Varsity Millennium magic for Cardiff

Cardiff University 33 Swansea University 13

CARDIFF gave a five-star performance to beat rivals Swansea 33-13 and claim the Varsity Cup for only the fifth time in 16 attempts.

A crowd of nearly 16,000 at the Millennium Stadium – more than any Welsh regional match this season – saw Martyn Fowler’s Cardiff dominate a Swansea side that featured Ospreys flanker Sam Lewis.

Five tries, including one by captain Jake Cooper-Woolley, and eight points from the boot of fly-half Cameron Pimlow saw Cardiff coast to victory as they bossed most of the game.

With both sides being able to call on a number of Welsh Premiership and Swalec League players, it was Swansea who started the brighter and they were 6-0 up after 11 minutes through two Aled Lewis penalties.

But it didn’t take too long for Cardiff to hit back and they scored their first try midway through the first-half. Winger Will Jones made a break into the Swansea 22, Rhys Howells kept the move alive, and lock Nicholas Huntley crashed over.

Cardiff took the lead less than five minutes later when flanker Arthur Ellis picked up at the base of a ruck to dive over following a pick and drive by skipper Cooper-Woolley.

Pimlow converted and, showing calmness under pressure, added the first of two drop-goals to extend his team’s advantage to 15-6 at the interval. He was at it again just after the restart, slotting a second to push the lead to 12 points.

Prop Cooper-Woolley then set off on another barnstorming run, this time going all the way to the whitewash to give his side a comfortable cushion at 23-6.

Winger Jackson Szabo scored Swansea’s only try to give them hope, but any chances they had went down the pan as two late Cardiff tries, by lock Craig Lodge and wing Howells, sealed a comprehensive victory.