10 tries as year 11 storm into last 16.
Gowerton yr11: 54
St. Josephs (Port Talbot):5
That’s a very nasty looking swelling on your tongue Steffan.
Brooks’ hat-trick leads the way in 10 star Gowerton performance.
Having qualified from their group along with Gwyr, Gowerton’s year 11 rugby team joined fellow Swansea schools Pontarddulais and Cefn Hengoed in the last 32 of the Welsh schools’ under 16 cup.
They got the knockout stages of the competition underway when they entertained St. Josephs (Port Talbot) at Gowerton RFC. Conditions were ideal for open, expansive rugby and that certainly suited the hosts who looked to move the ball at every opportunity. Half backs Jonny Lloyd and Mathew Protheroe were constantly on the look out for areas to attack and the midfield trio of centres Jordon Liney and Leighton Lamb and full back Keelan Giles posed a constant threat with the incisiveness of their running angles and accuracy of their passing. At the breakdown, the bravery and technique of lock Kieryn Lewis and flanker Will Jones was outstanding and enabled their side to achieve a number of turnovers. It was lock Lewis’s all round display that earned him the man of the match award
Gowerton’s man of the match Kieryn Lewis competes for lineout possession.
Gowerton were in front in the 5th minute when No.8 Joel Young gathered a misplaced kick from the visitors on half way and launched a counter attack. Centre Liney burst through the defence and found his centre partner Lamb who put wing Rhodri Tyrrell clear to score in the corner.
Three minutes later No.8 Young was instrumental in the second try when he tapped a penalty quickly and fed full back Giles who created the space for wing Brooks to cross wide out. In the 10th minute, another quickly taken penalty saw fly half Protheroe bursting clear from just inside his own half and then sprinting 60 metres to score a try he converted himself. Two more tries were scored before St. Josephs threatened. The first came after a Lewis turnover secured possession allowing flanker Jack Cambriani to score and the second followed after good work from flanker Jones and centre Lamb created the space for full back Giles to cross for the fifth try. Fly half Protheroe converted.
Mr Mason made some important points at half time. Clearly not everyone was giving his ‘words of wisdom’ their full attention!!
The visitors had been badly affected by injuries and unavailability, but they played with great spirit. Centre Salman Khan ran aggressively and flanker Cuba Magdon defended strongly and they were rewarded with a try in the 23rdminute. Gowerton were penalised 30 metres from their own line. The penalty was kicked to the corner and from the resulting lineout the visitors’ pack drove over the line for a try scored by flanker Charlie Purchase.
Gowerton were back in the ascendency soon afterwards and increased their lead on the half time whistle when another turnover by flanker Lewis gained possession, lock Morgan Morris went on a surging run that was halted just short, scrum half Lloyd picked up at the resulting ruck and sniped down the blindside for the try.
Keelan Giles canters around to score the fifth try.
In the second half, Gowerton added four further tries. In the 27th minute powerful running by lock Morris and flanker Cambriani set flanker Jones up for a try. Seven minutes later wing Rhodri Tyrrell started a counter attack from deep within his ‘22’ centre Steffan Tyrrell held the defence and fed wing Brooks whose pace took him to the corner for his second try. Brooks completed his hat-trick in the 45th minute when pressure from flanker Cambriani created a chance for the backs to show their handling skills and free Brooks to cross in the corner. In the final minute fly half Protheroe completed the scoring when he sliced through a tiring defence for the hosts’ tenth try.
Gowerton have been drawn to travel to play the winners of the Gwyr and Brynteg tie in the next round.
