Swansea Uplands RFC

A team much depleted by injury was faced with a vastly-improved Bynea team in uninviting conditions. The strong and bitingly-cold wind was clearly going to influence many plays. Also, the very much heavier home pack meant that the Uplands backs would have to work hard and keep the ball in hand if a result were to be produced.

Uplands kicked off with the wind at their backs and went straight on the offensive, but handling errors led to lost possession. Harri Lees, playing at full back, made the first of several good runs from deep and the subsequent drive again went close. Against the wind, Bynea chose to scrummage instead of kicking out of defence, a situation they found useful, as they were awarded no fewer than 7 penalties in the first 12 minutes. Good attacks were being reversed by such decisions and so the game was moving back and forwards, but mostly in the home half. A missed penalty attempt from Uplands summed up a frustrating period of play. Despite the wind advantage, some good opportunities were wasted by too much kicking by the backs.
At long last, a penalty from Tom Pugh gave the visitors the lead on the half hour. Just five minutes later, Uplands showed their pedigree with some good handling leading to Harri Lees sprinting over for a well-taken try. In the final minute of the half, heavy pressure from the Bynea pack led to a penalty try, which was converted.
HALF TIME: BYNEA 7 SWANSEA UPLANDS 8

Uplands started the second half showing the same intent to attack, with a good run by wing Martin Reeve and some good hands were evident. The home centre received a yellow card after 52 minutes and an attack by Siôn Edmunds broke down about 20 metres short. After 56 minutes, against the run of play, Bynea went ahead with a penalty. Before the restart, Vaughan Davies replaced Dan Holohan and debutant Jon Rees came on for Dan Stephens. Two minutes later, Marc Lewis entered and Martin Reeve went off. Another yellow card went against the Bynea lock and then a penalty attempt from Uplands fell short against the wind, but good following up resulted in a mêlée from which Jon Rees scored a try from close-in which Tom Pugh converted. Uplands were now getting closer to parity in the set piece and gained two penalties as the home side retreated and slipped their binding.
A delightful break saw Siôn Edmunds and Paul Beck combine, drawing their men and slipping to Alex Withers, who again timed a perfect pass for Harri Lees to cross for an excellent try – his second – under the posts. As they now had the wind advantage, the home side threw everything into attack and the Uplands defence was called upon time and again and were watertight time after time. Only in the last minute did Bynea manage to scramble over for a late consolation try. The conversion was missed and the final whistle went to end a battle well won. A couple of weeks’ break before the next game should give some of the warriors a chance to recover!
FINAL SCORE: BYNEA 15 SWANSEA UPLANDS 20
Team: Harri Lees, Martin Reeve, Siôn Edmunds, Paul Beck (Captain), Alex Withers, James Edmunds, Tom Pugh, James Brannigan, Dan Stephens, Jamie Boyle, Matt Crimp, Gareth Davies, Dan Holohan, Lee Howells, Kyle Perkins. Subs: Vaughan Davies, Jonathan Rees, Marc Lewis (all played)