Match Report

Ian Golden reports from The Lextan Gnoll in Neath

Over 1,500 people were in Neath on Sunday to witness another entertaining WRL Grand Finals Day, headlined by a 21-18 win for Aberavon Fighting Irish over previously unbeaten South Wales Jets.

Aberavon lost the first two Welsh Finals in 2003 and 2004, as well as going down in 2022 and 2023, but finally they have their win in the 21^st edition.

Jets nearly took the lead in the sixth minute. Cobi Green kicked a tricky grubber that Lewis Hughes tried to leap on to, but the officials deemed that there wasn’t enough downward pressure for the try to be awarded.

Aberavon were holding the Jets back in the early stages of the game but didn’t make any serious breaks into their opponents’ territory. However from their first real attack, they scored, Elli Evans outpacing everyone to ground in the corner, unable to convert his own try.

The Jets, behind for the first time this season, looked for a try back, but their own indiscipline wasn’t doing them any favours. After giving away their fourth penalty, Aberavon’s top try scorer Will Davies leapt on his own grubber for his 10^th try of the season. Evans again couldn’t convert.

Jets again went on the attack and were formulating a good set, but Lewys Willacott’s pass to Hughes went straight into touch.

As Aberavon looked for a third try, again as a result of a penalty, 17-year old Henry Parker prevented a potential try with an interception five metres from the line.

Parker was then nearly a hero at the other end, diving over from dummy half but was stopped short. But from the next play, Ben Jones went over for Jets’ first try. Chris Harris’ kick hit the post.

That gave Jets a lift. Their next try was a beauty. Marcus Webb danced through a few Aberavon players, laid the ball high to Hughes who ran home like a mad dog for his 12th try of the season. Harris again couldn’t convert but with three minutes to go before the break, the scores were level.

Jack Davies was stopped short of the line as he looked to score first for Aberavon after the break. They did however force a goal-line drop-out and also had a man advantage when Hughes was penalised for a high tackle.

Aberavon took advantage within two minutes when Owen Evans dived over for their third try before James McCarthy added their fourth, sprinting through a gap to score under the sticks. Elli Evans converted both, which in the end was the difference between the sides.

As Jets got back to full quota of players, Aberavon knew they had to keep the score ticking along. Ryan Pugh kicked a field goal from the final tackle of a set to give his side a three-try cushion.

But the real gamechanger came with 17 minutes to go. After a couple of decisions that didn’t go Jets’ way, a frustrated Parker looked to have told referee James Jones what he thought and was sent off for dissent.

However, Jets didn’t give up. Harris thought he’d got them back in the game as he dived over following a good set, but Willacott’s pass to him was forward.

They weren’t to be denied. Ieuan Sims used his strength to power over for a try and Ben Jones converted.

Daniel Forrester was yellow carded for a high tackle with four minutes to go, evening the numbers for the remainder of the game and Jets did get another try back as Hughes scored in the corner, but it was Aberavon’s day.