White hot Swansea

Rugby Union: Swansea 46 Treorchy 24

THE All Whites came into this match hotfoot from their stunning victory over Castres last Tuesday which took them into the semi-final of the prototype European Cup. Together with Cardiff's draw against Begles in Bordeaux the previous week, that triumph also showed that there is precious little wrong with Welsh club rugby. The problem seems to arise when the players come under the influence of the Welsh Rugby Union, where both selection processes and results have been dire recently.

For a while it looked as if it might be a case of after the Lord Mayor's show as Swansea struggled with one of their dozy moods, against Treorchy. The Rhondda team, who are languishing at the bottom of the table after being third last season, gave Swansea remarkable problems at times, particularly ien the first half when often they had the better of the forward exchanges. They even took the lead early on and held it for most of the half until Swansea shook themselves awake with two fine tries by Simon Davies in the space of a couple of minutes.The first followed a reverse pass by the scrum-half, Rhodri Jones, and the second was the result of two breaks by the centre David Weatherly.

Another swingeing threequarter movement brought a try by Roddy Boobyer, made by a lovely delayed pass from Aled Williams, who also converted.

There now seemed no hope for Treorchy, but David Evans danced over for a blindside try, which he converted to make it a respectable 17-10 at half-time.

Aled Williams kicked a penalty before the second half became a chase for bonus points with Swansea getting the maximum three from seven tries, and Treorchy one from three tries.

Mark Taylor, on as a replacement for Allan Flowers, powered over for a try converted by Williams, but again Treorchy responded with a try by Paul Jones from a trick pass by Evans, who also converted.

They went on swapping tries, with Alan Harris scoring for Swansea, who refused the conversion in their chase for two more tries and bonus points. Carl Hammans then got Treorchy a bonus point with a try converted by Evans.

In a thrilling finish, the prop Chris Anthony and centre Boobyer scored tries converted by Williams, which gave Swansea their third bonus point and the distinction of being the top try scorers in the First Division, with 54.

Swansea: A Flowers; A Harris, R Boobyer, D Weatherly, S Davies; A Williams, R Jones; K Colclough, M Thomas, C Anthony, S Moore, A Moore, A Reynolds, S Davies (capt), C Charvis.

Treorchy: R Morgan; J Payne, A Jones, P Jones, A Lewis; D Evans, C Hammans; J Maggs, K Jones, M Powell, S Evans, A Freeman, G Owen (capt), D Owen, S Eggar.

Referee: C Thomas (WRU).