Welsh rugby is in the DNA of one of Wales’ leading public schools and among recent alumni are Alun Wyn Jones and George North. So, it will be a case of the old versus the new when the schoolboys meet Cardiff & Vale College in the Welsh Schools & College Cup final at Principality Stadium on Wednesday, 8 December (5.30pm live on S4C.)
Theirs will be the third and final match of the day at the home of Welsh rugby. The action kicks-off at 1pm with a Bowl final between Llandrillo College and Whitchurch HS; then it will be Ysgol Glantaf v Newport HS in the Plate final at 3.15pm.
For CAVC director of rugby Martyn Fowler it will be a first final in only the fifth year of the high performance rugby programme at the college. The fruits of his labours are there for all to see.
Former student Ben Thomas broke into the senior Wales side this year; Wales U20 cap Jacob Beetham is in line to play for Cardiff against European champions Toulouse at the weekend; current students Mackenzie Martin and Harrison James have both played for Cardiff RFC in the Premiership this season and the Schools & Colleges campaign this term has seen them lose only once to date.
In their one meeting with Llandovery in the second phase of the competition it was CAVC who came out on top, 32-19. Like their opponents, CAVC are also seeking a first win in the tournament.
“It is incredible to think they’ve been playing rugby at Llandovery for so long, yet we’ve only really just started,” said Fowler.
“We’ve been building our programme slowly, but surely and seeing Ben Thomas go into the Cardiff RFC side, then the Blues and finally play for Wales was a huge boost for us. He really has become a bit of a poster boy for the college.
“We’ve played well for much of the competition this season and only lost the one game to date. The one thing we realise, though, is that anything can happen in a final.
“We certainly respect what Llandovery can do and we saw that in the game we played against them. I just hope my players can enjoy the occasion and play to their full potential.”
It’s going to be a big week for the Llandovery players as they not only have to face the full might of CAVC on Wednesday, but then travel to Ellesmere College on Saturday to face one of England’s top school sides, Sedbergh.
Five of the side were recently named in the Wales U18 development Squad and head coach Nathan Thomas has been delighted at the way his team has gelled this term. That had to beat the last two champions, Coleg Y Cymoedd and Coleg Gwent, in their last two games to qualify for the final and notched a win over Coleg Sir Gar in the early pool stages.
“This Llandovery team is difficult to break down and never gives up. We were under so much pressure against Coleg Gwent, but the boys refused to be beaten,” said Thomas.
“CAVC will go in as the favourites after their great season. We realise we are going up against a juggernaut, but we have been there before this season and managed to find a way to win.
“We’ve now got strong links with three of the Regions and the Welsh Exiles programme and our intake for this year has been very good. We lost out captain, Iestyn Gwilliam, after only 20 minute of the first game, but Tom Edwards has stepped in and done a great job in leading the side.
“The work that Ioan Cunningham did as our head of elite rugby helped move on our programme before he became the head coach for the Wales Women’s side. His work has helped to create a wonderful opportunity for these young players and the College.”
CUP FINAL TEAMS
Cardiff & Vale College: Dexter Hart; Will Hawker, Jack Grant, Ethan Rudyj, Gabe Lacey; Harrison James, Finn Charles (captain); Harrison Bellamy, Saul Hurley, Owain James, Tom Caple, Gethin Howells, Mackenzie Martin, Harper Chamberlain, Lucas De La Rua
Replacements: Sam Sully, Sam Godfrey, Cameron Grewcott, Issac LaRoche, Dylan Yarwood, Scott Del Nevo, Jack Driscoll, Maxwell Frost
Llandovery College: Jack Davies; Thomas Edwards (captain), James Price, Ieuan Bissell, Fin Baker; Rhys Harris, Iwan Hughes; Riley Williams, Isaac Young, Mason Lees, Henri Jones, Adam Davies, Thomas Davies, Mackenzie Clayton, Oscar Fisher
Replacements: Jamie Goldsworthy, Taran Moa, Aaron Thompson, Dyfan Thomas, Archie Callaghan, Kai Inker, Fraser Jones, Rhys Stephens
Referee: Chris Oliver
The last time Newport HS met Ysgol Glantaf in a cup final it was the Gwent team that came out on top 25-22 at the Arms Park in 2016.
Current Dragons scrum half Dan Babos, wing Rio Dyer and flanker Lennon Greggains were in the Newport side that day, while Bristol Bears and Wales full back Ioan Lloyd and Cardiff Rugby centre Max Llewellyn played for Glantaf.
