Two of the games went right down to the wire, there were thrills and spills, heartache and glory across a wonderful day of action at the home of Welsh rugby. This is how the three finals finished:
U18 Plate Final – Ysgol Dyffryn Taf 15 – 14 Merthyr College
U18 Vase Final – Ysgol Calon Cymru 12 – 46 Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr
U18 Cup Final – Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera 17 – 20 Ysgol Y Strade
YSGOL GYFUN YSTALYFERA 17
YSGOL Y STRADE 20
Reigning Cup champions Ystalyfera fell just short of claiming back-to back titles as Strade gained ample revenge for a narrow defeat against them earlier in the season.
Strade had gone down to a 26-17 defeat in the Carmarthenshire League at Ystalyfera in the first half of the season, but the Principality Stadium stage inspired them to win ‘the big one’ thanks to Will Thomas’ late try and a conversion from fullback Cai Osian Evans.
Cup Final action
There was a frantic opening to a high-pressure game with both sides making plenty of turnovers in the opening few minutes. A string of handling errors meant it was a scrappy opening quarter in which Ystalyfera prop Callum Kerswell made a break, which led to a penalty five metres out for the holders
With the penalty quickly taken, second row Morgan Hines powered over from close range to notch the first points of the match.
Strade maintained possession with tight carries amongst their forwards, No 8 Will Smith-Hurley then scoring from a rolling maul in the final play of the half. The conversion by outside half Harri Watts went wide but Strade led 8-5 at the interval thanks to their No 10’s earlier penalty.
Ystalyfera started the second half the brighter a notched their second try after a destructive carry from inside centre Harri Lewis-Rees. Outside half Cian John added the conversion to put his side back in front.
Strade responded almost immediately with their second try, tight head prop Toby Johnson crossing from short range after several forward carries. That made it 13-12 to Strade.
The game’s momentum swung again a few minutes later as inside centre Lewis-Rees dotted down his second of the afternoon from short range to edge the champions back I front as he lead changed hands for the fourth time.
The scoring didn’t end there as Strade captain Will Thomas scored from a rolling maul and the conversion from full back Cai Evans made it a fifth and final change of lead. Ystalyfera needed to score against, but it was Strade who controlled possession and territory in the final few minutes as they held out to claim the U18 Welsh Cup.
Scorers: Ystalyfera: Tries: Harri Lewis-Rees 2, Morgan Hines; Con: Cian John. Strade: Tries: Will Smith-Hurley, Toby Johnson, Will Thomas; Con: Cai Osian Evans; Pen: Harri Watts
Ysgol Cymraeg Ystalafera: Cellan Carter-Jones; Ethan Davies, Harris Simmons, Harri Lewis-Rees, Morgan Thomas; Cian John, Ellis Lewis; Callum Kerswell, Sion Lloyd, Alex Green, Cai Smith, Morgan Hines, Cerith Davies (captain), Zac Bevan, Morgan Francis
Reps: Matthew Williams, Iwan Presdee-Salathiel, Joseph Lewis, Cai Jones, Tristan Williams, Thomas Collier, Aled Jones, Osian Rawlings
Ysgol Y Strade: Cai Osian Evans; Elis Penfold, Dafydd Hughes, Will Thomas (captain), Caio Williams; Harri Watts, Jac Davies; Owain Armishaw, Joseff Davies, Toby Johnson, Jac Gaines, Rhys Reed, Joseph Gower, Max Thomas, Will Smith-Hurley
Reps: Osian Feltwell, Deiniol Edwards, Alex Smith, Sam Saltiel, Isaac Saer, Cai Gruffydd Evans, Harri Morgan, Jacob Jones
YSGOL CALON CYMRU 12
YSGOL GYFUN GWYR 46
Gwyr scrum half Cai Gealy made a fairytale debut at Principality Stadium as he scored tries to help his side romp to victory in the U18 Vase final in the second match in the ‘Road to Principality 2023’ series.
Two of the touchdowns from the player who still has another year to play at this level, along with one from wing Joseff Walters gave Gwyr a healthy first half lead which they never looked like relinquishing.
Cai Gealy goes over for one of his four tries
After narrowly beating Olchfa in the semi-final, it was a blistering start for Gwyr with Gealy sniping over from close range after multiple forward phases. His second try arrived a few moments later after some neat inter-play between forwards and backs.
The scrum half was running in support to pop up in the right place at the right time to score. This time his half-back partner, Gwyr skipper Jonny Atkins added the extras to make it 14-0.
Calon Cymru notched their first points when loosehead prop Tom Evans powered over from short range. Then Walters added a third for Gwyr to give them a 19-5 interval lead.
A fourth try for Gwyr came at the start of the second half with right wing Osian Fitzgerald-Davies finishing off a move from the scrum. It then went from bad to worse for Calon Cymru when second row Zak Baker was shown a yellow card for a high tackle.
