Gowerton move confidently into the Swansea schools cup semi final.
Gowerton year 7: 26 Bishopston year 7: 14
Gowerton’s year 7 team entertained Bishopston in the quarter finals of the Swansea schools’ cup at Gowerton RFC and in excellent conditions for open expansive rugby it was the hosts who came out on top and progressed to a home game against neighbours Gwyr in the semi-final.
Both teams produced an impressive brand of running rugby with the visitors on top at forward with powerful ball carriers No.8 George Dun and prop Lawrence Hyde both to the fore. Gowerton held the advantage behind the scrum with scrum half Matthew Davies’s crisp service giving his outside backs the time and space that allowed fly half Gavin Williams, centre Sam Cartwright and wing Dylan Charles to carry a constant threat with their elusive running.
In the early stages, the hosts applied all the pressure with the back row of Sam Terry, Ryan Stagg and man of the match Teigue Williams working tirelessly, but the excellent defensive work of the visitors added to the fact that Gowerton were too keen to take contact meant that they weren’t initially able to open the scoring.
Bishopston gradually settled with fly half Joe Broad distributing intelligently and full back Lewis Price running and defending strongly but Gowerton’s spirited defensive efforts epitomised by hooker Adam Williams and lock Owen Parry saw them repelling the bigger Bishopston runners. Parry in particular impressed making two try saving tackles that saw the ball dislodged when over the try line.
Gowerton scored four tries. The first a great solo effort from flanker Stagg, the second was claimed by No.8 Williams whose pressure forced an error at a visitors’ lineout on their 22, he gathered and raced clear. As Gowerton increasingly began to offload before contact, a great spell of phase play released centre Ethan Lee and he outpaced the cover to score from 40 metres. No.8 Williams grabbed his second try when he sprinted clear from halfway. Centre Sam Cartwright kicked four conversions.
In reply, Bishopston scored twice with No.8 Dun and prop Hyde both crossing. Scrum half Tom Payne and wing Willis Wood kicked a conversion apiece.
At the final whistle it was Gowerton whose outstanding team performance saw them progress, but the game was one from which both sides could take great credit.
