Yr 9’s Millennium Stadium hopes dashed.
Gowerton year 9: 5 Brynteg year 9: 24
Gowerton’s year 9 rugby team hosted Brynteg in the quarter-final of the Welsh schools’ cup and with both teams knowing that they were two games away from a cup final visit to the Millennium Stadium a keenly contested game was expected-and so it proved.
Gowerton kicked off in excellent conditions with both underfoot and overhead conditions ideal for open running rugby. However, with so much riding on the game, the early stages were evenly contested with defences on top. The hosts were the first to press with No.8 Tim Perkins, lock Connor Williams and prop John Edwards all carrying strongly both Edwards and Perkins looked like they may escape to get the opening score only to be denied by some excellent defensive work by the visitors.
Brynteg responded with some strong forward work of their own. Their scrum was particularly effective and lock Morgan Bennett was the major force in the line-outs. Brynteg opened the scoring in the 19th minute when lock Bennett stole a lineout on the Gowerton line and hooker Ben Owen powered over. Lock Bennett converted.
The visitors increased their lead two minutes later with a well constructed move that saw blindside wing Rhys Hyde entering the line just inside his own half and with Gowerton’s defence breached, he had both the pace and strength to brush aside several tacklers and score a try that went unconverted but gave his side a twelve point advantage at the break.
Boosted by the confidence gained from the last ten minutes of the first period, Brynteg started the second half on the front foot. Gowerton’s defence refused to yield with the defensive work of prop Mabon Kaniewski, lock Williams, flanker Josh Thomas and centre Ben Petherbridge particularly impressive. However, the visitors’ pressure eventually told and they increased their lead in the 42nd minute with a try for flanker Josh Llewellyn converted by lock Bennett.
Gowerton now enjoyed their best spell of the game and with scrum half Jac Simons marshalling his forwards intelligently and prop Edwards and lock Williams both continuing to drive forward strongly they deservedly crossed in the 53rd minute when lock Williams scored a try in the corner.
The visitors completed the scoring with the last move of the game when centre Bobby Bromley crossed. The final whistle followed and it was Brynteg who deservedly progressed to a semi-final tie against Cowbridge.