An Atkins penalty stretched the lead before man of the match Gealy notched his hat trick before going on to add a further with another sniping effort.
There was at least some consolation for battling Calon Cymru when outside centre Iwan Holder capitalized on a loose ball to score a try that Ciaran Price converted.
A final try for Gwyr outside centre Lewis Edwards made it a magnificent seven for the Swansea-based side.
Scorers: Calon Cymru: Tries: Tom Evans, Iwan Holder; Con: Ciaran Price. Gwyr: Tries: Cai Gealy 4, Joseff Walters, Osian Fitzgerald-Davies, Lewis Edwards; Cons: Jonny Adkins 3; Pen: Jonny Adkins
Ysgol Calon Cymru: Ciaran Jones; Cian Price, Iwan Holder, Louis Davies, Deri Mason; P K Jones, Ceri Davies; Tom Evans, Badyn Powell, Oakley Middleton, Zak Baker, Elliott Owen, Sam Bridgewater, Evan Duke, George Lloyd
Reps: Ryan Jones, Owain Corbett, Matthew Price, Will Davies, Iwan Davies, Lewis Bevan, Cian Price, Jayden Warren
Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr: Harrison Lloyd; Osian Fitzgerald-Davies, Lewis Edwards, Jamie Mann, Joseff Walters; Jonny Adkins (captain), Cai Gealy; Sam Gale, Lion Jones, Cian Brooks, Arun Templeton, Thomas O’Brien, William Douglas, Evan Davies, Sion Killa
Reps: Rhydian Payne, Dafydd King, Harrison Garcia, Kyle Hughes, John Mann, Osian Jones, Ethan Rees, James Courtney
YSGOL DYFFRYN TAF 15
MERTHYR COLLEGE 14
There was a dramatic start to the opening day of the ‘Road to Principality 2023’ finals days as a last-gasp penalty from Lennon Reynolds sealed the U18 Vase title for Dyffryn Taf.
Reynolds’ heroics right at the death, added to tries at the start of each half from skipper Iestyn Comey and tight head prop Jack Worthing, sealed the deal for the Whitland based school. His kick left Merthyr College cursing their luck in a game in which Dyffryn Taf picked up three yellow cards.
Merthyr notched two tries of their own, from centre Coby Jay Harris and No 8 Teilo Harris. It was the Pembrokeshire side who hit the front when Comey powered over off the back of a rock-solid scrum, breaking through a tackle to score which Reynolds converted.
Lennon Reynolds match winning kick for Dyffryn Taf
Merthyr needed a response as they controlled possession for the opening quarter although a couple of basic errors often halted their progress. Then Dyffryn Taf were reduced to 14 men when second row Osian Rees was the first to be sent to the sin bin following a dangerous tackle.
Merthyr centre Drew Hope thought he had dotted down in the corner, although the decision from the officials deemed that the ball was in touch. Then they failed to convert a clear overlap with fly-half Lewie Crockett dropping the ball.
That meant Dyffryn Taf led 7-0 at the break in a very tight contest. The second half started in much the same fashion as the first for the leaders a hey added their second try, Worthing driving over to score to extend the lead to a dozen points.
Following multiple offences for offside, prop Thomas Monk was shown a second yellow card for Dyffryn Taf and Merthyr were quick to capitalise, as Jay Harries crossed near the posts. No 8 Harris then powered over from short range and Lewie Crockett’s conversion gave Merthyr a narrow lead with a couple of minutes to go.
In a nail-biting ending, Merthyr were penalised for going off their feet at a breakdown to give Reynolds a tricky penalty to win the contest. He was up to the task and stole all the headlines.
Scorers: Dyffryn Taf: Tries: Iestyn Comey, Jack Worthing; Con: Lennon Reynolds; Pen: Lennon Reynolds. Merthyr: Tries: Coby Jay Harries, Teilo Harris; Cons: Lewie Crockett 2
Ysgol Dyffryn Taf: Lennon Reynolds; Matthew Almond, Jac Vaughan, Tyler Reynolds, Alex Coaker; Harry Clapperton, Cory Delaney; Thomas Monk, Daniel Howells, Jack Worthing, Scott Blackhouse, Osian Rees, Tecwyn Thomas, Toby Rees, Iestyn Comey (captain)
Reps: Trei James, Harry Lloyd, Ethan Ryan, Cody Davies, Aeron Williams, Jack Mousley, Morgan Williams, Ellis Phillips
Merthyr Tydfil College: Alex Mason; Connor Friel, Coby Jay Harris, Drew Hope, Sam Davies; Lewie Crockett, Luis Price; Callum Worwood, Joe Robbins, Colby Morgan, Finn Powell, Zac Gerrish, Sol Hadley (captain), Ryan Luker, Teilo Harris
Reps: Noah Williams, Joshua Davies, Gethin Jones, Sam Jones, Logan Hannah, Charlie Scrivens, Riley Morgan, Ryan Astley
