to Thomas who made good yards. Play was then switched to the other flank, with Cox popping up, and Arnold and flanker Ethan Fackrell both having a nibble at the line, before the ball was swept out wide by Edwards for Thomas to score. Phillips dragged the conversion wide.
Swansea secured a turnover on half way, but a poor chip ahead by Phillips gave the Quins an opportunity to kick deep for territory.
A routine lineout got the home side on the attack inside the Swansea 22, with the Quins throwing the kitchen sink at the Swansea line, before an inside pass by Brown sent McDonald over for a try, which he also converted.
A superb tackle by Aubrey pinned the Quins back inside their own 22, but replacement lock Chris Thompson stepped offside to gift the home side an easy clearance.
The home side got the ball out of a scrum and worked their way towards the 22, with George making a break and handing a scoring pass to Taylor, who rolled over for a try in the corner. McDonald converted.
In the closing stages Edwards took a quick lineout to Hopkins, who powered forward. The ball was then worked out to Glynn by Edwards, who took a pass back, chipped ahead and beat George to score a fine solo try. Phillips missed the conversion and with it failed to add a second bonus point for his side.
Next up for Carmarthen is a trip to Newport, while Swansea travel to Bridgend.
Full-time: Carmarthen 43-35 Swansea
Carmarthen:
Tries:- Lewys Millin (24), Eilir George (36), Alfie Luger (46, 54, 59), Gabe McDonald (76, 80+5)
Cons:- Ifan Davies (25), Gabe McDonald (55, 77)
Swansea:
Tries:- Lewis Edwards (5, 80+6), Iwan Glynn (9), Joe Thomas (39), Jack Hoskins (43), Joe Thomas (71)
Cons:- Luke Price (40)
Pens:- Luke Price (15)
Match facts:
Venue:- Carmarthen Park, Carmarthen
Weather:- Sunny, 17C
Referee:- Keith David
Man of the match:- Alfie Luger
Attendance:- 500
Carmarthen team:
15 Iori Badham
14 Callum Woolley (rep: Sam Williams 66)
13 Jayden Brown
12 Gabe McDonald
11 Eilir George
10 Ifan Davies (rep: Ashton Owen 60)
9 Aron Hemmings (rep: Alfie Luger 45)
1 Rhys Fawcett (rep: Hudson Nevin 52)
2 Lewis Morgan (rep: Jake Bowen 72)
3 Connor Allen (rep: Ifan James 52)
4 Ryan Bean
5 Lee Taylor (rep: Sam Williams 80+4)
6 Iestyn Richards (rep: Joe Denman 45)
7 Shaun Evans © (rep: Luca Giannini 60)
8 Lewys Millin
Replacements:
16 Jake Bowen
17 Hudson Nevin
18 Ifan James
19 Sam Williams
20 Luca Giannini
21 Joe Denman
22 Alfie Luger
23 Ashton Owen
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Callum Dodd
13 Joe Thomas
12 Jack Hoskins (rep: Luke Scully 62)
11 Iwan Glynn
10 Luke Price (rep: Josh Phillips 62)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Kai Inker 80)
1 Tom Crockett (rep: Morgan James 66)
2 Jamie Cox
3 Mat Pryce (rep: Jayden Maybank 72)
4 Cai Arnold (rep: Chris Thompson 74)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Theo Currie (rep: Callum Bowden 60)
7 Ethan Fackrell ©
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Osian Oliver
17 Morgan James
18 Jayden Maybank
19 Chris Thompson
20 Callum Bowden
21 Kai Inker
22 Josh Phillips
23 Luke Scully