Friday 11th March 2016.
Second half Fight back not enough to secure a cup final berth.
Gwyr year 10: 36 Gowerton year 10: 29.
Leon Bevan leaps to secure line out possession.
Gowerton’s year 10 side made the short trip to Gwyr for the semi final of the Swansea schools’ cup and despite a fantastic second half fight back they had to return empty handed after an excellent game of rugby in which 11 tries were scored.
Alex Crawford looks to secure possession in the tackle.
The visitors kicked off, but it was the hosts who threatened first and it took an excellent tackle from full back Tom Barrington to deny wing Rhys Wellington the opening score.
Gowerton took the lead in the 5th minute when a break by centre James Northey allowed him to offload to captain Cameron Clayfield who crossed beneath the posts.
Gwyr dominated the rest of the half with the visitors finding it difficult to deal with the pace and running angles of Gwyr’s backline, well marshalled by half backs Dewi Wake and Iestyn Rees. With centre Iwan James running strongly they scored five tries before the break. Wings Owain Davies (2), Wellington, prop Calder Devine and full back Louis Rees all crossed and with fly half Rees converting three they held a comfortable lead 31-5 at the interval.
The visitors realised that if they were to have any chance to make it to St. Helens they required a major effort, and credit to them they produced one that almost turned the game on its head.
Fly half Clayfield and centre Northey found space intelligently with their kicking game and they reduced the lead in the 36th minute. Scrum half Jacob Williams was halted just short of the line, but livewire flanker Leon Bevan picked up and drove over. Four minutes later, the quick feet of fly half Clayfield allowed him to evade three tacklers and cross for a try that centre Northey converted.
Garin Thomas prepares to hit a ruck.
Gowerton reduced the deficit to nine points with a quarter of the game to go when a long kick out of defence by centre and man of the match Northey created havoc in the hosts’ defence and from the resulting scrum, scrum half Williams darted down the blindside for a try and Northey’s excellent touchline conversion meant Gowerton trailed by just two points.
The hosts were stirred into a response and with five minutes left, wing Wellington squeezed over in the corner, but with the conversion drifting wide Gowerton realised that a converted try would take them through as the away team and they attacked with gusto.
Lewis Grove feeds Jacob Williams.
It was clear that the efforts of both sides meant players on both sides were tiring, but despite Gowerton’s efforts, Gwyr were determined that their defence was not going to be breached and at full time it was their first half effort that saw them progress to the final, but Gowerton can take great heart from the quality rugby they played in the second half and the amount they have progressed during the season.
