Gowerton at the double.

Gowerton got their New Year programme under way when their year 7 and 10 teams travelled to Pontarddulais.
Both schools contributed significantly to two enterprising games of rugby but in the end it was Gowerton who returned home with the spoils from both games.

Four tries for Caradog Kaniewski clinches victory for year 10.

Pontarddulais year 10: 24 Gowerton year 10: 36

In the year 10 game, the hosts were on top in the first quarter with their powerful forwards rampaging past some loose tackles. Particularly impressive were hooker Jacob Bemrose, lock Ben Hibbard and flanker Evan Rundle. The hosts raced to a 12 point lead with lock Hibbard and centre Kyle Bayliss both crossing. Bayliss added a conversion.

These early setbacks sparked Gowerton into life, they tightened their defence with centre Joe Hawkins-Cole and No.8 Caradog Kaniewski working tirelessly and with prop Mikey Black and flanker Joe Richards both carrying strongly they started making good yardage.

In the 19th minute, the visitors reduced the deficit when a scrum on the 5m line allowed No.8 Kaniewski to pick up and drive over, full back Taylor John added the extras.

Two minutes later Gowerton were level and it was again No.8 Kaniewski to the fore, he received the ball 30 metres out and brushed aside four would be tacklers to score in the corner.

Pontaddulais were on the ropes and struggling to contain the strong running of centre Hawkins-Cole and wings Scott Howells and Geraint Hodges. Gowerton took the lead before the break when they established an attacking platform and from another 5m scrum the ball was moved wide and centre Billy Davies dived over in the corner, giving the visitors a 17-12 half time lead.

Confidence boosted, the visitors began the second period as they ended the first with a try from the kick off. Flanker Kaniewski collected the spilled restart and powered his way through for a try converted by full back John.

The hosts weren’t prepared to go down without a fight and found renewed energy that allowed them to reassert their authority up front and they were back on level terms with ten minutes to go when first No.8 Kian Hier and then centre Bayliss crossed for tries one of which Bayliss converted.

The game was in the balance but it was the visitors that found the extra gear with replacement scrum half Jake Riordan dictating play intelligently and tries by hooker Vikran Sanghera and a fourth for man of the match Kaniewski one of which full back John converted meant Gowerton returned home victors 36-24, but it was a game from which both sides could take much credit.

Brace apiece for Drew Dodd and Cameron Bevan gives year 7 the edge.

Pontarddulais year 7: 17 Gowerton year 7: 34.

The year 7 game was equally as competitive and again it was the hosts who settled first as the Gowerton struggled to get the journey out of their system. They took the lead with a fine individual try from centre Jack Gedrych. There appeared to be little on for him when he gathered a loose ball inside the visitors’ half but he set off on a slicing run that took him around three defenders, once in the clear he had the pace to make it to the try line to open the scoring.

Gowerton gradually came into the game and they began to establish field position with half backs Ben Hughes and Cameron Bevan distributing intelligently. When wing Caerwyn Richards was put clear it took a great tackle by flanker Tomos Davies to haul him down just short of the line, however, he presented the ball well and that allowed No.8 James Wells to pick up and nip down the unattended blindside to tie the scores.

Gowerton were in front three minutes later when Tyler Davies’s excellent angle of running allowed him to breach the hosts’ defence on halfway, he fed supporting wing Drew Dodd who had the pace and strength to score a try converted by fly half Cameron Bevan.

On the stroke of half time, visitors’ centre Davies crossed for a try of his own when flanker James Godbeer, whose tireless work at the breakdown earned him the man of the match award, won quick ball and crisp passing in midfield gave Davies the room to power over. At the break Gowerton led 17-5.

Great body positions in the ruck from man of the match James Godbeer and try scorer James Wells (Blue cap).

Pontarddulais came out after half time with renewed vigour, particularly at forward where lock Louie Daniel was particularly impressive. They reduced the arrears in the second minute of the second period with a fine individual try by No.8 Jacob Hanford. He picked up from the base of a scrum on halfway and showed both power to drive through two defenders and pace to outstrip the cover to score a try converted by centre Jayden Evans-Grant.

Five minutes later a loose defensive kick by the hosts was gathered by flanker Isobel Baldwin-Pritchard, she fed wing Dodd and he sprinted 25 metres to score in the corner. Boosted by this score, the visitors were now in the ascendency with flankers Jac Hawkins and Finley Guard and hooker Nathan Gardiner all working tirelessly in defence whilst locks Richard Davies and Finn Lewis both carried strongly.

Jac Lewis-Colwill makes a break-get that ball in 2 hands Jac.

Ball in 2 hands Jac offloads and Cameron Bevan scores.

Gowerton stretched their lead with two Cameron Bevan tries in the final quarter. The first came after full back Jac Lewis-Colwill beat two defenders just outside the hosts’ 22 and offloaded to Bevan who crossed in the corner. From the kick off, it was again full back Lewis-Colwill who was the creator when he worked some space for Bevan inside his own 22, he still had 80 metres to go but set off on a touchline hugging run that saw him into the clear, a sidestep inside the cover allowed him to beat the last man and dot down beneath the posts. He then composed himself enough to add the extras.

Cameron Bevan sets off on a touchline hugging run.

Cameron breaks clear for his second try.

Bont continued to create opportunities of their own and deservedly got a third try of their own when the visitors were penalised in their own 22. The kick was taken quickly and centre Josh Hughes nipped down the blindside to score in the corner. The final whistle followed shortly afterwards and Gowerton returned home with victory 34-17.