Matchday Programme Download: PDF
The sides beat Porthcawl Comprehensive and Whitchurch High respectively in two particularly well contested games watched by thousands of fellow pupils, families and supporters.
Gowerton capped a successful season with a 17-12 win over Porthcawl. Left wing Sam Devonald scored inside five minutes for the Swansea school – his try converted by captain and outside half Sam Davies, son of WRU Head of Rugby Development Nigel.
Porthcawl hit back with a try from inside centre Ben Thomas, who went on to score all of his side’s points.
Both sides showed enterprise and a desire to play rugby but with neither side prepared to give an inch in defence, Gowerton went in at the interval, 7-5 to the good. It was Kevin Lockett’s Gowerton side who struck immediately after the break, Keir Neyland-Davies racing over. Sam Davies’s conversion took the side into a 14-5 lead.
However, Porthcawl showed great spirit and a try and conversion from the impressive Ben Thomas took the score to 14-12.
Sam Davies gave his side some breathing space with a penalty on 51 minutes and that lead would have been extended had it not have been for a wonderful last-ditch tackle by Porthcawl’s Lewis Williams.
In the older age group, Brynteg beat Whitchurch High 12-10 courtesy of tries from Michael Powell and Mathew Morgan, with Jonny Phillips adding the vital conversion.
However, the Bridgend school, who have produced a whole host of senior internationals in recent years, had to come from behind with Whitchurch stealing a march thanks to unconverted tries from Paul Myers and J-B Bruzilier.
The games were played at the Millennium Stadium in a bid to encourage more schools in Wales to play rugby and were watched by Wales internationals Mike Phillips and Jamie Roberts.
WRU Head of Rugby Development Nigel Davies believes the experience of visiting the iconic rugby ground in Cardiff’s city centre alone will have a positive impact on involvement in rugby at this level.
He said, “There is a real potential for growth in schools’ rugby and was a simple idea for us to offer the Millennium Stadium as the venue for the finals. Hopefully this will be a real incentive for new schools to take part and a just reward for those already competing.
“We are targeting an area of the rugby public which we haven’t historically done. These children and their parents won’t necessarily be members of Welsh rugby clubs and may not have even thought of coming to the Millennium Stadium before.
“This year is a great time to be involved in Welsh rugby and this initiative is just one of the ways in which we hope to capitalise and build on the success we have had at all levels of the game this season.”
Ospreys scrum half Phillips, currently recovering from a knee operation said, “Schools rugby is an important learning curve. It teaches you about playing in a team, playing for each other and learning the values of rugby. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the games today and was pleasantly surprised by the excellent skill levels and the exciting nature of the matches.”
Blues fullback and wing Jamie Roberts added, “Coming from Ysgol Glantaf, a school with a strong rugby tradition, I thoroughly enjoyed my school rugby. It’s the only time in your life when you play with all of your best mates. I was particularly impressed with the standard of rugby, and suspect we will see some of these young players again in the not so distant future.
U14’s Coca-Cola Schools Cup Final: Tuesday 22nd April 2008
Gowerton: Jonathan Davies; Keir Neyland-Davies, Daniel Nurse, David Lewis, Sam Devonald; Sam Davies (Capt), Daniel Burgoyne; Bradley Marshall, Jonathan Mattew, Josh Harry, Ryan Aspland, Chris Shabana, Jordan Evans, Jon Watts, Robert Duddley-Jones (Vice Capt)
Replacements: Tom Bebb, Ryan Lake, Ryan James, Chris Jenkins, Ryan Simmons, Luke Slocombe, Daniel Keefe
Porthcawl: Michael Kennedy; Tyrel McCann, Luke Jones, Ben Thomas, Jordan Marks; Josh White, Daniel Heatley; Jack Glennie, Kyle Davies, Tom Lodwig (Capt), Alex Houston, Michael Roberts, John Cuddihy, Andrew Emery, Owen Thomas
Replacements: Huw Owen, Bradley Robinson, Leon McNally, Joe Muir, Lewis Williams, Hayden Lau, Gareth Rees, Matthew Harris, Harvey May, Morgan Pugh
U16’s Coca-Cola Schools Cup Final: Tuesday 22nd April 2008
Whitchurch: Elliot Jones; Sion Crawl, Alex Cooke, JB Bruzilier, Will Rowlands; Alex Kerr, Scott Curtis; Joshua Madley (Capt), Ryan Looker, Lewis Hopkins, Lewis Davies, Jamie Humphries, Rhys Fenton, Keith Muchunga, Joshua Gibbs
Replacements: Jordan Gibbs, Laurie Reid, James Lawrence, Stephen Freshney, Dean Reynolds, Paul Myers, Sam Pearce, Jamie Deabraue, Fred Rowlands
Brynteg: Jonathon Phillips; Michael Powell, Aled Roberts, Tom Griffiths-Parry, Matthew Jones; Matthew Morgan, Tom Habberfield (Capt); Njabulo Dladla, Lee Murphy, Rhodri Apsee, Ashley Matthews, Matthew Forward, Sam Treharne, Jesada Chunijuonsee, Sean Derrick
Replacements: Jack Evans, Alex Chute, Alex Jones, Roy Thomas, Mark Minchington, Josh Thomas, Josh Evans, Rhodri Owen, Russell Gurdin, Rhys Woolley, Criag Thomas
