Year 9 fall at the final hurdle.
Gowerton:10 Penyrheol:14.
Will Jones, supported by Steffan Gibbon and Jacob Clark leaps to secure a lineout.
Missed tackles costly as Penyrheol go through.
Gowerton entertained Penyrheol in the semi-final of the Swansea schools cup. The game was played at the Elba and both underfoot and overhead conditions were conducive to open running rugby.
Gowerton on the charge.
The hosts kicked off, but it was the visitors who applied the early pressure with prop Ben Doolan a powerful presence at forward and centre and captain Nathan John a strong ball carrier, and it was John who opened the scorer. The visitors took a tapped penalty in the hosts’ ‘22’ and John’s power allowed him to brush two would be tacklers off and he crossed for a try that fly half Scott James converted.
Gowerton centre Jordan Richards looks to attack.
Both teams had opportunities before half time but defences were on top. Penyrheol’s pacey wing Adam Meyrick twice looked like he may get away, but excellent tackles from Gowerton lock Jacob Clark halted his progress on both occasions.
Steffan Gibbon hands off an opponent and heads for the try line.
Despite the attention of six defenders Steffan grounds the ball for Gowerton’s first try.
There were no further scores before half time and the visitors led 7-0 as they turned around. Gowerton were on the front foot in the early minutes of the second half, with their pack beginning to get the upper hand in the forward exchanges. Locks Clark and Ethan Harris, prop Sam Clark, hooker Luke Snell and replacement No.8 Jack Cambriani were all beginning to impose themselves on the visitors and with scrum half Dominic Greeno firing out an excellent service it was no surprise when in the 30th minute prop Steffan Gibbon powered over for Gowerton’s first score.
Jack Cambriani looks for a weakness in Penyrheol’s defence.
The try only served to reinvigorate the visitors and they enjoyed a spell of territory themselves and scored a deserved second try which mirrored their first. A tapped penalty arrived with centre John and he powered through three tackles to score a try that fly half James converted. Then with 9 minutes left on the clock a great run by wing Meyrick looked certain to bring him a score that would ease the visitors’ passage to the final and he was only denied by a fantastic cover tackle by opposite wing Brandon Gordon. Unfortunately, Gordon was injured in the tackle but his replacement Keelan Giles cut the deficit with a try in the 44th minute.
Gowerton pushed for victory in the final five minutes, but Penyrheol’s defence with Doolan to the fore was unflinching and at full time it was they who deservedly progressed to the final where they will play Olchfa.
