Grand final number 10 for the Bulls on a memorable day
WALES Rugby League staged three matches at Sardis Road in Pontypridd as the 18th season of domestic community rugby league competition came to a conclusion.
To start the day off, a South Wales Origin side beat York and District 66-6 at U13 level in the first of what organisers hope will be annual encounter.
The match was played in four 20 minute quarters. Both teams fielded large squads with South Wales electing to split their 26 players into two sides with the coaches completely replacing each side every 20 minutes. The players listed below at 1-13 played in minutes 1-20 and 41-60 (red squad) with those listed at 14-26 playing at 21-40 and 61-80 (blue squad).
The South Wales side had multiple coaches, led by Directors of Rugby League, Mark Jones and Wayne Ponting, alongside new coaches Nathan Morgan (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Alun Ford (Aber Valley Wolves), Gavin Walker (Cardiff Blue Dragons) and James Daniels (Cynon Valley Cavaliers). Wales Rugby League used this game to develop coaches and up skill them, and develop players at U13s. These coaches nominated the individual players for selection.
York and District travelled with a 21-player squad that they used throughout the game with unlimited interchange.
Bailey Cutts gave South Wales the lead in under five minutes. Ben Coomer converted before adding a try of his own then converting again. Mason Daniels ran over for an unconverted try to put the score on 16-0 after the first quarter.
Bailey Jones hit back for York on 25 minutes with a try that was converted by Theo Edson, but South Wales scored three more tries before half-time. Paddy Bateman ran over on the half hour for an unconverted try. Devon Shorney jinked through for the fifth try that was converted by Finlay Walker, and there was still time for Walker to add a sixth, converting his own try to make the score 32-6 at halftime.
It took less than two minutes of the second half for Mason Daniels to race away for South Wales’ next try, that went unconverted. Albie Redpath soon followed him over and Will Ford converted. Bailey Cutts scored the next try, under the posts, that Ford improved to put the score onto 48-6.
The visitors’ uphill battle was helped when Oscar Jones was sinbinned for backchat, but South Wales were still next on the scoresheet after Jack Piontecki ran through and Ford converted.
Ben Coomer ran down the wing for South Wales’ 11th try that Ford improved and the score on the hour mark was 60-6.
A clean break from 20 metres by Shorney with 10 minutes to go increased the South Wales lead further. Walker converted. That was the only score in the fourth quarter as both teams tired on the warm 4G surface.
U17 GRAND FINAL - ABER VALLEY WOLVES 22 CARDIFF BLUE DRAGONS 24
CARDIFF Blue Dragons clinched the U17 Grand Final by a mere conversion, edging out league leaders Aber Valley Wolves 24-22 in a classic final.
Scott Pritchard dived over from dummyhalf to give Aber Valley Wolves the lead on nine minutes. Billy Walkley converted.
Cardiff levelled seven minutes later. Harry Beddall dived over and Sean Gardner converted.
Wolves regained the lead on 19 minutes when Ellis Hughes scored under the sticks with Walkley converting.
But just before half-time, Cardiff levelled again as Sam Dungey jinked over. Gardner easily converted. 12-all at the break.
Aber Valley pounded the Cardiff line early in the second half, won a repeat set, but squandered the opportunity to score.
Cardiff took the lead for the first time in the game when Brendan Miller pounced on a loose ball in the goal area to score the try with Gardner converting.
But with 10 minutes to go, Wolves set up a grandstand finish when Mason Phillips raced down the wing and put the ball down under the sticks. Walkley’s kick made it 18-all.
And straight after Wolves regained the ball, they scored. Michael Carter dived through, but Walkley sliced the kick wide, the first time a conversion had been missed in the game.
That miss was crucial. From the first set after kick-off, Harry Beddall scored under the posts and Gardner had an easy kick.
WRL MEN’S GRAND FINAL - BRIDGEND BLUE BULLS 30 TORFAEN TIGERS 14
BRIDGEND Blue Bulls took their tenth Welsh title in this, the 18th Welsh Grand Final, and were never behind against gallant runners-up Torfaen Tigers.
The Tigers gave it their all, but three tries in six second-half minutes clinched it for the Bulls, who secured an unbeaten record this season.
After a lengthy delay due to injuries to both sides, Bridgend took the lead with just over eight minutes gone on the clock. Then Aled Cockwell dived over from dummy half and Corey Harris converted.
They doubled their lead three minutes later when Corey Healey went over in the corner. Harris converted well.
Torfaen looked for a try back. Louie Pengelly was close, but was held short of the line. A few minutes after that, Kurtis Haile dived over and Matthew Cummins converted.
Harris kicked a penalty on the half hour to extended Bridgend’s lead to 14-6, but Torfaen hit back just before the break when Jamie Leech scored in the corner. The conversion was missed giving Bridgend a 14-10 lead at the break.
First over the line, again after a lengthy stop for injuries, after half time, was again Bridgend, through a Stuart Robson try. Harris couldn’t convert.
The floodgates then opened as Bridgend stamped their authority on the game. Tries from Gareth Howells and Lloyd Pritchard followed in consecutive sets, with Harris converting both, giving the Bulls an unassailable 30-10 lead.
That was on 56 minutes and Torfaen looked to fight back - they did get one further try. A long penalty to touch gave the Tigers a good opportunity and Jamie Leech went over from the first play. Cummins couldn’t convert.
There could have been another from the next attack, but a pass out wide was too high for Leech and the ball went into touch.
Then with 10 minutes to go, Tigers’ Eauan Morris had a try ruled out for a double movement.
Torfaen continued to attack, but Bridgend showed their quality at both ends of the field to clinch the title