By: Paul Hopkins
A Harri Houston interception try helped Swansea complete a league double over Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground to end 2025 on a high note.
It was the home side who began the brighter with full back Scott Delnevo making a probing break from half way, although a high kick by fly half Keillen Cullen was comfortably taken by opposite number Josh Phillips, who slipped and then held on after the tackle. Cullen pulled his effort well wide of the posts though.
A superb break by centre Joe Thomas took the Whites up to the Wizards’ 22, with flanker Iwan Shenton powering forward, but the ball was lost.
However, Swansea were soon back in possession after the Wizards’ pack was held up, and the home side got quick ball out wide with flanker Callum Bowden bursting through the middle and finding scrum half Matthew Aubrey on his shoulder for the game’s opening try. Phillips converted.
Winger Iwan Glynn then took a long pass out on the wing and used his pace and chipping through, but the home side managed to get back to defend and were able to clear.
The visitors were awarded a penalty when the Wizards handled the ball in the ruck and Phillips chipped to the corner. The Whites’ pack remained patient and were stopped just short of the line, before the ball was swept out wide for winger Liam Lloyd to dance his way over for a try in the corner. Phillips converted.
The Wizards enjoyed their first attack through winger Felix Gilbert, but a crunching tackle by full back Houston allowed number eight Jacob Hopkins to secure a turnover, with Aubrey clearing.
Hooker Luke Davies peeled off a ruck and made ten yards towards the Swansea 22 and the visitors gave away a penalty after creeping offside in the middle. Cullen chipped to the corner and a short lineout was taken by lock Ross Fox, before centre Frankie Jones was penalised for holding on after the tackle under pressure from number eight Jacob Hopkins.
The visitors were awarded another penalty inside the Aberavon half, and prop Jordan Walters was also yellow carded for foul play. Phillips chipped to the corner and lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, but excellent defensive work by the Aberavon pack secured a turnover.
A good link up between centres Jack Hoskins and Thomas got the visitors on the attack, but a few on the field injuries forced the referee to temporary halt play.
A superb chip and gather from Delnevo sparked a promising attack from the home side and he found centre Sam Jardine in support, before the Whites were penalised for offside. Cullen chipped into the corner and lock Shay Smallman collected the lineout, with Davies powering over for a try. Cullen converted.
Bowden then charged forward and knocked back a tackler, but the supporting Hoskins was brought down and prop Daf Davies was penalised for holding on in the tackle.
A fantastic penalty touch finder by Cullen gained important territory for Aberavon, but the home side were knocked backwards from the lineout. The visitors were penalised for an offside offence though and Cullen chipped deep into the corner. A5 took the lineout and the visitors initially stopped the maul, but then gave away another penalty.
The home side opted for a scrum and it proved the right call as the pack drove forward at the rate of knots, with number eight Ashton Evans touching down for a try. Cullen converted to tie the scores.
On the stroke of half time Jardine was penalised for holding on after the tackle on half way and Phillips chose to kick at goal, but his effort fell well short of the posts.
Half-time:- Aberavon 14-14 Swansea
A poor restart from Phillips went over the try line and was grounded by an Aberavon player, so the home side were handed a scrum on half way. Despite a patient build up by the Wizards, Cullen chipped ahead and the Whites were able to comfortably deal with the danger.
Replacement flanker James Clegg took a lineout and found scrum half Jayden Grey, and Houston spilled a high kick, only for Frankie Jones to inexplicably kick away possession. A poor mistake by Evans then gifted the Whites a scrum on the Aberavon 22, but they were driven off the set piece and gave away a penalty.
Lock Ben Roberts took a lineout on the Wizards’ 22 and Thomas powered through a gap in the defence, before the ball was swept out wide through quick hands of Lloyd and Houston to send Glynn over for a try. Phillips missed the conversion.
Cullen chipped to the corner with a penalty as Swansea were warned for committing one too many offences. The home side chose a scrum and the pack powered forward forcing the Whites to give away another penalty. With the scrum not moving forward this time, the ball was swept out wide for Frankie Jones to score. Cullen converted to take his side into the lead for the first time.
