Gowerton year 10: 31 Llangatwg year 10: 35
Gowerton year 10 completed their pre-Christmas fixtures when they entertained Llangatwg at the Elba. The two sides produced a feast of running rugby that saw the two teams share ten tries. The visitors were victorious by virtue of the fact that fly half Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler converted all five of his sides tries.
The visitors raced into a 14 point lead inside the first quarter. Centre BJ Evans, opened the scoring in the 6th minute when he brushed off a tackle inside his own 22 and sprinted 80 metres to score a try that fly half Thomas-Wheeler converted. They doubled the lead in the 13th minute when powerful wing Kyle Jones powered over. Thomas-Wheeler again added the extras.
With half backs Sam Cambriani and Max Treharne nursing their team forward, the hosts gradually began to establish themselves and reduced the deficit in the 25th minute when strong carries by prop Ethan Guy and centre Adam Fielding took them to just short of the visitors’ line and fly half Cambriani was able to feed wing Patrick Langdon-Dark who scampered over from short range.
Two minutes later, quick thinking by fly half Cambriani saw him tap a penalty quickly 30 metres out and feed centre Fielding who outpaced the cover to score in the corner.
At the break the hosts trailed 14-10, but buoyed by their successes at the end of the first period, they pressed for another score and it duly arrived in the 36th minute. A strong run by centre Joe Bright-Key was halted just short, but from the ensuing scrum a long pass from fly half Cambriani allowed centre Fielding to cross for a try that No.8 Jacob Ireland converted.
Gowerton’s lead was short lived, and two minutes later strong running wing Jones powered 50 metres down the flank for a try converted by Thomas-Wheeler. However, the hosts were now generally enjoying the better of the play with man of the match Max Treharne an elusive runner and he sparked tries in the 40th and 42nd minute. The first followed a strong run from prop Jack Harper that allowed No.8 Ireland the space to plunge over and the second was a length of the field counter attack that ended when fly half Cambriani finished off elusive runs from full back Dexter Ryde and flanker Jack Soproniuk. No.8 Ireland added both conversions and with a 10 point lead, Gowerton seemed in control.
The visitors had other ideas and with 12 minutes left, strong running captain and No.8 Garin Lloyd drove to within metres of the hosts’ line and prop Tristan Turner was on hand to reduce the deficit. Then with 4 minutes to go, a misdirected kick allowed a counter attack that ended in fly half Thomas-Wheeler releasing wing Jones who sprinted over to complete his hat-trick. Thomas-Wheeler added both conversions.
The hosts pushed for a winning score, but Llangatwg’s defence held firm and they returned home with the spoils from a game that was an excellent advert for schools’ rugby.
Gowerton year 10.
Back from left – Nathan Davies, Dexter Ryde, Adam Fielding, Jack Harper, Ethan Guy, Joe Bright-Key, Jacob Ireland, Rhys Penry.
Front from left – Jack Soproniuk, Sam Nicholson, Rhys Edwards, Max Treharne, Sam Cambriani (captain), Patrick Langdon-Dark, Aled Simons, Ryan Jones.
