By David Parsons
Bridgend & District Schools’ two try hero Sam Watkins picked up the player of the match award in his side’s thrilling 19-18 win over Mynydd Mawr & Dinefwr.
It was the first time since 1990 that Bridgend had won the most coveted title at U16 level in Wales, but their hearts were in their mouths in the final play of the game when MMD outside half Tom Evans had a shot at goal to win the game.
Tom Evans had the chance to add a final twist in the tale of an amazing final with an overtime kick that would have won the trophy for the first time for Mynydd Mawr & Dinefwr, but his kick drifted just wide and Bridgend carried off their 11th title.
Outside half Evans had been one of the major catalysts in a superb all-round performance from the MMD side, and head coach Warren Leech had plenty to feel proud about in defeat.
Congratulations to Bridgend Schools @Bdsru15s as they claimed the Dewar Shield after a thrilling 19-18 victory against a valiant Mynydd Mawr side @MMADACADEMY pic.twitter.com/Ttv5dLU4Xo
— Principality Stadium (@principalitysta) December 6, 2023
Watkins said: “It’s amazing, totally overwhelming with all the people watching – and to win, it’s massive.
“I had my head in my hands watching the last kick, as nervous as hell, I didn’t know what to think.
“We were more than a score ahead and I thought it was going well for us. Then they brought it back and it was squeaky bum time.
“All the boys gave it their all and we got the win at the end. It is an absolute honour to play here, amazing to be honest. A lot of the crowd were from Bridgend and I would like to thank everyone – it was overwhelming how many came to support us.”
Warren Leach, Mynedd Mawr & Dynefwr head coach, said: “What a spectacle and what an honour to play on this pitch.
“With privilege comes a challenge, but fair play to Bridgend a superb performance and hopefully we will be back.
“We’ve enjoyed the journey and long may it continue. Our boys have got ‘Calon’ and spirit, they gave their all and we couldn’t have asked for more.
“Hopefully we will see a few of these in a red jersey one day. They certainly showed the effort to get there because it came down to a golden goal in the end.”
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Both teams came into the game unbeaten, Mynydd Mawr contesting their first Shield final since 1949 and Bridgend chasing their first win since 1990, and something had to give on the big stage. It had been the power of the Bridgend pack that had earned them a big semi-final win over Cardiff and the question coming into the game was could MMD match them?
They certainly did, with their ultra-efficient line-out not only functioning superbly well, but giving them a platform from which to launch their attacks. Bridgend suffered at line-out time in the first half, but used their strong scrum to even things up.
MMD drew first blood with two penalties in a row from outside half Tom Evans to make it 6-0 before his opposite number Aron Bird missed with his first attempt. Bridgend had the better of the game territorially and then came up with the first try of the game.
Bird kicked a penalty into the MMD 22, the line-out ball was safely secured, and the drive took the Bridgend pack up to the line. That’s when hooker Sam Watkins took control and managed to squirm his way over for a try that Bird improved to make it 7-6.
That didn’t dent the confidence of the west Walians, who hit back almost immediately with their opening try. It all began with a brilliant run by No 8 Hefin Hughes from near half-way, and ended with right wing Alex Asprou crossing for a try that edged his side back into the lead.
Watch Dewar Shield final Live as Bridgend & District Schools face Mynydd Mawr & Dinefwr Schools https://t.co/pQBIJqkGLs
— WalesOnline Rugby (@WalesRugby) December 6, 2023
Skipper Rakhart Clarkson then forced his way over the Bridgend line, but was held up to leave the half-time score at 11-7 in MMD’s favour.
Bridgend obviously listened to what their coaching team had told them at the break because they came out firing at the start of the second half and hit the front once again with a second try from the outstanding Watkins. It was another close-range line-out that created the platform for the hooker to crash over again.
That made it a one-point game and as hard as MMD tried to add to their total, they couldn’t quite find the finishing touch. With their skipper, Clarkson, leading by example, they charged into the Bridgend 22 on a number of occasions.
Asprou led the charge 13 minutes from the end, but only found himself being turned over by Watkins who turned defence into an amazing attack up the right touchline. Having ripped the ball away from Asprou, he then sent replacement wing Owain Everton racing 80 metres to the posts for a try that Bird converted.
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That looked as though it was going to be the decisive score but there was still plenty of drama to come as MMD refused to submit. They got back to within a point when an offside call in midfield allowed Finley Thomas to tap and go from 10 metres out.
His offload enabled tight head prop Dyfan Llewellyn to crash over for a try that Evans converted and the game was back in the melting pot. With four minutes left to play, try scorer Everton was sent to the sin-bin, but MMD’s chance to kick to the corner went dead and it looked as though their last chance was gone.
They did get another shot at glory with the clock just about to go into the red when a deliberate knock-on around the front of an MMD line-out in the Bridgend 22 saw them go down to 13 men with replacement hooker Mason Curry seeing yellow.
That meant MMD outside half Tom Evans had the chance to win the game with a wide-angled penalty attempt from the right-hand side of the 22. He was confident enough to take on the kick, but just pushed his shot wide of the left hand upright to leave Bridgend as the champions for the first time in 33 years.
The win by their ‘Class of 2023’ now goes alongside wins in 1990, 1984, 1982, 1979, 1977, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1966 and 1934. Mid Glamorgan Schools won the title in 1936.
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1731699824150335556?s=20
DEWAR SHIELD FINAL TEAMS
Bridgend & District Schools U16: Ioan Phillips; Charlie Paget, Alex Evans, Tomos Thatcher-Wynne (captain), Harrison Burke; Aron Bird, Louis Cooper; Morgan Jenkins, Sam Watkins, Dylan Evans, Cody-Ray David, Ruben Lacey, Jack Morgan, Sam Bilgram Coates, Mckenzie Scales
Reps: Mason Curry, Ben Harvey, Will Macleod, Xavier Thomas, Harley Moore, Lucas Richards, Evan Maddern, Matthew Clatworthy, Owen Evans, Owain Everton
Mynydd Mawr & Dinefwr Schools U16: Osian Morgan; Alex Asprou, Kennedy Richards, Harri Davies, Alex Asprou; Tom Evans, Cellan Allcock; Ceian Lewis, Cole Lacey, Dyfan Llewellyn, Rhys Owen, Hudson Nevin, Rakhart Clarkson (captain), Jac Cloke, Hefin Hughes
Reps: Tomi Williams, Hefin Davies, Kelston Fairhurst, Llew Rees, Iwan Morgan, Aled Davies, Finley Thomas, Ceiron Davies, Griff Rees, Will Edwards, Aled Davies