Tuesday 1^st March 2016.

 Yr nine, two steps from Millennium stadium.

 Gowerton year 9: 34   Preseli year 9: 17.

Tim Perkins sprints clear for his fourth try.

Five star Perkins puts Gowerton on the front foot.

Gowerton’s year 9 team entertained Ysgol Preseli from Crymych in the last 16 of the Welsh schools under 14 cup and it was the hosts who enjoyed their St. Davids Day best, advancing confidently into the quarter final, with a 34-17 victory over the visitors.

Kai Pressdee attacks the Preseli try line.

Gowerton’s win was founded on the power of their forward effort. The front row of Mabon Kaniewski, Rhys Flower and Kai Pressdee held the upper hand in the scrums, locks Alex Jones and Connor Williams carried strongly and flanker Jacob Rees had a good game at the breakdown. Behind the scrum, centres Charlie Williams and Jacob Turatto and wings Daniel Warne and Olly Bruce all looked dangerous in possession, but it was man of the match, No.8 Tim Perkins who proved to be the match winner with the power and pace of his running seeing him cross for five tries.

At kick off, both the overhead and underfoot conditions were ideal for open running rugby. It was the hosts who were on top in the early stages and they took the lead in the 5^th minute, when lock Williams burst clear from a maul 30 metres out and had the pace to outstrip the cover and score in the corner. Gowerton added a second try in the 12^th minute, and this time it was No.8 Perkins who burst onto a short ball 40 metres out, and sprinted clear to score a try that scrum half Jac Simons converted.

Alex Jones competes in the lineout.

Five minutes later, Perkins grabbed a second try. Good work at the breakdown by flanker Rees secured possession allowing prop Pressdee to burst clear, he was held up on the line, but Perkins picked up from the ensuing scrum and powered over. Perkins then completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half time when good work by lock Jones gave him the room to cross in the corner.

Having dominated the first period, the hosts started the second period again on the front foot and five minutes in, it was Perkins who profited again, when great defensive work by lock Jones, carried on by fellow lock Williams, allowed the No.8 to cross for a fourth time. Fly half Joel Matuschke added the extras.

Tim Perkins powers forward.

The visitors were not going to go out of the competition without a fight and they dominated the final quarter. In the 45^th minute, powerful centre Callum Williams burst clear from 30 metres to score his side’s first try. A second try followed five minutes later, when fly half Rhun Phillips intercepted a pass in his own half and sprinted clear for a try he converted himself.

Impressive work by centre Jacob Turatto and wing Charlie Smith led to a close range scrum from which No.8 Perkins picked up and powered over, but the visitors had the final say when wing Ned Bennett scored his side’s third try. The final whistle followed shortly afterwards and Gowerton face the winners of Caerleon and Brynteg in the quarter final.