The entertainment was another good advertisement for the Premiership with the Wizards making them fight hard all the way.
It was the extra pace and invention of the Llandovery side that brought skipper Jack Jones’s side a victory that all but assures them of a home game in the semi-final play offs.
The first half was a cut and thrust affair in perfect playing conditions, both sides willing and able to run from deep to make it an exciting affair.
Both side scored three tries apiece, a reward for adventurous play to leave Llandovery narrowly 22-19 ahead at the break.
Two tries from centre Rhodri Jones and one from wing Rhodri Wall plus seven points from the boot of full back Jack Maynard bettered three home efforts from full back Steff Andrews, hooker Ieuan Davies and centre Joe Thomas.
Fly half Aled Thomas added two conversions for the Wizards and the second half was to prove as entertaining and as fluent as the first half.
Tries from ex-Wales centre Adam Warren, lock Joe Powell , fly half Ioan Hughes and replacement flanker Lloyd Pike bettered two home efforts, one from veteran Davies and the other a penalty try at a driving maul.
For Llandovery, the ever-dependable Maynard ended with 13 points – five conversions and a penalty – to pass the 200 point mark for the Premiership season.
Scorers: Aberavon: Tries: I Davies 2, S Andrews, J Thomas, Pen Try; Cons: A Thomas 2. Llandovery: Tries: R Jones 2, A Warren , J Powell, I Hughes, R Wall, L Pike; Cons: J Maynard 5; Pen: J Maynard
Ruthless Newport ran in 11 tries as they put Llanelli to the sword 19-63 after they were forced to go down to 14 men after calling for uncontested scrums.
It was a seventh win in a row for the Black & Ambers and leaves them one win short of guaranteeing themselves a play-off place. Their next game is a home clash with Llanelli before they end with a home game with top of the table Llandovery.
Those games will come after they have met Cardiff in the WRU Premiership Cup final at Principality Stadium on Sunday.
It took a mere three minutes before hooker Henry Palmer picked up the first of his two first half tries from close range and there were five in all for the visitors in the opening period as they built up a 31-14 lead.
Wing Jonny Morris crossed for a corner try, Luke Crane dived into the feet of his back row to claim a pushover try and Chay Smith was set-up by Moris for another. Llaneli responded with excellent scores from centre Jac Hutchings and Wales U20 cap Jack Davies, both of which Josh Phillips converted.
There was more of the same in the second half, especially when the home side went down to 14 men with now prop cover. Wing Lloyd Lewis notched a hat-trick and there were further tries from Craig Hudd, debutant Iestyn Galton and a second for Smith.
Geraint O’Driscoll kicked four conversions, while Rhys Harris managed a third try for the home side.
Scorers: Llanelli: Tries: J Hutchings, J Davies, R Harries; Cons: J Phillips 2. Newport: Tries: L Lewis 3, H Palmer 2, C Smith 2, J Morris, L Crane, C Hudd, I Galton; Cons: G O’Driscoll 4
Carmarthen Quins certainly saved their best till last as they got stuck into the reigning champions Cardiff and stopped them from picking up a bonus-point in a 14-23 defeat.
In their final outing of the season, Marc Jones’ men fronted up in the forwards and tackled like demons in the backs to make it a very uncomfortable afternoon for the Blue & Blacks at Carmarthen Park. The visitors led 10-0 at the break before seeing the gap cut to three points early in the second half.
As a dress-rehearsal for their WRU Premiership Cup final clash with arch-rivals Newport on Sunday it was a bit of a mixed bag, but probably more profitable for head coach Steve Law than Newport’s 12 try romp just up the road in Llanelli.
Law gave Wales U20 back row man Luca de la Rua a first start and told all his players they were on trial ahead of the final. Hooker Alun Ress barged his way over for the opening try and Wales U20 outside half Harrison James added the conversion and kicked a penalty to give Cardiff their 10 point lead at half-time.
Replacement scrum half Aaron Hemmings then sniped his way over for a try in the 52nd minute which Steff Marshall improved and the game was suddenly right back in the melting pot. Cardiff needed the cool and experienced head of Dan Fish to intervene with a penalty five minutes later.
A third goal kicker, Ioan Evans, then added another penalty to make it 16-7 before centre Ryan Wilkins burst over for a try that Evans converted. The Quins picked upa consolation try through replacement lock Josh Helps at the death.
Scorers: Carmarthen Quins: Tries: A Hemmings, J Helps; Con: S Marshall. Cardiff: Tries: A Rees, R Wilkins; Cons: H James, I Evans; Pens: H James, D Fish, I Evans
If the Swansea v Bridgend 10-try thriller was a taster ahead of the return fixture at the Brewery Field next weekend, then that will be a game not to be missed.
The home side began the match on fire when the forwards created space for Gareth J Rees to race clear from a ruck to score. It didn’t take Bridgend long to settle and Iestyn Merriman caught the Whites asleep by scoring from a quick tap penalty. From there on it was a running fest that ebbed and flowed as both tams delighted the sun-soaked crowd at St Helen’s.
“It’s in our DNA to play rugby out wide and we clearly saw that in the first half, but we were punished by a very good outfit in Bridgend when we started to relax a bit,” said Swansea head coach Hugh Gustafson.
“I thought that Luke Price controlled territory really well for the Ravens and put pressure on us, but it was great to come away with a win in our final home game.
“We played a lot of exciting rugby that was fun to watch, especially with the likes of Harri Houston,
Tom Florence and James Davies being strong runners, but when we went away from this formula and tried to slow things down, it didn’t suit us as much.”
After a kicking dual between the two sides, Gareth J Rees spilled the ball forward to gift Bridgend an attacking set piece and moments later Gareth Harvey crashed over for a try from the lineout.
Swansea got themselves back into the lead when Callum Bowden picked up to score from close range after the home backs created panic in the Ravens’ defence.
An outstanding move by the Whites’ backs saw Gareth O Rees sprint up to the 22, before the ball was quickly switched to the opposite wing to send Harri Houston over for a try.
Bridgend hit back when Matt Dodd was penalised for killing a Bridgend attack and a quick tap penalty by Jakob Williams created a good platform for Luke Price to chip into the corner for Mike Powell to collect and score.
Harvey and James Davies exchanged a try apiece, before a great move involving Price and Edd Howley sent Powell over for a late try.
A late Dodd try clinched the 32-31 win for Swansea, although Price had two opportunities to snatch a late victory for the Ravens, but he missed both efforts at goal.
Scorers: Swansea: Tries: GJ Rees, C Bowden, H Houston, J Davies, M Dodd; Cons: D Edwards 2; Pen: D Edwards. Bridgend: Tries: G Harvey 2, M Powell 2, I Merriman; Cons: L Price 2.
