Swansea’s strong start, too much for Cardiff.
by Dewi Williams
28 unanswered points from Swansea within the first 30 minutes of the game, proved too big an advantage for Cardiff to overhaul, in a match of high stress and drama at Llanrhymney.
In a battle of the two teams at the bottom of the BUCS Super League, the 38-31 victory for the away team leaves them just 3 points off Cardiff, with 3 matches remaining for both teams.
After a tight start to the game dominated by errors and ill-discipline, the game was lining up to be a cagey affair. That is until the visitors from down the M4 opened the scoring after sustained pressure in the Cardiff twenty-two, crossing for a converted try.
The opening try seemed to change the course of the game, with Swansea’s outside backs breaking through Cardiff’s defence, scoring another converted try 4 minutes later making it Cardiff 0 – 14 Swansea. Swansea’s momentum kept on building, with Cardiff unable to shut down the running rugby of the men in green. The visitors scored a further two tries to make the score Cardiff 0 – 28 Swansea with only 28th minutes on the clock.
Though down to 14 men after a yellow card for George Macdonald, Cardiff seemed to find their stride, with multiple entries into the Swansea twenty two, scoring two quick successive tries of their own. On his first start this season, Lloyd McEwan-Peters crashed over the line after beating two defenders, followed by a try from Jamie Goldsworthy off the back of a dominant rolling maul, with Harrison James adding the extras for the second try. Cardiff headed into half time trailing by 16. Cardiff 12 – 28 Swansea.
Just as the second half kicked off, the boys in red came out firing, as openside Owen Popple broke the line and careered his way to the try line, grounding the ball for another 5 points for Cardiff. Despite the missed conversion, at Cardiff 17 – 28 Swansea, the comeback definitely seemed on after a minute into the second half.
Momentum switched hands in the following ten minutes, as Swansea dominated, with their backs once again cutting open the Cardiff defence resulting in another converted try for the men in green. A few minutes later Swansea were awarded a penalty around 45 metres out in front of the posts, which fly half Steff Jac Jones impressively slotted resulting in a 21-point lead for Swansea with 30 minutes to play. Cardiff 17 – 38 Swansea.
But the men in red and black had plenty more to give, after a yellow card for one of Swansea’s forwards, flanker Jack Ramsey dotted the ball down and scrum half George Macdonald dived over the line off the back of another successful rolling maul 5 minutes later, with Harrison James adding the extras for both tries making it a one score game. At Cardiff 31 – 38 Swansea, with 20 minutes left to play, the game was there for the taking.
The final quarter of the game was very similar to the opening 10 minutes, dominated by errors and ill-discipline. Despite a frustrating number of knock-ons, Cardiff seemed to have the ascendancy during this period however, going through multiple phases in attack and defence, and showing the grit and character that got them back into the game.
This was highlighted as a dropped ball from the Swansea winger saw Cardiff winger Sam Gilbert and replacement scrum half Finn Charles sprint after the ball, with Charles scooping up the loose ball and seemingly grounding the ball in the Swansea goal area. Despite this, the referee’s decision was that the Swansea fly half had done enough to hold the ball up. No try.
The final whistle blew with Swansea earning a hard-fought victory at Llanrumney. A bitter pill to swallow for the men in red, as their slow start to the game left them with a challenge that was simply too large for them to overcome. Nevertheless their character and determination to get back into the game was truly inspiring.
Next up for Cardiff are Durham away on the 26th.
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