Year 11 find it tough at Pontarddulais.
Pontarddulais year 11: 24 Gowerton year 11: 5
In the year 11 game Gowerton travelled to Pontarddulais. They kicked off and applied the early pressure with hooker Luke Snell and lock Max Harris combining well in the lineouts. The visitors took the lead when an excellent midfield break by centre Rhys Evans took him up to the hosts’ try line and lock Harris was on hand to gather his offload to open the scoring.
That try only served to spur the hosts into action and with full back and captain George Mobfana prominent, they scored two converted tries before half time with man of the match Mobfana claiming all the points. Both scores were similar with Mobfana showing the power to breach the defence on half way and the pace to outstrip the tacklers to touchdown beneath the posts. He converted both scores and his side led 14-5 at the break.
It was the visitors who started the second half on the front foot with prop Tom Northey and lock Sam Clark both carrying strongly. Fly half Steffan Tyrrell prompted intelligently and centre Rhys Evans continued to impress with his strong defence and well balanced running. The hosts’ defence with man of the match Mobfana to the fore was unflinching. They were also well served by centre Jack Phillips and wings Brandon Stephenson and Callem Hedges.
Gowerton tired in the final quarter and the hosts stretched their lead with tries by prop Chris Evans and centre Leon Johnson and at the final whistle they were comfortable winners 24-5.
Gowerton produce 6 star performance.
Gowerton year 10: 36 Pontarddulais year 10: 12
Following last week’s victory at Bishopston, Gowerton were in confident mood when they hosted Pontarddulais at Gowerton RFC.
In the early stages the game ebbed and flowed and both teams were only denied an early score by last ditch tackles by their opponents. Gowerton’s centre Jordan Penhalagan produced a great tackle in one corner before the visitors wing Callem Hedges did similar at the opposite end.
In the 16th minute it was the visitors that registered the first score when wing Brandon Stephenson skilfully rounded his opposite number to score in the corner. Gowerton responded immediately and crossed twice in the next 4 minutes. First an elusive run from scrum half Tom Ham allowed flanker Callum Evans to drive over and then good work by centre Penhalagan put full back Lewis Hyatt clear 10 metres out and he scored in the corner. Penhalagan added the excellent touchline conversion.
On the stroke of half time the visitors were level when a misplaced kick in the home 22 was gathered by centre Alex Morris who crossed for a try that scrum half Kairon Cole converted.
The game was very much in the balance at the break, but the hosts with fly half Will Griffiths’ excellent kicking game controlling territory and flanker and man of the match Jamie Jones impressive at the breakdown and in the lineouts they scored four unanswered tries to stretch clear.
A well timed pass by fly half Griffiths allowed wing Said Mohammed to score and then a strong run by lock David Carpanini set up a position that allowed hooker Ben Brown to power over.
In the final ten minutes, Penhalagan grabbed two tries. The first followed more good work by fly half Griffiths and flanker Lukas Kelly and the second was a fine individual effort from inside his own half. Penhalagan and Ham added a conversion apiece and at full time Gowerton’s win was by a comfortable margin which belied how competitively the visitors had played.
Pontarddulais year 8: 5 Gowerton year 8: 14.
Gowerton also came out on top in both the year 7 and 8 fixtures. The year 8 game was the hardest fought of all the four fixtures between the two schools with Gowerton’s winning margin being 14-5.
Gowerton were well served by lock Johnnie Underhillwho ran strongly and flanker Morgan Grey who impressed at the breakdown. Scrum half Jacob Williams was a constant threat around the fringes of the forward exchanges and wing Callum Hughes showed many good touches. It was full back James Williams who clinched the man of the match award with his elusive running that regularly saw him beating would be tacklers.
Gowerton took the lead when lock Garin Thomas powered over from short range, scrum half Iwan Jones converted. The hosts responded immediately with flanker and captain Cain Collins tackling strongly and centre Jake Jones running strongly. Hooker Cameron Elias worked tirelessly and the hosts reduced the deficit to two points before half time when lock Ross Forster crossed.
The game was end to end in the second half, but Gowerton edged to victory thanks to a fine individual try by scrum half Williams who beat several defenders before touching down for a try that fly half Cameron Clayfield converted leaving the visitors victors 14-5.
Gowerton flanker Leon Bevan gets his pass away .
Garin Thomas on the charge.
Iwan Jones takes on an opponent.
Gowerton year 7: 27 Pontarddulais year 10: 12
In the year 7 game, Gowerton started the game with a selection of new players taking the park – namely Ethan Hall at prop and Matthew Evans on the wing. The game started at a high tempo and was very much a stalemate for the first ten minutes with both defences working hard. Gowerton eventually got their backs running and the tries soon followed – elusive running from centres Ben Petherbridge and Matthew Newcombe was too much for the visitors defence with both scoring spectacular tries – Newcombe crossed twice and his second was particularly impressive covering over 70m and was applauded by both sets of supporters. Fly half Joel Matuschke added one conversion.
The visitors were not overawed at all and were on the board themselves when prop Luke McArley powered over for a try that fly half Tom Davies converted.
However, the hosts saved the best to last and the try of the half came from prop Jac Rix who had several strong runs during the game and his score was no different – he ripped the ball from the back of the breakdown and shrugged off 2 defenders to get over the line. Gowerton led 22-7 at the break.
The second half was evenly contested with both sides scoring once Gowerton’s score came from scrum half Jac Simons late on and followed an impressive effort from the visitors hooker Nathan Binyamus.
The man of the Match was Gowerton’s centre Matthew Newcombe whose running with the ball was often spectacular.
