Cardiff Blues Under-18s 15 Newport Gwent Dragons Under-18s 11
CAPTAIN Ben Roach crossed for the match-winning try to seal a third successive WRU Regional Championship for Cardiff Blues at St. Helen’s in Swansea.
They trailed when Dragons full-back Hallam Amos touched down in the first-half but a penalty try and No 8 Roach’s score ensured the cup went back to the Welsh capital yet again.
“I’m delighted by the result,” said Blues team manager Iestyn Williams. “The win is a fantastic reward for the players and the coaches.
“It’s a remarkable record as this is the third time in three years that the title has gone back to the Blues.”
The champions were made to fight all the way for the win and had to withstand a late surge by the Dragons who tried everything they could to deny the Blues a hat-trick of regional titles.
Blues outside-half Gareth Thompson traded penalties with opposite number Ethan Davies before the impressive Amos sped over from 40 metres to give the Dragons an 8-3 lead.
That lasted until just before the break when, after a sustained period of pressure, Joe Raikes kicked deep into Dragons territory and referee Ben Whitehouse adjudged that Ollie Smyth had been tackled without the ball.
He awarded the Blues a penalty try, allowing Thompson the easiest of conversions from in front of the posts for a 10-8 lead at the interval.
The Dragons refused to lie down though and regained the initiative in the 55th minute thanks to a second Davies penalty before the powerful Blues pack proved their worth again.
And from a driving line-out, skipper Roach powered his way over the whitewash for a 15-11 advantage, Thompson missing the conversion. Soon after the fly-half had the chance to put the game beyond the Dragons but missed a routine penalty.
Just a try behind, the Dragons came back with gusto and had it not been for a stoic defensive effort from the Blues they could well have found a way through.
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