Match Report: Aberavon 48 – 21 Carmarthen Quins
by Paul Williams

At the end of a season that Aberavon supporters will remember mainly for its constant changes of fortune, the Wizards brought their campaign to a close with a performance that was a fitting and emotional finale for a number of players either moving on or retiring from rugby as the club begin preparations for next season’s inaugural Elite Development Competition.

Almost ten years ago to the day, the Wizards met the Quins on the last day of a season in which the dreaded trapdoor of relegation from the Premiership was an almost constant threat. A change of coach in November had seen Jason Hyatt brought in to steady the ship, but going into that final match the Wizards still needed to gain a single league point to avoid the drop. History will tell us that skipper Ian Moore crashed over beneath the posts seconds after the half-time break to score the crucial fourth try that guaranteed at least a losing bonus point, and that the Wizards ended the match with a second bonus point as though to make absolutely certain. A less memorable piece of history, at least for Aberavon supporters, was that just before the half-time break, Quins winger Chris Banfield had crossed for a try that increased the already unbearable tension.

Ironically, it was the same Chris Banfield, now a popular and established Aberavon player in his final appearance before retiring, who set things rolling for the Wizards, intercepting an overhead pass close to the home line and sprinting the length of the touchline to claim a try against his former club after just five minutes.

Fly-half James Davies added the conversion, then repeated the feat after Rhodri Cole and Banfield had combined to send skipper Joe Gage in at the posts for a well-worked try. The Quins hit back with wing Dylan Richards put clear on the left for fly-half Charlie Titcombe to convert.

At 14-7 it looked wide open, but there then followed an avalanche of scoring from the Wizards taking the half-time score to 38-7. Stef Andrews, Gage (again), Banfield (again) and Shay Smallman all crossed the whitewash with Davies converting two.

The Quins were in no mood to throw in the towel, however, and they dominated the third quarter with first scrum-half Rhodri Davies touching down despite claims of a forward pass by the home crowd, then hooker Lewis Morgan benefitting from a well-worked driving lineout to score a typical hooker’s try. Titcombe converted both to narrow the score to 38-21, but normal service was resumed in the final quarter with Stef Andrews going over in the corner for his second try of the afternoon, and then Luke Davies finishing off Aberavon’s own version of a driving lineout to make it 48-21.

Date:
Saturday April 20th, 2024

Score:
Aberavon 48 – 21 Carmarthen Quins

Aberavon Team:
Stef Andrews; Jay Baker (rep Aled Thomas 64 min), Joe Gage (capt) (rep Bradley Roderick 73 min), Callum Carson, Chris Banfield; James Davies, Rhodri Cole (rep Liam Seaward 57 min); Rowan Jenkins (rep Jordan Walters 54 min), Luke Davies (rep Rhys Cherry 77 min), Geraint James (rep Rhys Fawcett 69 min), Shay Smallman (rep James Clegg 54 min), Rhodri Hughes, Ben Gregory, Ashton Evans, Cameron Loveys (rep Andrew Waite 62 min).

Notes:
Cameron Loveys & James Clegg appeared from Trebanos RFC; Liam Seaward appeared from Morriston RFC; Rhys Cherry appeared from Waunarlwydd RFC.

Aberavon Scorers:
T – Chris Banfield (2), Joe Gage (2), Stef Andrews (2), Shay Smallman, Luke Davies
C – James Davies (4)

Carmarthen Quins Scorers:
T – Dylan Richards, Rhodri Davies, Lewis Morgan
C – Charlie Titcombe (3)

Referee:
Tom Spurrier

Man Of The Match:
1 – Chris Banfield
2 – Joe Gage
3 – Stef Andrews

Time Line:
05 min: Aberavon – T – Chris Banfield & C – James Davies (7 – 0)
12 min: Aberavon – T – Joe Gage & C – James Davies (14 – 0)
14 min: Carmarthen – T – Dylan Richards & C – Charlie Titcombe (14 – 7)
17 min: Aberavon – T – Stef Andrews (19 – 7)
27 min: Aberavon – T – Joe Gage & C – James Davies (26 – 7)
34 min: Aberavon – T – Chris Banfield (31 – 7)
38 min: Aberavon – T – Shay Smallman & C – James Davies (38 – 7)
40 min: Half Time
47 min: Carmarthen – T – Rhodri Davies & C – Charlie Titcombe (38 – 14)
63 min: Carmarthen – T – Lewis Morgan & C – Charlie Titcombe (38 – 21)
68 min: Aberavon – T – Stef Andrews (43 – 21)
76 min: Aberavon – T – Luke Davies (48 – 21)
79 min: Carmarthen – Yellow Card – Rhodri Davies
80+2 min: Full Time