Up until that point a high-paced and high-skill final was hanging in the balance with Rhondda building up a head of steam after getting back to within one score after a great corner try from inspirational skipper Ethan Williams.
Lucas’ try put an end to any thoughts of a comeback and earned his side a 20-8 victory to make it a hat-trick of wins for Cardiff Schools sides on another spectacular day of rugby action at the home of Welsh rugby.
It was the sixth final between the two sides since 2005 and Cardiff made it 4-2 as they hit back from conceding an early penalty from 30 metres by Rhondda wing Callum Rowlands. Lucas then replied with a well-struck kick of his own from wide out on the left.
Whitchurch HS second row Ethan Evans made a vital turn-over after a driving line-out from Rhondda threatened to steamroller them into the lead and then he made two breaks. The first could have led to a try with a two on one overlap, but the scramble defence from Rhondda saved the day.
The danger was over, though, because Cardiff scavenged the line-out and scrum half Owain Paskell pounced to score that Rhys Thomas improved. Evans’ second break down the right wing looked to have earned a try for Joseff Jones, but the referee spotted a forward pass and that chance went begging.
A Thomas penalty just before the break gave Cardiff a 13-3 interval lead, but it didn’t last long. Rhondda came out all guns blazing in the second half and finally found a way to make more than a dent in the Cardiff defensive line.
Centre Jack Harrison, whose father Matt had played in the first Rhondda side to win the Dewar Shield in 1999, tore through a gap and sent Williams racing up the left touchline to score in the corner.
That made it a five-point game and the biggest trophy in Welsh sport was there for the taking. In the end, it was the dancing feet of Lucas, who broke through, went to the left, veered to the right and then raced to the line.
He added the conversion to his try and moments later gleefully kicked the ball off the pitch to bring a great final to an end.
Girls National U16 Final (12 a side) – Ysgol Godre’r Berwyn 17 – 14 Plasmawr
The north Walians hung on to win by three points despite being reduced to 10 players in the final quarter when they conceded a yellow card for persistent offending.
The Gogs had to show huge courage and tenacity to hold their line against mounting pressure from Plasmawr, who led by a conversion in the first half before falling 10 points in arrears in the second.
The game was played as a 12-a-side contest, which put even more pressure on the defences to cover the vast acreage of the Principality Stadium pitch. A tense and tight opening quarter saw Godre’r Berwyn finally take the lead with a try from the outstanding Jess Nahead.
That try went unconverted and rocked Plasmawr into action. Their captain Nia Fajeyisan raced clear for the first of her brace and Elen Edwards added the extras to put her side in front.
It looked as though the Cardiff side were going to go into the beak with their noses in front, but Lliwen Davies had other plans. She broke clear to notch the second try for the north Walians and Marif Ifan’s conversion made it 12-7 at half-time.
Nahead’s second try gave Goder’r Beryn a 10-point lead, but a second score for Plasmawr from the highly impressive Fajeyisan, which was converted, made it a nervy ending. The north Walians went down to 11-men, but tackled their hearts out to earn the right to be Welsh champions.
U11 DC Thomas Bowl Final – Neath 15 – 45 Cardiff A
There was no dream double for the Bramwell family in the opening game of Day five of the ‘Road to Principality 2022’ as Cardiff A beat Neath Schools by nine tries to three to win the U11 DC Thomas Bowl.
The Neath side were led by Jackson Bramwell, whose father, Aaron, had captained Neath in their WRU Championship Cup final triumph against Bargoed on Sunday.
It was the first of three finals involving Cardiff teams and two tries each from Jac Suller and Riley Lomas set the tone for the day. The other Cardiff tries came from Josh Thomas, Isaac Ennis, Dexter Harry, Takura-Alex Mugabe and Ifan Symons.
Neath gave a good account of themselves and George Tebay crossed the Cardiff line twice and Jacob Jones added a third try.
U11 DC Thomas Plate Final – Bridgend 15 –15 Islwyn
There was a stalemate in the second final as Bridgend and Islwyn played out a draw in the U11 DC Thomas Plate final. They will now share the trophy over the next year.
Mason Lloyd helped himself to two tries for Islwyn, with Tommy Godwin adding a third, while the Bridgend tries came from Josh Turner, Noah Jones and Will Mordecai
U11 DC Thomas Cup Final – Pontypool 20 – 15 Swansea
Pontypool picked up their second title by holding off Swansea. Noah Misljen was the hero as he ran in two tries for the winners and there were others from Oliver Jarman and Nial Murak.
Swansea kept in touch throughout and there was only one score in it at the end. The young All Whites scored tries through Jack Simisker-Manna, Harrison Dyke and Ben Whettleton.
Intermediate Group: Lawrence Miller Bowl – Islwyn10 – 26 Cardiff A
Tom Woods struck twice for Cardiff A as they picked up a second trophy of the day for the capital city as they captured the Lawrence Miller Bowl at U15 level. The Glantaf full back showed off his running skills to help his team get into their full stride and prove too strong for their game rivals.
To their credit, Islwyn hit back with tries from Tayan Bevan-Jones and Morgan Marozelli, but Cardiff A held all the aces and won with a little to spare as Owain Churcher and Rhys Ruttley added further tries and Fraser Britton kicked three conversions.
Intermediate Group: Morgan Griffiths Plate – Newport 31 – 17 Rhymney Valley
The Newport teenagers followed in the footsteps of their senior counterparts by coming up trumps in the Morgan Griffiths Plate final to add their silverware to the Indigo Group Premiership Cup scooped by Matt O’Brien’s team at the same venue last weekend.
In a highly competitive and rugged final, Rhymney Valley lost two players to the sin-bin in the second half, yet still hung-on the coat tails of their opponents. It ended up four tries to two to the Black & Ambers and the bot of Joe Salter added 11 crucial points.
Full back Morgan Sage scored twice for Newport and No 8 Jack Williams and captain and centre David Florian-Petrescu got the other. Full back Kai Sengul and No 8 Oscar Newman crossed for Rhymney Valley and outside half Morgan Cusack converted them both and added a penalty.
