The victory secured a league double and moved the Whites 11 points clear of bottom-of-the-table Ebbw Vale. Phil Jones and Ryan Griffiths scored the visitors’ tries, while Josh Thomas converted both scores and added a penalty and Chris Morgans landed a drop goal.
“It was great to get back to winning ways after we let ourselves down against Bridgend. It was a tough game and we needed to prove a point for the region after the Ospreys result on Boxing Day,” said Swansea’s head coach Hugh Gustafson.
“I thought our outstanding defence won it and we were very disciplined. We now look forward to another tough derby match against Aberavon.”
Thomas kicked the Whites ahead before Morgans added his drop goal. Those two scores seemed to jolt the home side into action and Elis Hopkins collected a loose line-out before using his strength to hold off a tackle to score a try that Ioan Hughes converted.
Kalum Evans came within inches of an interception try, but Gareth Rees just held onto the ball and in a twist of fate Jones chipped ahead and a favourable bounce allowed him to score. That made it 13-7 to Swansea and a toe in touch denied Jones a second try moments later.
They weren’t denied for long, though, as a long midfield pass from Callum Carson helped to work Griffiths clear for a try that Thomas once again improved. Llanelli hit back in the dying moments of the game to bag a losing bonus-point when Harry Breeze went over from a close range line-out for Hughes to convert.
Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt reckoned his side’s six try, 44-3 demotion of struggling Bridgend was among the best team performances of his reign at the club.
The Ravens went into the Boxing Day derby on the back of two impressive and much-needed wins over Ebbw Vale and Swansea to haul themselves off the bottom of the table. The Wizards, however, were a much tougher prospect.
After three first-half tries, a penalty try brought up the bonus-point. Centre Chay Smith then struck while opposite number Stu Floyd-Ellis was in the sin-bin.
Aled Thomas, who had kicked the last gasp penalty that earned Aberavon victory at the death on the opening day of the season at Bridgend, got the scoreboard moving with a fifth minute penalty. He then added a second shortly after his opposite number, Jacob Chilcott, had levelled things up.
Wing Frankie Jones and scrum half David Pritchard then launched the try-fest before Joe Gage added a third on the stroke of half-time. Thomas added the conversion to make it 23-3 at the break.
The penalty try came two minutes after the re-start and then Smith scored six minutes later. Thomas again added the extras and the lead was up to 34 points.
Ashton Evans completed the rout with the sixth and final try five minutes from the end and James Garland converted.