It promises to be another close affair with both coaches pledging all out attack from their sides. When the two teams met last it ended up in a 47-33 win for Glantaf, although on home soil Newport HS won 17-12.
“Both teams have a very positive philosophy on how they want to play the game and there is a focus on scoring tries,” admitted Newport HS head coach Rob Sidoli.
“We met Glantaf in the second tier final in 2016 and just managed to come out on top and it would be great to do that again. Whatever happens I think it is going to be a great game.”
Sidoli’s team warmed up for the final by beating Neath Port Talbot College 47-15, while Glantaf notched a notable win over Coleg Sir Gar, 25-13 to reach the final.
“If you look at the results of both teams you can see we like to play attacking rugby. It is likely to be a day when the defences are stretched,” said Glantaf head coach, Rhydian Garner.
“We’ve had some good teams reach different finals in the past, starting with the team captained by Huw Harries in the early Nineties, then sides that had the Robinson brothers, Jamie and Nicky, followed by Jamie Roberts and then Max Llewellyn, Ion Davies and Ioan Lloyd.
“We’re hoping for another great occasion of the players.
PLATE FINAL TEAMS
Ysgol Glantaf: Jac Davies; Ben Geraghty, Louis Rochefort-Shugar, Morgan Bowen, Tom Weekley; Harri Wilde, Tomi Booth; Will O’Neil, Iwan Griffiths, Oscar Walker, Rhys Burleton, Josh Lee, Dewi Hobbs, Zach Mutyambizi, Fletcher Barry
Replacements: Dafydd Jones, Rob Brew Davies, Scott Griffiths, Joe Tucker, Ethan Perry, Gruff Rees, Iestyn Thomas, Ben Moon
Newport HS: Joseph Henry; Luca Elliott, Hussan Ali, Blaine Channing, Keegan Johnsey; Rhys Smith, Zak Roberts; Ieuan John, Aneurin Jenkins, Conall Couch, Gethyn Cannon, Owain Osmond, Will Gregory (captain), Daniel Wall, Charlie Harkin
Replacements: Zak Waters, Ewan Burrows, Jack Pearce, Ieuan Tucker, Louis Pullen, Toby Thomas, Luca Natale, Venn Courtney
Referee: Elliot Mayor
Whitchurch HS will be turning out on the pitch where one of their recent players, Christ Tshiunza, recently won two Welsh caps a mere 18 months after leaving school when they face Coleg Llandrillo in the Plate final.
The two sides met at Whitchurch in the final round of matches and the home side came out on top 29-15. That erased the memory of a 28-15 defeat they suffered when they headed north a few weeks earlier.
So the jury is out on who goes into this game as favourites
BOWL FINAL TEAMS
Coleg Llandrillo: Thomas Jarman; Owen Parry, Finnley Jones, Cain Jones, Reuben Lovatt; Tomos Hughes, Caio Parry; Gareth Parry, Brychan Jones, Patrick Nelson, Logan Jones, Elis Evans, Evren Ozbilen, Charlie Probert, Tal Taylor
Replacements: Osian Burt, Emyr Jones, Ethan Say, Aran Thomas, Celt Roberts, Luke Jones, Sior Jones, Afan Jones, Gethin Williams
Whitchurch HS: Matty Young; Jon Beya, Sam Sykes, Danny Willis, Joe Gibson; Harry Webb, Orson James (captain); Max Bignell, Jack Sweeney, Mike Vaughen, Tom Moore, Ethan Hartley, Iestyn Nicols, Tom Calcaterra, Charlie Day
Replacements: Ben Malone, Sam Dungey, Louie Mills, Sam Morgan, Jacob George, Iestyn Hutchings, Sol Rees, Luca Louge
Referee: Stuart Kibble
WELSH SCHOOLS & COLLEGES LEAGUE CUP FINALS
2010/11: Coleg Sir Gar 20, Coleg Gwent 19
2011/12: Coleg Gwent 17, Coleg Sir Gar 16
2012/13: Coleg Sir Gar 18, Coleg Morgannwg 16
2013/14: Coleg Sir Gar 25, Coleg Y Cymoedd (formerly Morgannwg) 22
2014/15: Coleg Y Cymoedd 13, Coleg Sir Gar 3
2015/16: Coleg Y Cymoedd 44, Coleg Sir Gar 24
2016/17: Coleg Sir Gar 27, Coleg Y Cymoedd 23
2017/18: Coleg Y Cymoedd 29, Coleg Sir Gar 10
2018/19: Coleg Y Cymoedd 28, Coleg Sir Gar 19
2019/20: Coleg Gwent 11, Coleg Y Cymoedd 8
