Williams powered over for vital tries in each half as last season’s Year 8 Welsh Cup winners repeated the honours a year on with their 20-5 triumph.
The match stats will show that the Pontyclun-based school enjoyed the lions’ share of possession and territory and could have won by many more points. What they won’t detail is the sheer grit and determination that Bro Morgannwg put into their defensive effort.
Their tackle count was enormous and they probably deserved more than the one try for their wholehearted efforts throughout a game that looked as though it might go either way at the break.
She sheer heart and courage they couldn’t be beaten, yet they were forced to concede to three tries from the dominant Y Pant outfit. Superbly led by their giant, rampaging No 8 Harrison Lewis the favourites didn’t disappoint.
Sam Morgan-Richards was held just short by the brave Bro Myrddin defence and despite the dents often caused by Lewis’ frequent charges, Y Pant did everything but score. Their pressure eventually yielded some points when outside half Jake Davies-Barclay sparked a move in the Bro Myrddin 22.
James featured twice in the move that eventually led to Williams barrelling over from close range to open the scoring. The pressure mounted and MJ Cotterell was the next to be denied inches short.
The only other points of the half came via the boot of Davies-Barclay when he landed a close range penalty. That made it 8-0 at the break and Y Pant must have felt they deserved more than that.
As for Bro Myrddin, they were still very much in the fight despite having been on the back foot for much of the opening 30 minute. The next score was going to be crucial and it came from the Go.Compare Player of the Match Reegan Gibbons.
With his white boots making him easy to pick up, along with his yellow headguard, he was here, there, and everywhere all over the pitch. Like every good openside flanker he was always into everything.
He took up the charge after Lewis had been held up from a ruck close to the Bro Myrddin line. He saw the lie 10 metres away, pressed the pedal to the metal and simply exploded through the last line of defence to score.
But if Y Pant thought that was going to be the blow to burst the dam, they were very much mistaken. Bro Myrddin outside half Rhys James attacked the Y Pant defensive line in their 22 and featured twice in a move that brought a much-needed sore for Jack Johnson.
It really was ‘game on’ again, but Y Pant were quick to respond. They kicked a penalty deep into the Bro Myrddin 22, Ben Stevenson rose hight to take the ball, Lewis charged and then Williams popped up in the right place at the right time to power over.
Davies-Barclay added the extras and the double deed was done for his Y Pant team.
Welsh Schools Intermediate Group Year 9 Cup
Ysgol Bro Myrddin: Macs Hastings; Ioan James, Tomos Jones, Abel Rees (captain), Jac Johnson; Rhys James, Macs Morgan; Ifan Davies, Cai Davies, Cai Howells, Steff Proctor, Sion Jones, Caleb Morris, Keane Turner, Efan Reading
Reps: Gruff Jones, Gwion Jones-Howells, Iolo Morgan, Oscar Lewis, Rhun James, Macsen Llewellyn
Scorers: T: J JohnsonY Pant: Macsen Berridge; Tomos Lane, Jake Ayres, Sam Morgan-Richards, MJ Cotterell; Jake Davies-Barclay, Oliver Mahoney; Evan Lomas, Oliver Cavanagh, Gavin Williams, Cameron Phillips, Ben Stevenson, Morgan Protheroe, Reegan Gibbons, Harrison Lewis (captain)
Reps: Archie Hancock, Seb George, Joseph Hawksworth, Josh Thompson, Gethin Rahilly
Scorers: T: Williams 2, Gibbons; C: Davies-Barclay; P: Davies-BarclayGo.Compare Player of the Match: Reegan Gibbons (Y Pant)
Y Pant Player of the match Reegan Gibbons
