Swansea 27 - 28 Cardiff

A bit of a long shot, but did anyone else go to see this game today?
I popped up there with one of my mates and saw a cracking game in beautiful conditions. We were spoilt for players also Tom Prydie and Eli Walker (both Ospreys) on the wings, with Eli getting man of the match for a sensational try. Matthew Morgan (Ospreys) played the second half, we got to see a bit more of Morgan Allen (back row) also another promising Ospreys player.

We also got to see promising Full Back Dan Fish for the Blues, as well as their Hooker Ben Phillips who I was in school with. Reuben Tucker also played someone who the blues think will be someone we will here about soon.

SWANSEA 27 CARDIFF 28

Saturday, 01 October 2011

A late Jac Hopkins try saw Cardiff come from behind to beat Swansea at a sun soaked St Helen’s.

The visitors opened the scoring with a Rhys Patchell penalty goal after an infringement at the scrum. The home side responded six minutes later when flanker Sam Lewis swept the ball out wide with Tom Prydie’s chip ahead wrong footing Matthew John for the young winger to score. James Dixon converted.

The All Whites got their second try when Prydie took a quick lineout to send Nicky Thomas on a break down the wing. He found Dixon in support and the fly half raced in at the corner. An accidental trip by the Whites gave the visitors a penalty from which blood replacement Scott Sneddon made no mistake.

The home defence killed a dangerous attack that was sparked by Patchell and Rhys Shellard but Patchell failed with his effort at goal. Eli Walker was desperately close to scoring after a Thomas break but he was unable to gather the chip ahead and the ball bounced dead.

Half-time:- Swansea 12 Cardiff 6

Almost straight after the interval a calamitous chip through by Patchell was pounced on by Prydie who created space to send Thomas over for a try. Morgan converted. However, from the restart the Blue and Blacks hit back when a Matt Torrance clearance kick was charged down by Chris Bundy, who scored. Patchell converted.

An outstanding move by the Whites’ backs almost created a try for Luke Hathaway but he was bundled into touch two metres short of the line. Offside in midfield gave Patchell an opportunity to reduce the deficit and he made no mistake.

The Whites grabbed a bonus point with a fourth try when the ball was spun out wide for Walker to use his electric pace to race in at the corner. Morgan missed the conversion. Cory Allen looked set to score after making a break past the Whites’ defence but Walker tracked back to make a try saving tackle.

A late tackle on Thomas gifted Morgan three points but the visitors showed they were not dead and buried when winger Matthew John broke clear on the wing to send Dan Preece over for a try. Sneddon’s conversion sailed wide of the posts.

With one minute remaining of normal time the Blue and Blacks battered the Swansea line with Richard Smith, Ben Phillips and Kristian Gay all coming close before Jac Hopkins finally breached the defence to score. Sneddon converted. Morgan could have won it for the home side with an injury time drop goal but his effort narrowly missed.

Next up for Swansea is the visit of Cross Keys to St Helen’s while Cardiff is a trip to the Brewery Field where Bridgend lie in wait.

Full time:- Swansea 27 Cardiff 28

Referee:- James Jones

Weather:- Sunny, 23C

Man of the match:- Chris Bundy

Swansea scorers:
Tries:- Prydie (9), Dixon (13), Thomas (42), Walker (58)
Cons:- Dixon (10), Morgan (43)
Pens:- Morgan (68)

Cardiff scorers:
Tries:- Bundy (44), Preece (74), J Hopkins (79)
Cons:- Patchell (45), Sneddon (80)
Pens:- Patchell (3, 54), Sneddon (25)


Swansea team:



15 N Thomas

14 T Prydie

13 L Hathaway (rep: N Harwood 76)

12 L Chance

11 E Walker

10 J Dixon (rep: M Morgan 25)

9 M Torrance (rep: R Wells 49)

1 J Kaijaks

2 A Rees (rep: O Phillips 77)

3 A Clatworthy (rep: D Suter 80+1)

4 J Jones

5 R Kelly

6 J Bija (rep: M Allen 51)

7 S Lewis

8 A Gwynne (rep: B Davies 77)



Cardiff team:



15 D Fish (rep: T Williams 70)

14 S Powell

13 C Allen

12 R Smith

11 M John

10 R Patchell (rep: S Sneddon 63)

9 A Walker (rep: S Hopkins 67)

1 T Davies (rep: D Preece 70)

2 B Phillips

3 W John (rep: K Gay 70)

4 C Bundy (rep: J Hopkins 63)

5 M Screech

6 R Tucker (rep: R Watts-Jones 51)

7 R Shellard

8 L Hamilton