WALES UNDER 16 ORIGIN
WEST WALES 52 EAST WALES 28
IAN GOLDEN, The Wern, Merthyr Tydfil, Saturday
WEST clinched the title through an emphatic second-half display.
There was little in it at the break, when East only trailed 16-10, but seven tries in the second period took West past the half-century.
Because of their 34-28 win in Cardiff, West cannot now be caught in the three-match series.
A Cole Pelopida try gave East the lead in the seventh minute, Rhys Wood converting.
Evan Benjamin raced 50 metres for West on 20 minutes, with Matthew Clatworthy’s kick levelling the issue.
East regained the lead on 27 minutes when Jack Willis scored wide out, but that 10-6 advantage was cancelled out when Ioan Herbert dived over.
West went into the break 16-10 ahead thanks to an Ollie Williams try on the hooter, converted by Clatworthy.
They extended their lead three minutes into the second half with a William Tams try.
Pelopida’s second try brought East back into the game, Wood’s second goal pegging brought the score back to 20-16.
And when Evan Williams scored from the next set, another Wood goal gave the advantage back to East.
Player-of-the-match Clatworthy then went from goal-kicker to try-scorer as he went over for West, and Jack Parrott stepped up to convert.
That was when West started running things.
Jack Field, who was player of the match in the development game, came on as a substitute and promptly scored a brace of tries to extend the lead to 34-22.
Clatworthy soon claimed his second try under the sticks for Parrott to cement the win with twelve minutes remaining.
Luis Towell crossed with six minutes left, Parrott converting, and Benjamin raced away for West’s tenth try, bringing up the half-century. Parrott again added the goal.
The final say went to East, Charlie Burrows scoring a consolation try which Wood improved.
WEST: Ioan Herbert (Bridgend Blue Bulls), William Tams (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Ceirion Emment-Jones (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Evan Benjamin (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Joseph Bailey (Swansea Rams), Jack Parrott (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Matthew Clatworthy (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Morgan Jenkins (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Callum Hedges (Swansea Rams), Will Dawkins (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Oliver Williams (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Luis Towell (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Ronan Hire (Swansea Rams). Subs: Lewys Catley (Swansea Rams), Jack Field (Cynon Valley Cavaliers), Hari Coulthard (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Leo Giraud (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Corey Mayes (Swansea Rams).
EAST: Alfie Prosser (Torfaen Tigers), Harry Rich (South Wales Jets), Matthew Dixon (Torfaen Tigers), Oliver Strickland (Aber Valley Wolves), Alfie Davies (Aber Valley Wolves), Rhys Wood (Aber Valley Wolves), Kelyn Jude-Hobbs (Torfaen Tigers), Harrison Flowers (Aber Valley Wolves), Charlie Burrows (Torfaen Tigers), Cole Pelopida (Torfaen Tigers), Connor Hawkey (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Jack Willis (Torfaen Tigers), Evan Williams (Torfaen Tigers). Subs: Cale Thatcher (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Ieuan Jones (Torfaen Tigers), Ollie Mitchell (Torfaen Tigers), Josh Johnson (Torfaen Tigers), Beau Copeman (Torfaen Tigers), Jayden Coxe (Aber Valley Wolves).
Referee: Ieuan Griffiths.
DEVELOPMENT GAME
WEST WALES 36 EAST WALES 34
WEST won the curtain-raiser in a real see-saw clash.
A Josh Johnson try in the first minute gave East the lead. Ieuan Jones converted.
West levelled when Cori George went over wide out and Lewys Catley goaled.
Johnson scored again to edge East back in front, Jones again adding the two, but tries from Samuel Evans and Charlie Noakes then gave West a 14-12 advantage.
Just before half-time, Max Morris dived over and Jones improved to nose East 18-14 ahead at the break.
West levelled early in the second half, Nathan Lee scoring in their first attack, but East again regained the lead, Jayden Coxe crossing under the sticks and Jones added another goal.
West defended well to keep East at bay and with ten minutes to go, they were rewarded when George touched down, Ruben Main restoring parity at 24-24 with the extras.
That wasn’t the end of it, though, as the lead continued to change hands.
First, Ollie Mitchell gave East the advantage with a try. Then Corey Mayes’ touchdown for West, plus Main’s goal, meant a 30-28 lead.
Noakes put the seal on a deserved West win with his second try, Main adding the goal.
East had the final say, with a good passing move putting Sonnie Sargent over and Jones converting.
WEST: Tom Rees (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Nathan Lee (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Cole Evans (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Iestyn Ede (Rhondda Outlaws), Jack Condick (Rhondda Outlaws), Ruben Main (Rhondda Outlaws), Lewys Catley (Swansea Rams), Charlie Noakes (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Samuel Evans (Rhondda Outlaws), Thomas Hayden (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Cori George (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Joseph Keating (Rhondda Outlaws), Corey Mayes (Swansea Rams). Subs: Iestyn Elcock (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Gethin Owen (Rhondda Outlaws), Jack Field (Cynon Valley Cavaliers), Charlie Joe Evans (Bridgend Blue Bulls).
EAST: Ieuan Jones (Torfaen Tigers), Sonnie Sargent (Aber Valley Wolves), Tristan White (South Wales Saints), Jack Willis (Torfaen Tigers), Josh Harding (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Beau Copeman (Torfaen Tigers), Alfie Davies (Aber Valley Wolves), Ollie Mitchell (Torfaen Tigers), Josh Johnson (Torfaen Tigers), Roman Jones (Torfaen Tigers), Connor Hawkey (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Ollie Strickland (Aber Valley Wolves), Cale Thatcher (Cardiff Blue Dragons). Subs: Alex Harkin (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Jayden Coxe (South Wales Jets), Max Morris (Torfaen Tigers).
Referee: Ieuan Griffiths.