Steelmen see Cardiff go top

Welsh Rugby

Super Rygbi round-up

By CARL FIELD

CARDIFF snatched top spot from Ebbw Vale on a dramatic final day of the regular season in Super Rygbi Cymru.

Ebbw Vale held a three-point advantage on the Blue & Blacks heading into the 18th and final round, but the Steelmen had to settle for just a losing bonus point as they went down 12-8 at Carmarthen Quins. It was Ebbw’s fourth defeat in their last five league games.

Evan Lloyd’s penalty for the Steelmen was all that separated the sides at half time at a rain-lashed Carmarthen Park, but two penalties from Elis Price after the re-start nudged the Quins in front.

An unconverted forwards try finished off by hooker Ieuan Morris then saw the visitors regain the lead, but it was short lived with Wales U20 outside half Price ultimately the difference between the sides. He sent over another two penalties to steer Quins to a narrow win.

Cardiff, meanwhile, collected all six points on offer as they ran out 36-19 victors at Swansea to make it nine consecutive league wins.

Dan Fish’s side finish two points above Ebbw and edge the Steelmen for the second year in a row having finished three points above them last season.

Cardiff had the first of two bonus points in the bag by half time, leading 24-7, courtesy of first half tries from prop Ioan Emanuel, wing Rhys Cummings – twice – and hooker Alun Rees. Harri Wilde added the extras to two of them.

Dewi Cross scored a fifth Cardiff try three minutes after the restart before Rees went in for his second try, converted by Wilde.

Jamie Cox, Cam Jones and Lewis Edwards were the Swansea try scorers. Mat Protheroe kicked two conversions.

Newport cemented third place after edging Pontypool 31-29 in a 10-try thriller at Rodney Parade.

Replacements Henry Palmer, Noah Morgan and Brogan Leary all made an impact off the bench with second half tries, in addition to first half touchdowns from centre Joe Westwood and wing Morgan Williams.

Carwyn Penny converted two of their second half tries with Harrison James adding the extras to Williams’ score in the first.

Rejuvenated Pontypool once again belied their position as the SRC’s bottom placed side, and two bonus points was the least they deserved after leading on three separate occasions.

Double: Rhys Cummings

Pooler also scored five tries, through hooker Sam Scarfe, Liam Antrobus, wing Ioan Duggan, fullback Ellis Davies and talismanic back rower Scott Matthews.

Kieran Meek successfully converted two of them, while was just short with a late drop goal attempt.

Llandovery made sure of fourth and a home quarter-final by powering to a magnificent seven-try 47-17 win at Aberavon.

Tomi Lewis scored twice, with other wing Aaron Warren, hooker Harry Thomas, his replacement Cam Lewis, centre Kian Abraham and full-back Jac Davies all on the scoresheet. Ioan Hughes added the conversions.

It means the sides finishing in the top four positions is identical to last season.

RGC were also in free-scoring form as they took fifth place after a thumping 57-14 nine-try defeat of Bridgend Ravens in Colwyn Bay.

Wing Caio Parry led the way with a hat-trick, out- side half Billy McBryde scored twice, while flanker Charlie Probert, centre Delwyn Jones, No.8 Sam Williams and hooker Jac Petch-Jones also scored. McBryde also kicked six conversions for a 22-point personal haul.

Hooker Dominiko Manaseitava and full-back Iwan Powell were the Bridgend try scorers, both in the first half and converted by Fraser Jones.

It was 19-14 at half-time with RGC scoring 38 unanswered points in a rampant second half.

The play-offs begin next weekend with the elimination round.

Victory over Ebbw was not enough for Carmarthen Quins to sneak into the top six due to RGC’s victory. Quins, who finish seventh, now entertain 10th placed Pontypool next weekend for a place in the last eight.

Aberavon, in eighth, just had the edge on ninth placed Bridgend and those two sides will clash in the other elimination playoff at the Talbot Athletic Ground.

The following week Cardiff will then host either Carmarthen or Pontypool in the quarters, which will also see Ebbw Vale facing either Aberavon or Bridgend at Eugene Cross Park.

Newport host Swansea while Llandovery welcome RGC in the other last eight ties.