1st XV sparkle in memorial game.
The Gowerton and Christ Collegeteams before their senior rugby match.
GowertonSchool 1stXV:34
Christ College, Brecon2nd XV:7.
Seven try spectacle a fitting tribute to former Head of PE.
The 1st XV entertained Christ College, Brecon at Gowerton RFC in a game that was played as a memorial to former Head of PE, Mr. Robert Evans.
The game aided by the excellent refereeing of former pupil Nigel Whitehouse was an impressive spectacle of open, running rugby and was a fitting tribute to their former mentor, with both teams asking for and giving no quarter in either attack or defence.
Gowerton started on the front foot with lock Sam Winrow and props Sam Grunhut and Richard Keefe all impressing with their work up front and as a result they raced into a seventeen point lead within 13 minutes. Wing Callum Macdermott opened the scoring in the 6th minute after scrum half Jonny Lloyd made a break from a maul 40 metres out drew the last man and unselfishly put his wing clear to cross in the corner.
Mathew Protheroe attacks the Christ Collegedefence with the ball in two hands.
Two minutes later, fly half Mathew Protheroe sliced through the visitors’ defence from deep inside his own half, he fed centre Luke Jenkins 40 metres out, he still had plenty of work to do, but showed good pace as he outstripped the cover to score in the corner.
Then in the 13th minute, flanker and captain Tom Wedlake reacted quickly when a ball popped out of the side of a ruck and sprinted 35 metres to score beneath the posts, Protheroe added the conversion.
Gowerton appeared in total control, but Christ College, spurred on by the tireless work of their back row of Sam Jones, Jacob Lewis and Rupert Gwillim responded impressively and they controlled the next thirty minutes and cut the lead in the 25th minute when fly half Ben Wigmore sliced through the hosts’ defence for a try that full back Davy Jones converted.
The visitors were only denied another score thanks to the excellent defensive work of centres Lewis Keen and Scott Richards, wings Rhodri Tyrrell and Shane Harris and man of the match Wedlake.
Captain and man of the match Tom Wedlake sprints away from an opponent.
After defending strongly for the first 20 minutes of the second half, it was the hosts who scored next when good work by flanker Chris Ross allowed lock Ethan Hopkins to power over in the 55th minute.
Gowerton added two further tries in the last two minutes. The first came after hooker Rhys Cherry hit a great angle to take a short ball from fly half Protheroe and burst through the visitors’ defensive line to score a try that Protheroe converted.
Protheroe then ended the game by scoring a fine individual try when he received the ball just outside his ‘22’ and set off on a run that saw him beat several defenders to get him in the clear, he then outpaced the defence to cap an excellent personal performance.
Lock Rhys Cherry looks to use his strength to beat an opponent.
With two victories in the last week, the squad go into half term in a positive frame of mind and looking forward to the challenges of Strade, Brynteg and Rainey Grammar School from Northern Ireland, all games that are at home in November.
