Wednesday 21st September 2016.
1st XV maintain impressive start.
Bishop Gore 1st XV: 31 Gowerton 1st XV: 45.
Gowerton and Bishop Gore serve up a feast of running rugby.
Gowerton 1st XV squad:
Back from left: Mr W. Thomas (coach), Ben Brown, Lewis Hyatt, Ryan Hughes (capt), James Northey, Jack Soproniuk, Ethan Guy, Max Harris, Adam Beddow, Lewis Grove, Steffan Tyrrell, Tom Ham.
Front from left: Jason Stagg, Joe Legg, Ewan Brown, Max Treharne, Nick Williams, Aled Simons, Dexter Ryde, Lukas Kelly, Iwan Jones and Tom McCann.
Gowerton travelled to Bishop Gore in their opening Aquazone sponsored Ospreys West league fixture and the teams served up a feast of rugby in a game that contained 12 tries. At the final whistle, it was Gowerton who came out victors 45-31.
The visitors were on the board as early as the 3rd minute when good carries by prop Tom McCann and hooker Aled Simons released centre James Northey who crossed in the corner. Fly half Dexter Ryde added the extras from the touchline.
Tom Ham places the ball carefully.
Bishop Gore responded immediately when good work by No.8 Owen Renowden and centre Will Mellowship put powerful wing Sergii Nilov clear and he dotted down beneath the posts. Fly half Rhys Cottrell’s conversion, tied the scores.
On 10 minutes, Gowerton were back in front when wing Adam Beddow gathered a clearance kick on halfway, he fed No.8 Max Harris and his clever offload freed flanker Jack Soproniuk who sprinted in from 25 metres, fly half Ryde added the extras.
The end to end nature of the match continued when the hosts scored an excellent try. No.8 Renowden was again at the heart of things and freed centre Dominic Marques whose well balanced running allowed him to avoid two defenders and score in the corner.
Bishop Gore were in front for the first time in the 23rd minute when wing Nilov crossed for a second time. They increased that lead two minutes later when centre Mellowship crossed. Fly half Cottrell converted both and at the break the hosts led 24-14.
In the early stages of the second half, Bishop Gore buoyed by those late tries, began on the front foot with back row forward Jamie Kirkhouse to the fore.
Gowerton resisted strongly with the defensive work of full back Tom Ham and flankers Lewis Grove and Ewan Brown thwarting the hosts on several occasions. Gowerton reduced the arrears in the 37th minute when a scything break by centre Northey set up an opportunity that flanker and man of the match Brown finished off in the corner. The visitors were back in front with 15 minutes to go when full back Ham scored a fine individual try that Ryde converted.
Max Harris and Adam Beddow line up a tackle.
A minute later, a long kick out of defence by the visitors, bounced favourably for centre Steffan Tyrrell who gathered and scored out wide. Gowerton stretched the lead with 10 minutes left when full back Ham avoided several would be defenders deep inside his own half and sprinted clear to allow Tyrrell to cross for a second time. Ryde added the extras.
Gowerton appeared in control, but Bishop Gore weren’t prepared to go down without a fight and the result was back in the balance when scrum half Tom Gravenor tapped a penalty quickly and plunged over for a try that Cottrell converted. The hosts pressed for the score that could earn them a share of the spoils but excellent work in his own 22 by the increasingly influential Ham allowed him to turn over possession, he raced clear and lock Luke Andrews was in support to score. Fly half Ryde added the extras to complete the scoring.
Gowerton’s year 11 and 9 teams travelled to Ystalyfera for their first Welsh Cup group games and the hosts were convincing winners of both games. In the year 11 game Ystalyfera produced some excellent running rugby and crossed for nine unanswered tries with No.8 Dylan Caulfield and centre Ben Griffin crossing twice each, centre Iestyn Morgan, hooker Kieran Lewis, flanker Aran Lewis, full back Lewis Page and impressive scrum half Dan Hiscocks all added a try apiece. Fly half Declan Thomas kicked 4 conversions. Despite the score line the visitors tackled strongly throughout, with flanker Lewis Grove and Will Griffiths were tireless in their defensive work.
The power of the hosts’ forwards saw them dominate the year 9 game to come out on top 58-26.
Both teams will be looking to bounce back next Tuesday when they host Bishopston at Gowerton RFC.
‘Tireless’ defender Will Griffiths makes another tackle.
