Match Report

Swansea 36 - Neath 8

St Helens, Thu 23rd Apr 09 KO: 19:15

Swansea 36
Neath 8

By Tony Poole
At St Helen's

SWANSEA last night took retribution on Neath for the Swalec Cup semi-final defeat at the Liberty Stadium five days earlier.
It also brought to an end a five-year wait for a victory over their Ospreys regional partners.
The last time the Whites lowered Neath colours was back in January 2004 when completing a double during the inaugural season of the Welsh semi-professional game.
Since then Neath had taken all 12 meetings between the clubs, including three in the cup while only a seventh league win of the season for Swansea staved off the threat of relegation.
The Whites proved the lively side throughout with the return of centre Chris Shelmerdine freshening up the backs.
The home forwards were well led by flanker Sam Kiley while in Neath colours young Abercrave flanker Craig Price went well.
Swansea handed the fly-half role to Damian Karauna while No 8 Marc Popham and lock Richard Kelly also returned to the side.
Neath had Dafydd Lockyer back from a hand injury while on the bench flanker George Barden was brought in from third-division Breconshire side Gwernyfed.
Neath opened the scoring after just 90 seconds with an Arwel Thomas from halfway, but Swansea soon responded with an effort from wing Nicky Thomas.
And the Whites hit the front in the 12th minute when they whipped the ball across the backline, and wing Rhys Jones collected a try close to the corner flag.
Wing Thomas converted from the touchline, but Neath then won some good field positions without putting points on the board.
Wing Rhys Jones almost got a second try for the Whites while in the 26th minute wing Thomas was wayward with a 35-metre penalty.
And it was against the run of play in the 34th minute when the Blacks reduced arrears with a well-conceived try.
A defence-splitting break from flanker Craig Price led to Neath winning second-phase ball, and hooker Andrew Littlehales released wing David Evans for a eighth league try of the season.
But in the final move of the half, wing Thomas slotted over an angled penalty that provided Swansea with a 13-8-interval lead.
And better followed for the Whites on the resumption when they scored two quickfire tries.
A 44th-minute line break from replacement centre Jono Stuart led to fly-half Damian Karauna touching down with wing Thomas adding the extras.
And two minutes later turnover ball on the home 22 led to centre Chris Shelmerdine going through a gap, and racing 60 metres for a try that went unconverted.
The Whites continued to consolidate and a third Thomas penalty together with a drop-goal from fly-half Karauna made it 31-8 going into the final quarter.
That left the Whites looking for bonus-point try, and it arrived in the 78th minute.
Wing Rhys Jones squeezed over a corner try - his 24th in the Welsh Premiership - and it went unconverted.

Match stats

Swansea
Tries: Rhys Jones (2), D. Karauna, C. Shelmerdine; Cons: N. Thomas (2); Pens: N. Thomas (3): Drp-gl: D Karauna

R. Williams; Rhys Jones, A. Thomas (repl J. Stuart 25 mins), C. Shelmerdine (repl J. Dixon 71), N. Thomas; D. Karauna (temp repl J. Dixon 47-57), P. Tucker (repl N. Jones 78); Roy Jones, O. Phillips (repl A. Joy 29), A. Clatworthy (repl L May 78), R. Kelly (repl H. Alford 63), G. Ronan, S. Kiley (capt), M. Popham, D. Blyth (repl S. Jones 59)

Neath
Try: D. Evans; Pens: A. Thomas

G. King; K. James, D. Lockyer, W. Mitchell, D. Evans; A. Thomas (repl M. James 56), T. Knoyle (repl G. James 51); N. Downs (repl C. Mitchell 74), A. Littlehales, M. Jones, N. Edwards, E. Evans, C. Ruddock (repl L. Evans 62), G. Gravell (capt), C. Price (repl G. Barden 71)

Referee: Huw David (Bridgend)

Neath star choice: Craig Price

Related Links

Swansea RFC's match report and match images