Conor gives Whites edge over Ravens
BRIDGEND .......................... 17 SWANSEA ........................... 35
CONOR Tantum turned on his former team-mates as he steered Swansea to a bonus-point win at the Brewery Field.
The former Bridgend College and Ravens scrum-half had a hand in his side’s opening try and then scored two himself in a dominant second-half performance by the visitors.
His second strike ensured the Whites left with the full five points.
Having graduated through the ranks at the Ospreys, he has found himself squeezed out of the reckoning due to an incredible stream of No. 9 talent at the region, with the likes of Rhys Webb, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Matthew Aubrey and Harri Morgan on hand.
But the Premiership is giving him a chance to shine.
There was little to choose between these sides at the break, but a clinical final 10 minutes was enough to see Swansea home in the end.
They led 13-10 at the break, but pushed on in the second half to add three more tries.
After Matthew Jones, the 37-year-old former Ospreys and Wales outside-half, had traded early penalties with Liam Popham, Harvey Nash ran in the first home try after a powerful scrum five metres out. Jones added the extras.
A charge down by Tantum paved the way for Swansea’s first try from lock Huw Sutton, and Popham then added the simple conversion from in front of the posts.
He also kicked a second penalty to end the scoring in the first half.
Tantum struck with the first of his two second-half tries four minutes after the break and Popham’s conversion stretched the lead to 10 points.
A penalty try for the home side soon reduced the deficit and kept the contest alive.
Then Swansea went in for the kill during the final 10 minutes. Carrington ran in their third try, James Davies kicked a penalty and then converted the bonuspoint try from Tantum on the stroke of time.
BRIDGEND – Tries: H Nash, pen try; Con: M Jones; Pen: M Jones.
SWANSEA – Tries: C Tantum (2), H Sutton, J Carrington; Cons: L Popham (2), J Davies; Pens: L Popham (2), J Davies.