Ebbw Vale and Newport have set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash after both sides won their Super Rygbi Cymru home quarter-finals on Saturday.
The Steelmen produced a fightback from a 7-14 half-time deficit to beat Bridgend 28-21, while Newport ensured that they’d maintain their hold on the Super Rygbi Shield into next season with a 38-21 win over Swansea.
The sides will now face each other at Ebbw Vale’s CiNER GLASS Community Stadium on Sunday, KO 4.45pm, in a rematch of last year’s final.
Having led the league for the majority of the season, Ebbw slipped to second on the final day, having already lost their grip of the Shield following a 17-44 defeat at home to Newport in late March.
However, the Steelmen showed great grit in their quarter-final against Bridgend to win.
Bridgend scored early through a penalty try, with Ebbw back rower Ben Main also sent to the sin bin, however a Morgan Richards score, converted by Evan Lloyd, brought the scores level.
A Gethin O’Callaghan try for the visitors gave the Ravens a seven-point half-time lead, but Ieuan Morris responded after the interval with Lloyd again making the scores all-square.
Once again Bridgend took the lead through Tom Florence but that was replied to immediately from a score by Ebbw scrum-half Gruff Tough.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, the SRC’s leading tryscorer Morris grabbed Ebbw’s fourth try of the afternoon and his 21st of the season to secure the win.
The game was also a meaningful one for Dragons back rower Owen Conquer who made his first appearance since December following injury.
Despite the 38-21 scoreline, things were far from smooth sailing for Newport during their win against Swansea.
Wing Lloyd Lewis opened the scoring with a brilliant try, slaloming his way between defenders after gathering a crossfield kick inside his own half, however, following yellow cards to Newport pair Josh Skinner and Tom Devine, Swansea capitalised on their numerical advantage through flanker Callum Bowden.
The scores remained level into half-time, with Lewis grabbing his second after the re-start but another yellow card gave Swansea another opportunity with Josh Phillips scoring and converting to level things back up.
Dragons fly-half Jac Lloyd gave Newport the lead with a penalty before converting Lucus Welch’s score to increase the home side’s advantage to 10.
That would be a lead the Black and Ambers wouldn’t relinquish, with Dragons Academy back Brogan Leary grabbing a late score, again converted by Lloyd before Morgan Williams made sure with Newport’s fifth try. Iwan Temblett scored a late consolation for Swansea but the win was already secured.
Newport head coach Ty Morris said: “We knew Swansea would be tough to break down, and that certainly proved to be the case in the first half,” added Morris.
“That said, we didn’t help ourselves. Our discipline was poor, and being reduced to 13 men in the first half made life difficult.
Credit to the team, because we came out in the second half and scored some excellent tries. Our forward pressure really told.
“Our top priority this week will be discipline, because we won’t beat any of the remaining teams if we are conceding three yellow cards in a game.”
Ebbw Vale v Bridgend, KO Saturday, 2.30pm CINNER Glass Community Stadium: Morgan Richards; Morgan Rees, Ethan Phillips, Dom Franchi (c), Dafydd Thomas; Evan Lloyd, Jon Evans; Luke Garrett, Ieuan Morris, Adam Williams, Dylan Barrtlett, Dylan Burrows, Ben Main, Sion Parry, Ryan Jenkins.
Replacements: James Talamai, Adam Court, Morgan Bosanko, Alfred Bateman-Lloyd, Owen Conquer, Gruff Tough, Cam Davies, Tom Price.
Newport v Swansea, KO Saturday, 2.30pm Newport Stadium: Carwyn Penny; Lloyd Lewis, Tom Hoppe, Joe Westwood, Morgan Williams; Jac Lloyd, Dafydd Buckland; Tom Devine, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, Josh Skinner, Callum Bradbury, Hunter Ward, Kobi Rees, Ben Roach (c).
Replacements: Wade Langley, Tom Workman, Ollie Drake, Cerrig Smith, Kyle Tayler, Lucus Welch, Brogan Leary, Fin Baker.
