Wednesday 20th April 2016.
Gowerton 1st XV: 10 Cardiff High School 1st XV: 6
Tries from Lewis Hyatt and Sean Collins bring the1st XV Cup success in Cardiff.
Gowerton 1st XV
Back from left: Mr David Watts (coach), Ryan Hughes, David Carpanini, Jordan Richards, Sam Clark, Will Griffiths, Anthony Osborne, Ethan Harris, Olly Smith, Milo Fleming, Elliott Rees, Jason Stagg, Trystan Williams.
Front from left: Adam Beddow, Jacob Ireland, Sam Williams, Lewis Hyatt, Ben Brown, Max Harris, Tom Northey (captain), Steffan Tyrrell, Dexter Ryde, Sean Collins, Samer Makahleh, Aled Simons (absent: Tom Ham).
Gowerton School’s 1st XV travelled to Cardiff Arms Park to play Cardiff High School in the final of the ‘Circle IT’ sponsored Welsh Schools’ Vase competition.
The day had started well for the squad when former pupils; Welsh senior international Liam Williams and under 20s Grand slam winner Keelan Giles came into school to present the squad with their match day kit.
With their opponents having lifted the trophy in 2013 and 2014, Gowerton knew they faced a tough test.
Tom Northey drives forwards.
Despite the excellent playing surface and blue skies, a combination of the swirling wind and cup final nerves meant that neither side was able to dominate the early stages.
Gowerton had a clear advantage in the scrums where the front row of captain Tom Northey, Ben Brown and Ryan Hughes were able to secure several strikes against the head and with full back Tom Ham’s powerful and elusive running providing a constant threat they gradually began to gain the upper hand.
Ethan Harris leaps high to secure a lineout.
In the 18th minute, a break from deep inside his ’22 by full back Ham saw him burst upfield, centre Jordan Richards was in support and fed wing Olly Smith who swerved outside his opposite number and was only denied a score by a last ditch cover tackle.
Three minutes later, a snipe down the blindside of a scrum by scrum half Milo Fleming put No.8 Ethan Harris clear and it took more excellent defending to stop him crossing.
Three minutes before half time, Gowerton’s pressure eventually told, when flanker Max Harris won a line out on the Cardiff High School ’22 and ‘quick hands’ saw the ball moved wide for wing and man of the match Lewis Hyatt to score in the corner.
At the break, Gowerton led 5-0. The second half saw the Cardiff School applying the pressure and the defensive work of hooker Ben Brown, lock Ethan Harris, flanker Jason Stagg and replacement No.8 Will Griffiths had to be of the highest order to stop their opponents crossing the whitewash.
Under intense pressure Gowerton were consistently penalised for infringing at the breakdown and Cardiff High School’s fly half Nick Davies kicked penalties in the 45th and 55th minutes to edge his side in front. A yellow card for persistent offending at the award of the second penalty saw Gowerton reduced to 14 men for much of the remainder of the game and that situation was made even worse when a red card was issued for foul play and they were down to 13 men.
Unbowed Gowerton pressed for a score that would win them the trophy and with fly half Steffan Tyrrell, centre Anthony Osborne and No.8 Griffiths all ‘digging deep’ they powered forward and although still down to 13 men, they were rewarded when fine handling freed wing Sean Collins who ‘dotted down’ in the corner with seven minutes to go.
Gowerton finished the stronger and at full time it was captain Tom Northey who deservedly lifted the trophy in front of the large contingent of visiting supporters who had travelled from school and whose behaviour and support was exemplary and a great credit to them.
The large contingent of visiting supporters who had travelled from school and whose behaviour and support was exemplary and a great credit to them.
The focus of the team now turns to their summer tour to Australia and Singapore where along with the senior hockey and netball teams they will be playing fixtures in Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Surfers Paradise.
The victorious squad with captain Tom Northey and the trophy.
