COLEG Gwent made it four wins out of four at the Principality Stadium as they hung onto their Welsh Schools U18 Cup title with another win over Llandovery College.
It was 17-0 in last year’s final but the champions turned on the style to score seven tries in a 39-0 triumph. It was the fourth year in a row the two teams had met in the final.
Both sides came into the game unbeaten, with the Gwent side having added to their reputation with some notable triumphs in England.
They got into their work very quickly and put Llandovery under huge pressure from the start.
There were huge hits, breakdown steals and superb endeavour from both teams from start to finish, but there was just a bit more power and cohesion on the Gwent side.
Their pack laid the foundation and the backs made the most of the constant stream of possession.
Lively scrum half Lilly Hawkins kicked off the Gwent points-fest when she charged down a clearing kick from Llandovery centre Chloe Wilkins on her own line before flopping on the ball to claim the first try.
Next up was left wing Marnie George with a great finish in the corner for the first of her brace, before centre Maddi Isgrove and player off the match Evie Hill made it 22-0 at the break.
Even though they had conceded four tries by then, Llandovery never shirked a tackle or dropped their heads.
Co-captains Stella Orrin and Mabli Evans were both inspirational leaders for their school side, while No 8 Kath Winder was a real tour de force in the back row in tandem with Ceris Phillips.
The second half started with uncontested scrums due to an injury to the Llandovery hooker and a lack of appropriate cover.
That only made the game even faster and more frenetic, with players on both sides throwing themselves into tackles, rucks and collisions.
While Orrin, Evans and Winder did their best to make dents in the Gwent defence, Hill, her skipper Molly Owen and fellow prop Chloe Thomas did the same for the champions, while flanker Sadie Jones rampaged over every blade of grass at the home of Welsh rugby in support of each play.
Behind the scrum, Gwent had pace, power and guile, and full back Katie Johnson snapped up the fifth try at the start of the second half after Hill had broken clear and kept the move going with a delicious offload.
George then raced 70 metres to grab the try of the game, cutting inside her marker just outside her 22 before speeding up the left touchline. She handed off another tackler on half-way before haring to the posts.
It was fitting that the indefatigable Jones should claim the seventh and final try for Gwent after her superb display. Outside half Kacey Morkot knocked over her second conversion of the night and victory was complete.
Coleg Gwent director of rugby Scott Matthews said: “As an educational establishment we pride ourselves on making sure the girls have the same opportunities as the boys’ programme.
“They put the effort in on the training field week in week out and they get their rewards, it is about building an environment they can be proud of, and they want to compete for each other.
“It is great to see them enjoying the occasion, Llandovery as well who have been our competitors year upon year. These things do not last forever so you have to enjoy it while you can.”
Coleg Gwent: Katie Johnson; Addison Werner, Maddison Isgrove, Isla McMullen, Marnie George; Kacey Morkot, Lilly Hawkins; Chloe Thomas, Erin Davies, Evie Hill, Amelia Bailey, Lowri Freeman, Tia Jones, Sadie Jones, Molly Owen (captain).
Replacements: Teagan Ellen Hopper, Georgia Morgan, Niamh Corcoran-Lockley, Isla Vaughan, Georgia Stephens, Lucy Grenfell, Lexie Howells, Scarlett Jenkins
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