The visitors looked to attack again with Phillips making a break and throwing the ball through the hands of Hoskins and Thomas, who sprinted through the middle, forcing the Wizards to give away a penalty. Phillips chipped deep into the corner and Roberts took the lineout, with Bowden sneaking over for a try in the corner from a ruck. Phillips missed the conversion.
The Whites then gave away another penalty, which Cullen chipped deep into the 22. It looked as though the visitors would score, but Grey got the ball out to the backs and a stray pass was picked up by Houston who raced the length of the field for a sensational try. Phillips converted.
Lloyd dropped the restart and the Wizards got the ball out wide to Frankie Jones, but he was turned over and replacement scrum half Ellis Lewis cleared. Then Lewis hacked the ball forward, forcing the Wizards to take the ball back over their own line. The Whites battered the Wizards’ line, but replacement prop Tom Crockett was held up to give the home side a goal line drop out.
Aberavon then gave away a penalty and Phillips chipped into the corner. The ball was swept out wide from Houston to Lloyd, but after an intervention from the touch judge, he was found to have crucially knocked the ball forward over the line.
Glynn threatened out on the wing after taking a long pass before another interception saw the ball sent inside to replacement winger Brad Roderick, but he kicked a handy 50/22.
However, it was not to be as the Wizards soon lost possession and replacement centre Ieuan Bissell gratefully hacked the ball clear into the Aberavon 22 as the referee blew up for full time.
Next up for Aberavon is a home match against Cardiff, while Swansea host RGC 1404.
Full-time:- Aberavon 21-31 Swansea
Aberavon:
Tries:- Saul Hurley (34), Ashton Evans (40+1), Frankie Jones 58)
Cons:- Keillen Cullen (35, 40+2, 59)
Yellow cards:- Jordan Walters (22)
Swansea:
Tries:- Matthew Aubrey (8), Liam Lloyd (13), Iwan Glynn (49), Callum Bowden (64), Harri Houston (69)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (9, 14, 70)
Match facts:
Venue:- Talbot Athletic Ground, Port Talbot
Weather:- Sunny, 7C
Man of the match:- Jacob Hopkins
Attendance:- 1,700
Aberavon team:
15 Scott Delnevo
14 Felix Gilbert
13 Frankie Jones
12 Sam Jardine
11 Cori Lewis-Jenkins (rep: Brad Roderick 41)
10 Keillen Cullen
9 Jayden Grey (rep: Caelan Carson Jones 77)
1 Jordan Walters (rep: Freddie Chapman 70)
2 Luke Davies (rep: Saul Hurley 59-80+3)
3 Geraint James (rep: Conrad Delfosse 50)
4 Ross Fox (rep: Lewis Marsh 28)
5 Shay Smallman
6 Ben Gregory (re: Geraint Powell 70)
7 Charlie Herdman (rep: Freddie Chapman 24-35, rep: James Clegg 38)
8 Ashton Evans
Replacements:
16 Caelan Carson Jones
17 Brad Roderick
18 Saul Hurley
19 James Clegg
20 Geraint Powell
21 Conrad Delfosse
22 Lewis Marsh
23 Freddie Chapman
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Iwan Glynn
13 Joe Thomas
12 Jack Hoskins (rep: Ieuan Bissell 72)
11 Liam Lloyd
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Ellis Lewis 72)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 67)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Rhodri King 61)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Berian Williams 67)
4 Matt Dodd (rep: Cai Arnold 41)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Iwan Shenton (rep: Luca Giannini 70)
7 Callum Bowden (cc)
8 Jacob Hopkins (rep: Ethan Fackrell 50)
Replacements:
16 Rhodri King
17 Tom Crockett
18 Berian Williams
19 Cai Arnold
20 Luca Giannini
21 Ethan Fackrell
22 Ellis Lewis
23 Ieuan Bissell