Rugby Union: Neath fall to white fight

Neath 24

Swansea 32

It took a cheeky trick of psychology to help Swansea beat Neath in their last Swalec Cup encounter. This time the All Whites flourished thanks to some good, honest, hard work.

In their last quarter-final clash at the Gnoll two years ago Swansea pulled a fast one by telling their greatest rivals they would be arriving in their changed strip. This meant that Neath were forced to wear turquoise, rather than their world-renowned all black strip; Swansea went on to win 22-20.

This time Neath were determined not to be caught out and wrote to Swansea earlier in the week saying they would be wearing their first-choice strip. It meant the rival fans were able to see a traditional black vs white contest which turned into a humdinger of a cup tie.

The Swalec Cup represented the best trophy opportunity for both teams this season. For Neath it was the last chance, while Swansea's league title hopes, despite their current high ranking, look remote given the form of Llanelli and Pontypridd. So there was everything to be gained and an awful lot of money to be lost in this quarter-final.

Despite taking a second-minute lead with a stunning 75-metre try, Swansea were still forced to come from behind three times to progress to the semi- finals. Not until Mark Taylor grabbed their fourth try nine minutes from time were Swansea confident of victory.

As well as giving the All Whites a chance of sending off their coach, Mike Ruddock, across the Irish Sea to Leinster with one final trophy in his grasp, this victory also put a smile on the faces of all who saw the game. There was some powerful and athletic forward play, some creative back-line running and more than the usual violent body contact in the tackle - all the special ingredients of a rousing derby cup clash.

Swansea's stinging start was provided by a kick and chase try from the speedy left-wing Simon Davies. He latched on to a kick ahead by the full- back Matthew Back and was cool and quick enough to score close enough to the posts for Aled Williams to convert. Williams should have built on that lead with a point-blank penalty three minutes later, but his kick hit the post and Neath breathed a sigh of relief.

Darren Case reduced the deficit with a monster penalty from halfway before the lead changed hands three times in the final ten minutes of the half. A Patrick Horgan try, converted by Case, first gave Neath the lead; the replacement wing, Warren Leach, quickly responded for Swansea to put them back in front, and then Ian Boobyer raced 30 metres to score another, converted, try to put Neath 17-12 ahead at the interval.

Stirring stuff and more of the same to follow in the second half. Within 30 seconds of the restart Leach had meandered his way from halfway to the posts for his second try to put Swansea back in front, but Steve Gardner's close-range strike ten minutes later got Neath back into the lead.

Swansea finally made the game safe with a second Williams penalty and then a Mark Taylor try and they were just about good enough for their win.

Neath: D Case; C Higgs, R Jones, P Williams (G Davies,50), B Grabham; Darren Morris, P Horgan (D Hawkins,72); Darren Morris (L Gerrard,72), M Thomas, J Davies (capt), S Martyn (M Glover,69), N Watkins, S Gardner, S Williams, I Boobyer (G Newman,59).

Swansea: M Back; A Harris (W Leach,27), M Taylor, L Evans, Simon Davies; A Williams, R Jones (A Booth,60); I Buckett, G Jenkins (capt), C Anthony (K Colclough,75), S Moore, P Arnold, A Reynolds, Stuart Davies, D Thomas.

Referee: N Whitehouse (Swansea)