Cwmtawe come out on top in 14 try thriller.
Gowerton year 10: 34 Cwmtawe year 10: 48
Gowerton entertained Cwmtawe in year 7, 8 and 10 fixtures. The year 8 and 10 games were played at Gowerton RFC and the visitors came out on top in two high scoring encounters.
The year 10 game contained 14 tries with the visitors grabbing eight of them.
Cwmtawe took the lead in the opening minute when they turned over possession on half way and No.8 Rhys Laugharne strode away to score in the corner.
The visitors stretched their lead to 19 points by the 10th minute with two converted tries. In the 6th minute, wing Josh Phillips kicked to the corner and had the pace to outstrip the cover to score in the corner. Four minutes later fly half Arwel Thomas brushed off several weak tackles to cross. Thomas added both conversions.
Gowerton had started slowly, but opened their account in the 11th minute when fine handling in midfield from fly half Sam Cambriani and centre Dexter Ryde freed wing Elliott Rees and he sprinted from half way to score in the corner.
Back came the visitors, and in the 16th minute, No.8 Laugharne crossed for his second try which was again converted by fly half Thomas.
Gowerton responded positively scoring three tries in the final 10 minutes of the half. In the 20th minute, the forwards drove a lineout over the line and flanker Joe Bright-Key claimed the score. Six minutes later, brave work on the floor by wing Sam Nicholson secured possession and allowed centre Sean Collins to brush aside several would be tacklers to ‘dot down’ beneath the posts and then on the stroke of half time, wing Elliott Rees exploited a gap in the visitors defence to score. Rees converted two of the tries and at the break, the game was very much in the balance with Cwmtawe’s lead cut to 2 points.
The second half started similarly to the first with the visitors crossing for an early score when wing Josh Harris showed a fine turn of pace to sprint in from 30 metres out. Gowerton’s lineout was impressing with hooker Aled Simons’ throwing allowing flanker Jack Soproniuk to dominate possession and they reduced the lead to two points when centre Collins scored in the corner in the 40th minute.
The game was decided by a three try burst in a six minute spell. Wings Harris and Phillips each grabbed a second score and No.8 Laugharne completed his hat trick. Fly half Thomas added a conversion and although Gowerton’s wing Rees also completed his hat trick in the final 5 minutes, it was the visitors who returned home victorious.
Gowerton year 8: 15 Cwmtawe year 8: 36
The year 8 game saw the visitors race into a 19 point lead. A try by Jac Simons meant that the teams turned around with the visitors leading 19-5. Gowerton started the second half on the front foot and two tries by lock John Edwards cut the deficit to 4 points. But Cwmtawe reasserted their authority with three tries in the final quarter. For the visitors, centre George Sheppard impressed with his strong defence and their try scorers were flanker Tom Evans who grabbed a hat-trick, Locks Nathaniel Watts and Kyle Phillips and fly half Joe Hawkins. Hawkins also added 3 conversions.
Gowerton year 7: 5 Cwmtawe year 7: 26
The two teams also played at the Elba and again the visitors, for whom scrum half Scott Hawkins was outstanding, came out on top scoring four ties to Gowerton’s one.
Cwmtawe dominated possession and territory in the first half and scored three tries with centre Iestyn Lewis (2) and lock Iestyn Adkins scoring tries that were converted by fly half Rhys Dix.. For the hosts, hooker Jamie Parry, lock Luke Penhalagan and flanker Sam Terry all worked tirelessly.
Gowerton were much improved in the second half with fly half Gavin Williams, centre Isacc Clark and full back Sam Cartwright all running well and they reduced the deficit when No.8 Teigue Williams powered over.
The visitors ensured victory when centre Lewis completed his hat-trick.
