Match Report – Pontypridd v Swansea
Pontypridd finish off their Indigo Group Premiership season with a bonus point win over Swansea at Sardis Road.
A first half try from Niko Matawalu was followed by three second half tries from Nathan Huish, Kristian Parker and Aled Ward and the result means Ponty end the season in 10th, overtaking the Whites in the table.
Pontypridd opened the scoring in the 12th minute with an intercept from winger Niko Matawalu who ran in to score from 80 meters, with fly-half Joseph Scrivens’ conversion heading wide.
Swansea’s response was good with inside centre Joe Thomas going over the line to score but the ball was deemed held-up by referee Mike English.
Ponty gained control in the set piece and had a couple of opportunities inside the Swansea 22. Despite giving away several penalties, good defence from Swansea stopped Ponty extending their lead further.
Swansea replacement Jake Taylor was shown a yellow card in the 23rd minute for collapsing a maul with Ponty hunting for a second try. This was before captain Kristian Parker had a chance, bursting down the blindside attacking the Pwllgwaun End, only to be stopped short in the 31st minute.
Ponty didn’t get a second score before the break and it was the Whites who got their first points of the afternoon with fly-half James Davies kicking a simple penalty following an off feet offence at the breakdown. Ponty led 5-3 at half time in a low scoring affair.
HALF TIME – Pontypridd 5-3 Swansea
Joseph Scrivens added a penalty at the start of the second half to extend Ponty’s lead to five points before Swansea captain Callum Bowden was shown a yellow card following an offence on his own five-metre line, after a Ponty break.
Pontypridd then scored two tries in two minutes, the first coming from a rolling maul with hooker Nathan Huish crossing for a second try for the hosts.
Immediately from the restart, Ponty were looking for a third and following strong carries from number 8 Joe Miles and a break from openside flanker Sion Parry, quick ball saw captain Parker dot down unopposed for a third try.
A lengthy stoppage occurred in the 58th minute with replacement Tommy Morgan receiving treatment following a nasty leg injury.
The following restart saw Ponty wrap up the four-try bonus point when blindside flanker Aled Ward crossed from short range, a third conversion from Scrivens gave Ponty a 29-3 lead.
The visitors did get a try for their efforts with outside centre Gareth O. Rees scoring from a neat assist from fly-half Davies who added the extras, but it wasn’t enough and Ponty picked up a 29-10 win to end their season on a high.
FULL TIME – Pontypridd 29-10 Swansea (6/5/2023)
Match report – Iestyn Thomas
PONTYPRIDD –
15. Iestyn Griffiths. 14. Niko Matawalu. 13. Ceri Morris (Tommy Morgan, later replaced by Sam Hayman). 12. Jordan Howells. 11. Dale Stuckey. 10. Joseph Scrivens. 9. Joel Raikes (Rory Harries).
1. Ben Stephens (Morgan Bosanko). 2. Nathan Huish (Rob Jones). 3. Tom Harper (Garyn Daniel). 4. Kristian Parker (c). 5. Chris Dicomidis (Cai James). 6. Aled Ward. 7. Sion Parry. 8. Joe Miles (James Murphy).
Subs: 16. Rob Jones. 17. Morgan Bosanko. 18. Garyn Daniel. 19. James Murphy. 20. Cai James. 21. Rory Harries. 22. Tommy Morgan. 23. Sam Hayman
Tries: Niko Matawalu, Nathan Huish, Kristian Parker, Aled Ward
Conversions: Joseph Scrivens x 3
Penalty: Joseph Scrivens
SWANSEA –
15. Dale Ford. 14. Willis Wood. 13. Gareth O. Rhys. 12. Joe Thomas. 11. Matthew Jenkins. 10. James Davies. 9. Gareth J. Rees
1. Tom Zoogah. 2. Owen Thomas. 3. Richard Murphy. 4. Chris Thompson. 5. Matt Dodd. 6. Joe Greaves. 7. Callum Bowden (c). 8. Scott Jenkins
Subs: 16. Garan Williams. 17. Tom Crockett. 18. Oli Rees. 19. Fin Evans. 20. Jake Baker. 21. Chris Morgans. 22. Hanno Dirksen. 23. Sam Matthews
Try: Gareth O. Rees
Conversion: James Davies
Penalty: James Davies
Yellow Cards: Jake Baker, Callum Bowden
Referee: Mike English
Assistant referees: 1 – Paul Grainger, 2 – Dai Cambourne
Golden Bob Man of the Match: Nathan Huish
WRU Man of the Match: Nathan Huish
