Teams entered the Bowl, Plate or Cup competition dependent upon their age and experience which culminated in Ystradgynlais, Pontypool United and Pontypridd claiming silverware.
On Saturday the Finals of all three competitions were played on the perfectly manicured turf on a sun kissed Millennium Stadium. The Youth players from six clubs enjoyed their day in the sun and will have memories that will live with them into their senior years.
In the Bowl Final, for the least experienced teams, Ystradgynlais took on Wattstown.
In a tight first half, each team kicked a penalty. For Ystradgynlais outside half Iwan Davies put the ball between the posts after 15 minutes only for Robbie Phelan-Thorburn to level the scores with a Wattstown penalty five minutes later.
Ystradgynlais upped the pace in the early minutes of the second half and after a period of pressure wing Elliot Myles scored a try, converted by the accurate boot of Davies to give the Afan Nedd team a 10-3 lead.
Wattstown strengthened their pack with the introduction of Wales U18 prop Kieran Assirati and it was the power of the Rhondda club’s pack that produced a try for Assirati half way through the half. The conversion by Phelan-Thorburn tied the scores at 10-10.
With their forwards on top Wattstown began to look the more likely winners. However Ystradgynlais’s backs and forwards combined well to establish a field position from which Iwan Davies dropped a goal to take his team into a 13-10 lead.
Although Wattstown reasserted their forward superiority in the later stages, stout defence by Ystradgynlais kept their line intact and it was they that became the first winners of the WRU Youth Bowl.
Wales second row Jake Ball presented the trophy to Ystradgynlais captain Rhys Wilkes.
Teams:
Ystradgynlais: Luc Williams, Dominic Williams, Alex Williams, Jake Carroll, Elliot Myles, Iwan Evans, Ethan Nicholas, Callum Close, Joseff Edwards, Jack Jenkins, Rhys Wilkes (Captain), Joshua Williams, Morgan Nickles, Joshua Griffiths, Rhys Bowden
Substitutes: O Davies, J McBride, L Turner, M Mayes, F Topping, A Davies, P Kaminski
Wattstown: Robbie Phelan-Thorburn, Tomos Edwards, Cameron Lewis, Dafydd Rees, Connor Hopkins, Callum Hutton (Captain), Harvey-Sam Connolly, Anthony Pearce, Thomas Jevons, Cai Mays, James Stuart, Niall Jones, Joshua Barnes and Jordan Minty
Substitutes: B Coles, M Lewis, K Parish, M Jordan-Jones, K Assirati, J Bevan, L Evans
In the Platen, Gwent-based Pontypool United took on another team from Taff Rhondda District Youth Rugby Union, in Rhydyfelin.
Pontypool United, through the boot of outside half Josh Malsom, steadily built a 12-3 lead. Four penalties from Malsom with one from Rhydyfelin outside half Levi Knowles.
With Rhydyfelin taking an advantage up front they put pressure on the Pontypool United line. They were however repelled by strong defence from the Gwent team.
With a quarter of an hour to go the match was settled by wing Liam Gravenor was scooted down the touch line for more than 50 metres to settle the match for Pontypool United.
Although hooker Kane Bushel crossed the try line for Rhydyfelin it was Pontypool United that won the Youth Plate by 17-8.
Andrew Coombes, Dragons and Wales International second row, presented the trophy to Pontypool United Youth captain Mike Herbert.
Teams:
Pontypool United: Scott Daley, Liam Gravenor, George Collins, Chad Ward, Gareth Jones, Josh Malsom, Sion Pearce, Mike Herbert (Captain) Jon Vinney, Josh Lilly, Matthew Rogers, M Jones, Jordan Kennedy, Regan Harris, Russ Bale
Substitutes: J Thomas, C Gardener, D Lewis, J Rosser, J Wells, C Preece and J Young
Rhydyfelin: Liam Williams, Ben Fry, J Phillips, Adam Baker, Steele Quirke, Levi Knowles, Fforest Quirke, Jack Healy, Rhys Phillips (Captain), Kieran Hughes, Kyle Briggs, Kai Perry, Kai Perry, Nathan Parker, Kane Bushel, Ben Stephens
Substitutes: J O’Sullivan, J Evans, J Burton, J Jones, L Jones, C Farrer, K Channon, J Jones
In the Cup, the competition for the strongest and most experienced Youth teams in Wales, the holders Penallta played Pontypridd, yet another Taff Rhondda District team.
Pontypridd opened the scoring with a penalty from outside half Zac Byard. Penallta struck back with a fine try for centre Lewis Alexander which U18 International Arwel Robson expertly converted.
The match developed into a contest between the free flowing Penallta team and the more forward structured game of Pontypridd.
Ponty’s forward power was shown when they were awarded a penalty try after Penallta had brought down an impressive driven maul by Pontypridd pack. Byard kicked the conversion to give Pontypridd a 10-7 lead.
Following a flowing Penallta move centre Alexander crossed the Pontypridd line for a second try and restored Penallta’s lead at 12-10 points.
Excellent play from Pontypridd took them back into Penallta territory and Zac Byard kicked his second penalty to give Pontypridd a slender lead of 13-12 points at half time.
Pontypridd started the second half impressively. They extended their lead with a short range try from outstanding No.8 and captain Lloyd Evans. Again Byard was successful with the conversion and Pontypridd led by eight points.
Playing an exciting brand of open rugby Penallta tried to attack from all over the field but found the excellent Pontypridd defence, in which full back Cody Baker was a central figure, difficult to breakdown. When Penallta at last established a good position in Pontypridd territory Matthew Flannagan, the Caerphilly District team’s captain scored a try to bring Penallta right back into the match. Arwel Robson kicked the conversion with 10 minutes to go Pontypridd led by a single point, 20-19.
The Sardis Road team showed all of the grit, determination and expertise of the senior Pontypridd teams by again taking the match to Penallta. With their big pack back on top Pontypridd sealed victory with a try by scrum half Greg Mogford, again converted by the excellent Byard.
Pontypridd deserved their 27-19 victory but Penallta played a large part in an excellent match of Youth rugby.
Dan Lydiate, the Ospreys ansd Wales Star presented the Cup to Pontypridd’s captain Lloyd Evans iun front of 3,000 people who attended the Stadium to watch the six teams exhibit their talents. They were all treated to some outstanding rugby on a wonderful showcase day for Youth rugby in Wales.
Teams:
Pontypridd: Cody Baker, Lewis Phillips, Nick Holland, Kieran Gay, Brandon Evans, Zac Byard, Greg Mogford, Lloyd Evans (Captain), Morgan Burgess, Matt Logan, Dylan davies, Anton Ramsey, Ben Warren, Corrie Tarrant, Joseff Reed
Substitutes: G Jones, J McCarthy, J Pritchard, D Smith, R Smith, A Ashford, C John
Penallta: Rhys Grant, Matthew Brewer, Lewis Alexander, Jack Evans, Zac Cusack, Arwel Robson, Matthew Flannagan (Captain), Max George, Joe Thomas, Aled Williams, Dafydd Rees, Lloyd Bodman, Angus Brown, Ellis Ship, Joel Edwards
Substitutes: C Hewlett, J Price, C Spiller, J Thomas, P Lewis, D Leonard, W Toms
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