It was another case of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat a week after Ebbw Vale came from a 17 point deficit to beat Aberavon the previous week. It was also good enough to earn the Ravens a bonus point to briefly take them to the top of the table.
Tries from Adam O’Driscoll, Jamie Murphy and Iestyn Merriman preceded the last gasp penalty try that was awarded at a scrum. Swansea led 23-19 up to that final play and looked as though they were going to notch their first win of the season.
Richard Rhys Williams, Josh Guy and Paul John scored tries for the Whites, but hooker John picked up a yellow card at the death. That gave the home side a vital advantage at the final, fateful scrum and with 81 min, 52 sec showing on the clock the Ravens paid their own special tribute to former Wales and British & Irish Lions star Gareth Williams, who was remembered with a minute’s silence before kick-off.
Reigning champions Merthyr give a debut to hooker Ieuan Morris at Parc y Scarlets on Sunday. Morris started with the Ironmen in the Under 8s, has progressed all the way through the ranks and was in last season’s youth team.
Cardiff host Newport in one of world rugby’s great fixtures. The home side will be seeking their first win of the season and both teams will be hoping to pay tribute to Ray Cheney, who died earlier this week.
The big-kicking full back played for both clubs and helped Newport to beat the All Blacks at Rodney Parade in 1963 and Cardiff to defeat the Wallabies at the Arms Park in 1966. Newport have started the season with two bonus point wins and will be seeking to stay at the top of the table against their oldest rivals.
Pontypridd, who head to Aberavon, and RGC 1404, who host Ebbw Vale, both have maximum points from their opening two outings and will be hoping for a hat-trick.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 3
Friday, 14 September
Bridgend 26, Swansea 23
Saturday, 15 September
Aberavon v Pontypridd
Bargoed v Carmarthen Quins
Bedwas v Llandovery
Cardiff v Newport
Cross Keys v Neath
RGC 1404 v Ebbw Vale
Sunday, 16 September
Llanelli v Merthyr
TEAMS
ABERAVON V PONTYPRIDD
Aberavon: Chris Banfield; Shaun Pearce, Will Price, Rheon James, Matthew Jenkins; James Garland (captain), David Pritchard; Mike Burgess, Ieuan Davies, Geraint James, Ben Thomas, Sam Williams, Jac Morgan, Andrew Waite, Joe Tomalin-Reeves
Reps: Jacob Flynn, Steffen Williams, Jon Phillips, Cameron Lewis, Ashton Evans, Jon Thomas, Chris Davies, Jacob Blackmore
Pontypridd: Gary Williams; Alex Webber, Alex Knott, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Ceri Sweeney, Huw Rees; Ian George, Huw Dowden, Gareth Smith, Sean Moore, Chris Dicomidis, Rhodri Jones, Morgan Sieniawski, Steff Jenkins
Reps: Joel Raikes, Jordan Rees, Jarrad Rees, Joe Page, Ross Morgan, Josh Hawkins, Huw Owen, Joe Popple
BARGOED V CARMARTHEN QUINS
Bargoed: Calum Jones; Duane Dyer, Jordan Howells, Darren Humphries, Ashley Norton; Joshua Prosser, James Leadbeater; Rhys Morgan, Rhys Buckley, Adam Powell, Louis Blacker, Lewis Johnson, Callum Lloyd Davies, Grant Rogers
Reps: Matthew Bancroft, Matthew Billett, Barney Nightingale, Alex Herbert, Wade Langley, Ashley Gibson, Alex Gardner-key, John Lavender.
