Swansea University have drawn first blood on
the road to Welsh Varsity as the Green and Whites were good value for their
BUCS Premier South A success over their bitter rivals Cardiff at Sketty Lane.
The hosts outscored the Red and Blacks two
tries to one after the visitors were unable to make a strong wind advantage pay
before the break, with all three touchdowns coming after the interval.
There were some impressive performances from
players on both sides. Swansea’s prop pairing of Tom Cross and Sean
McDonnell-Roberts got through a lot of work in the loose, while the centre
partnership of Jedd Evans and Olly Jenner worked well in midfield. Flanker
Chris Williams looked classy and was the Red and Blacks' standout player, while
winger Tom O’Flaherty was also dangerous with the ball in hand.
The conditions hampered both teams as a
swirling wind and torrential rain badly affected the opening half in
particular, and it ended tied at 3-3 apiece with penalties from Swansea’s
Spencer Cawley and Cardiff’s Sam Parsons cancelling each other out.
Despite the typical Sketty Lane conditions,
both teams' intention to play rugby was evident as they each dominated for
certain periods in the opening 40.
Swansea’s set piece was firing immediately
with the hosts having a small advantage in this area all afternoon.
Despite a bright Swansea start, it was Louie
Tonkin's troops that had the first chance of points. None materialised,
however, as Parson’s long range effort drifted wide of the upright, while moments
later the hosts' Cawley made no mistake
from 30 metres out.
The reigning Varsity Cup champions weren’t
ahead for very long, however, with Parsons successful from the tee this time to
level up proceedings.
Cardiff continued to grow into the match,
with hooker Alun Evans’ rampaging run down the blindside only halted by a great
Josh Guy tackle.
However, Cardiff were unable to make their
possession and territory pay as the hosts finished the half the stronger -
centre Evans’ clever angle off fly half Liam Crandon driving Swansea deep into
their opposition 22. But the visitors' line was intact when referee Jason
Bessant blew for half time with Cawley seeing an effort from the tee miss late
on.
Now playing with the wind, Swansea upped the
intensity in their bid to press home the advantage and they were soon in front,
with Cawley firing over his second penalty.
Pressure was now beginning to mount on the
Cardiff line - after several phases centre Evans created a hole in the Red and
Black defence with prop McDonnell-Roberts getting his reward for an industrious
afternoon, trundling over from 5 yards. Cawley added the extras.
Swansea’s tails were now up and looked
threatening from all over the pitch and it wasn’t long till the home team were
celebrating once more.
Full of confidence, the Swansea back line
launched a devastating attack from their own half with winger Pete Moore
finishing off the move in the corner.
In the ascendancy, Swansea were perhaps
guilty of bringing on one too many replacements and when both teams were
reduced to 14 men, with Cawley and Alun Evans each receiving a yellow card, the
game became even for fragmented.
The hosts' once organised defensive line now
looked in disarray and were caught a number of times far too narrow as Cardiff
began to spread the ball.
O’Flaherty’s jinking hips and pace saw him
clear the Swansea defence, with a superb tackle from full-back James Phillips
required to stop the flyer - the line at his mercy.
However, O’Flaherty was not to be denied as
the winger darted over out-wide for what turned out to be a consolation score
as Swansea saw out the closing moments.
Next up for
Swansea is a trip to early league leaders Exeter while Cardiff host Hartpury at
Llanrumney.
Star Man: Jedd Evans (Swansea University)
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