Friday 8th January 2015.
Year 7 take on Irish challenge.
Gowerton’s year 7 teams entertained two teams from Boyne RFC in Ireland. The Boyne teams had travelled from Drogheda about 30 miles north of Dublin.
Due to the recent poor weather and an equally poor forecast, it was decided to move the games from Gowerton RFC to the 4G surface at Llandarcy.
With the Irish RFU not playing 15-a-side rugby until under 13, the games were played with teams of equal ability in two games of 12-a-side. Both games proved to be evenly matched.
Gowerton year 7: 25 Boyne, Drogheda: 15
Thomas hat-trick sees Gowerton finish on top.
In the first game, Gowerton were on top in the first quarter with flanker Kian Webb, props Charlie Catto and Joseph James-Shabana and wing Jack Radford all playing strongly and they scored the game’s first two tries with wing Will Thomas and centre Ryan Collins crossing in the 3rd and 9th minutes respectively.
Boyne responded positively with Dara McDonnell playing well up front and backs Charlie Toolan and Reuben O’Neill running and tackling strongly, and scrum half Hugh Souray crossed twice to tie the scores by half time.
The game was evenly matched as the second half progressed, but with hooker Alfie Woodcock dominating the breakdown, scrum half Sam Wells using the possession intelligently and man of the match No.8 Caradog Kaniewski carrying strongly and increasingly influential it was Gowerton who regained the lead when first wing Thomas and then fly half Paul Packham crossed.
With three minutes left, Boyne reduced the deficit with a try by Dara McDonnell and the result was very much in the balance, but it was Gowerton who had the final say when wing Thomas burst clear to complete his hat-trick.
The Gowerton year 7 and Boyne squads after the first game.
Gowerton year 7: 15 Boyne, Drogheda: 30
Second half fight back not enough to earn a win.
In the second game, Boyne dominated in the scrum and at the breakdown during the first period and raced into a four try lead by half time. However, the hosts were on top during the second period scoring three tries to two by the visitors. For Gowerton there were excellent individual performances from centre Joe Hawkins-Cole whose incisive running saw him make a number of line breaks, lock Bradley Bladen ran strongly and was solid in defence whilst fellow lock Ben Cort was disruptive at the breakdown – achieving several turnovers and proved a good attacking threat with ball in hand.
Other good performers were scrum half Kieron Williams, prop Lewis Flower, lock Robin Williams and full back Morgan Couch.
Gowerton’s second half tries were scored by centre Hawkins-Cole (2) and fly half Tom Griffiths. Whilst for the visitors, Fiachra Lambe, Luke Murphy and Oisin Lynch shared their six tries.
The Gowerton year 7 and Boyne squads after the second game.
