By: Paul Hopkins
The All Whites’ season came to an end in the Super Rygbi Cymru Trophy quarter-finals at Newport in a match that will be best remembered for a solo try of the season by winger Lloyd Lewis.
Fly half Jac Lloyd tried to spin out of a tackle and full back Carwyn Penny chipped through, but fly half Josh Phillips comfortably collected possession and the All Whites were awarded a relieving penalty after the home side crept offside in midfield.
The home pack dominated the first scrum and were awarded a penalty just shy of half way, which Lloyd chipped to touch. Hooker Henry Palmer’s lineout throw wasn’t straight though and Swansea were back in possession.
Full back Mat Protheroe looked to inject some pace after a period of tactical kicks, and the Black and Ambers were penalised for a high tackle, with Phillips finding touch.
Another penalty followed when the home side failed to roll away in the tackle and Phillips found touch deep in the Newport 22. This time Swansea overcomplicated the lineout and lock Ben Roberts lost the ball forward.
In a moment of magic, Lewis took a superb crossfield kick inside his own half and weaved his way past five defenders, using a sharp turn of pace to score a magnificent try under the posts, ending any debate for try of the season! Lloyd converted.
To their credit, the All Whites were back inside the Newport 22 from the restart and Phillips chose to chip a kickable penalty into touch. Lock Matt Dodd took the lineout and Phillips tried a crossfield kick of his own but the ball evaded Lloyd into touch, although play was brought back for another penalty. The home side managed to turn over possession and were able to clear though.
Number eight Ben Roach tapped back a lineout on half way and Penny was well tackled, but the home side recycled the ball, although scrum half Dafydd Buckland spilled the ball forward on the Swansea 22.
Flanker Iwan Shenton showed great power in midfield, with the supporting centre Jack Hoskins chipping ahead, but play was brought back for a Swansea penalty, which Phillips chipped up to the 22.
Roberts rose high to collect the lineout and lock Josh Skinner was penalised for pulling down the maul, with referee Craig Evans sending him to the sin-bin. Phillips again chipped to the corner and yet another penalty followed with captain Roach warned by Evans.
Phillips dinked the ball into touch and Roberts took the lineout, with Newport yet again transgressing at the maul, finding themselves down to 13 men with prop Tom Devine yellow carded.
Another lineout followed and this time flanker Callum Bowden powered over for a try. Phillips converted to tie the scores.
The Black and Ambers should have scored a second try after a well worked move involving Devine and centre Joe Westwood, but centre Tom Hoppe inexplicably dropped the ball over the line under no pressure.
The drop out caught the home side napping and a spilled ball gifted Swansea a scrum. The Whites got the ball out to the backs, but Protheroe’s chip through sailed dead.
The Whites came again though with Roberts powering over the 22, and centre Callum Carson looked set to score in the corner, but he was crowded out and threw an aimless pass that was gratefully intercepted by the home side.
Lewis almost turned hero to villain as he raced down the wing and popped up a pass into the hands of centre Iwan Glynn, who raced up to the Newport 22, but he was tackled into touch.
A poor clearance kick by winger Morgan Williams was down the throat of scrum half Matthew Aubrey, who got his side back on the attack, before a clever kick by Carson found touch deep inside the Newport 22.
A poor lineout from the Whites was taken by Devine, and although Hoppe beat Protheroe to a high ball, he knocked on.
The Black and Ambers ended the half in the same vein as they began with a powerful scrum that earned a penalty. Lloyd chipped into the corner and flanker Hunter Wood collected the lineout, but the Whites’ defence held firm, and Williams was tackled into touch a metre short of the line.
The home side won the lineout but Swansea gave away a penalty, which Lloyd chipped to touch. Wood took the lineout and a counter drive by the Whites forced them backwards, but the pack remained patient, with Penny tackled inches short of the line as Evans blew up for full time.
Half-time: Newport 7-7 Swansea
The visitors were awarded a penalty on half way following a Newport transgression at the scrum. Phillips chipped up to the 22 and replacement lock Cai Arnold took the lineout, and the Whites were awarded a further penalty.
Phillips again chipped deep into the corner, but this time Arnold lost the ball forward and Newport were able to counterattack through Hoppe and Penny, and were awarded a penalty when the Swansea defence strayed offside in midfield.
Ill-discipline in the Newport ranks, with words spoken out of turn, saw the visitors awarded a penalty, which Phillips chipped to touch, but hooker Jamie Cox’s lineout throw was poor.
The Black and Ambers were back on the attack through Penny, who handed a short pass to Roach, and the supporting Williams was well wrapped up. Following a patient build up, Penny sparked energy into the attack and he found Buckland, who fired a pass out to Lewis for a try at the corner. Lloyd converted.