Carmarthen Quins: Aled Thomas; Dylan Morgans, Nick Reynolds, Joshua Batcup, Dale Ford; Jac Wilson, Gareth Rees; Gethin Robinson, Torin Myhill, Connor Allen, Shaun Jones, Haydn Pugh (captain), Ed Siggery, Ellis Lloyd, Lee Taylor
Reps: Steff Phillips, Thomas Ball, Carwyn Francis, Gethin Davies, Lewys Millin, Ifan Beynon-Thomas, Osian Knott, Matthew John
BEDWAS V LLANDOVERY
Bedwas: Jacob Chillcott; Jordan Rees, Tom Hoppe, Adam Williams, George Gasson; Joe Scrivens, Tom Rowlands; Brynley Toms, Alun Rees, Rhys Hutcherson, Craig Hudd, James Richards, Jonathan Armitage, Nathan Hudd, James Sheekey
Reps: Tom Devine, Mike Dacey, Ellis Evans, Sion Parry, Phil Williams, Luke Crane, Dion McIntosh, Patric Lewis
Llandovery: Gavin Thomas; Harri Doel, Ryan Evans, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Jack Maynard, Lee Rees; Dean Howells, Matthew Moore, Berian Watkins, Jack Jones, Jake Baker, Shaun Miles, Stuart Worrall, Joe Powell
Reps: Dexter Thomas, Dino Dallavalle, Jordan Evans, Richard Brooks, Ricky Guest, Richard Williams, Kristian Jones, Dafydd Land
CARDIFF V NEWPORT
Cardiff: Llywarch Ap Myrddin; Matthew Powell, Joe Gatt, Bleddyn Davies, Cameron Lewis; Gareth Thompson; Martin Roberts; Thomas Davies, Joe Tomlinson (captain), Peter Lloyd, Sam Pailor, Miles Normandale, Tom Daley, Zach O’Driscoll, Rory Pitman
Reps: Ramaz Rukhadze, Ian Jenkins, Ross Dacies, Kieran Martin James Murphy, Morgan Allen, Nicky Griffiths, Amir Jiwa-Waliji
Newport: Elliot Frewen; Jon Morris, Tom Pascoe, Chay Smith, Harri Lang; Matt O’Brien, Ryan James; Lewis Smout, Evan Whitson, Tom Piper, Andy Man, Rynard Landman, Morgan Burgess, Josh Reid, Chris Williams
Reps: Henry Palmer, Jack Williams, Garin Harris, Rhys Cresswell, Rhys Jenkins, Geraint Watkin, Matt McGovern, David Richards
CROSS KEYS V NEATH
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Wes Cunliffe, Srdan Majkic, Declan Williams, Mason Williams; Jason Tovey, Owain Leonard; Gary Carpenter, Rhydian Jenkins, Richard Cornock, Damian Welch (captain), Harvey Reader, Lee Evans, Tom Lampard, Izaak Duffy
Reps: Connah Vaughan, Scott Hoskins, Corey Hewlett, Joe Carlin, Joe Thomas, Ian Newbury, Iwan Burgwin, Dylan Fidler
Neath: Ed Howley; Ashley Evans, Aaron Bramwell, Gavin Evans, Ian Ellis; Callum Hall, Chris Morgans; Luke Garrett, Darren Hughes, Ryan Thomas, Jon Barley, Scott Andrews (captain), Elis Hopkins, Aled Cockwell, Ieuan Jones
Reps: Ben Uphill, Sion Crocker, Liam Tobias, Ryan Bean, Scott Hicks, Scott Gibson, Dan Guarneri, Iwan Evans
RGC1404 V EBBW VALE
RGC: Dion Jones; Sam Jones, Thomas Hughes, Rhys Williams, Iolo Evans; Billy McBride, Efan Jones; Joe Simpson, George Roberts, Jordan Scott, Bryn Jones, Robin Williams, Andrew Williams, Daniel Owen, Mei Parry
Reps: Tim Grey, Joel Ringer, Josh Leach, Llan Rowlands, Nicholas Butterworth, Danny Cross, Afon Bagshaw
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Steffan Thomas, Carl Meyer, Dom Franchi, Toby Fricker; Rhys Jones, Matthew Flanagan; Joel Harries, Rhys Francis, Rob Sevenoaks, Lance Randall, Ashley Sweet, Ronny Kynes, Owen Young, Lewis Young
Reps: Joe Franchi, Ross Jones, Curtis Hicks, Garin Price, Cameron Regan, Dai Jones, James Lewis, Paul King
Sunday, 16 September
LLANELLI V MERTHYR
Llanelli: Leon Randell; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Jonny Lewis, Liam Smith; Ashley Sutton, Gareth George; Craig Thomas, Taylor Davies, Richard Bassett, Matthew Davies, Ashleigh Hyndman, Chris Long, Ellis Thomas, Nathan Hart
Reps: Callum Jenkins, Dylan Lawley, Adam Thomas, Elliot Rees, Joel James, Jack Robbins, Ben Atkins, Liam Hutchins
Merthyr: Matthew Jarvis; Jay Baker, Teri Gee, Aran Pinches, Kyle Evans; Richie Powell, Adam Hoskins; Sam Hobbs, Ieuan Morris, Joe Rees, Paddy McBride, Kris Smith, Jake Thomas, Osian Davies (captain), Hemi Barnes
Reps: Rhys Williams, Nathan Trevett, Louis Jones, Phil Rees, Jack Perkins, Justin James, Josh Martin, Lewis Williams