Flanker Kobi Rees was penalised for offside and Phillips found touch on the Newport 22. Arnold just about managed to tap the lineout back and the visitors got quick ball out to the opposite wing, but a deliberate knock on by Westwood gifted Swansea a penalty, with the centre yellow carded.
Phillips chipped to the corner and a well worked move saw the ball spread quickly out wide to Phillips, who dived over for a try in the corner. He also converted.
A powerful scrum by the home pack inside the Swansea 22 earned a penalty and this time Lloyd opted to kick at goal and he successfully nudged his side back ahead.
Replacement centre Brogan Leary burst through the middle following an advancing Newport scrum as the Black and Ambers threw the kitchen sink at the Swansea line, but the visitors counterattacked, although Hoskins lost the ball forward.
It was almost a third try for Newport when Leary again burst through the middle and handed a pass to the powerful Williams, but the supporting Roach became isolated and lost the ball forward.
Following a short debate by the officials around the suitability of Swansea’s front row forwards after an injury, a powerful Newport scrum saw replacement scrum half Lucas Welch slide over for a try after his side won a scrum against the head. Lloyd converted.
Newport went in search of another try and Westwood was stopped just short, before Lloyd lost the ball over the line, although an excellent clearance kick forced a mistake, with Swansea awarded a scrum inside the Black and Ambers’ half.
Number eight Jacob Hopkins made a powerful run from the scrum, but Dodd was unable to take the pass in what seemed like a last chance saloon for the Whites.
Replacement winger Ieuan Cornelius took a quick lineout inside his own half but found himself held up in the tackle. The home side attacked from the advancing scrum, with Lloyd almost creeping through, before the ball found the hands of Leary, who beat a tackler to score. Lloyd converted.
And the Black and Ambers put the cherry on top of a fantastic second half display when Leary used his pace to score under the posts. Lloyd converted.
It was the All Whites who scored the final try of the game though, when replacement scrum half Iwan Temblett stretched over from close range for a consolation score. Phillips converted.
Newport will now face a trip to second place Ebbw Vale in the semi finals, while Swansea will now look forward to a new season, back at their St Helen’s home.
Full-time: Newport 38-21 Swansea
Newport:
Tries:- Lloyd Lewis (9, 52), Lucas Welch (71), Brogan Leary (80+5, 80+7)
Cons:- Jac Lloyd (10, 53, 72, 80+6, 80+8)
Pens:- Jac Lloyd (62)
Yellow cards:- Josh Skinner (21), Tom Devine (24), Joe Westwood (58)
Swansea:
Tries:- Callum Bowden (25), Josh Phillips (59), Iwan Temblett (80+8)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (26, 60, 80+9)
Match facts:
Venue:- Newport Stadium, Newport
Weather:- Sunny, 18C
Referee:- Craig Evans
Man of the match:- Lloyd Lewis
Attendance:- 1,000
Newport team:
15 Carwyn Penny
14 Lloyd Lewis (rep: Fin Baker 64)
13 Tom Hoppe (rep: Brogan Leary 60)
12 Joe Westwood
11 Morgan Williams (rep: Tom Workman 29-36)
10 Jac Lloyd
9 Dafydd Buckland (rep: Lucas Welch 67)
1 Tom Devine (rep: Tom Workman 64)
2 Henry Palmer (rep: Wade Langley 57)
3 Garin Harris (rep: Ollie Drake 64)
4 Josh Skinner
5 Callum Bradbury (rep: Cerrig Smith 64)
6 Hunter Ward
7 Kobi Rees (rep: Kyle Tayler 57)
8 Ben Roach ©
Replacements:
16 Wade Langley
17 Tom Workman
18 Ollie Drake
19 Cerrig Smith
20 Kyle Tayler
21 Lucas Welch
22 Brogan Leary
23 Fin Baker
Swansea team:
15 Mat Protheroe
14 Liam Lloyd
13 Callum Carson
12 Jack Hoskins (rep: Ieuan Bissell 72)
11 Iwan Glynn (rep: Ieuan Cornelius 53)
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 80+2)
1 Tom Crockett (rep: Ed Thompson (78)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Rhodri King 53)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Mat Pryce 41)
4 Matt Dodd
5 Ben Roberts (rep: Cai Arnold (41)
6 Iwan Shenton (rep: Ethan Fackrell 53)
7 Callum Bowden (cc)
8 Jacob Hopkins
Replacements:
16 Rhodri King
17 Mat Pryce
18 Tom Furtado-Mills
19 Cai Arnold
20 Ethan Fackrell
21 Iwan Temblett
22 Ieuan Bissell
23 Ieuan Cornelius