Monthly Archives: April 2026
Ebbw sneak through to the Semi-Final
Ebbw played Bridgend Ravens on a lovely day at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium, in the quarter final of the Super Rygbi Cymru play offs. The game saw prop Adam Williams make his 50th appearance for the club.
Within minutes off the kick off, from a maul in the Steelmen’s twenty-two, referee Ben Whitehouse awarded Bridgend a penalty try and yellow carded flanker Ben Main for ill discipline at the maul.
Moments later Ebbw struck back, when full back Morgan Richards scored in the corner. Flyhalf Evan Lloyd slotted the conversion to make it seven all.
Momentum swung back and forth between both teams, until with the last play before halftime the away side struck again. Centre Gethin O’ Callaghan used his strength to go over the line despite being tackled. The conversion was successfully kicked by Lloyd Wilkins to bring the first half to a close.
Halftime: Ebbw Vale RFC 7 Bridgend Ravens 14
The home side coach Jason Strange made his sides first changes of the game when Alfred Bateman- Lloyd and Morgan Bosanko came on for prop Adam Williams and second row Dylan Burrows.
The hosts hit back to draw the scores level. From a rolling maul inside the visitors twenty-two, Ebbw hooker and top try scorer Ieuan Morris dived over the line. Lloyd added the extras to make the score 14 all.
Minutes later Jason Strange made further changes when Owen Conquer, who returned from injury and Gruff Tough came on for flanker Ben Main and fullback Morgan Richards.
However, the Ravens were to take the lead once again. A good run by Tom Florence, saw the centre break through tackles in the middle of the pitch and score Bridgend’s third try of the game. Wilkins added the extras.
The home side forwards then got the grit between their teeth and responded with a try of their own. After good work by the forwards, the ball made its way to replacement Tough, who powered over the line, despite being tackled by the visitor’s players. Number ten Lloyd let the ball soar through the posts to make it 21 all with 15 minutes left to play.
Further changes by Ebbw Vale coach Strange saw outside half Tom Price, centre Cameron Davies and prop Adam Court replace Jon Evans, Luke Garrett and Dom Franchi.
The decisive score then came from the hosts. From a lineout inside the Bridgend twenty-two the Ebbw forwards got the maul going and hooker Ieuan Morris benefited to score the try. Outside half Lloyd was on fire with the conversions to put his team 28 – 21 ahead.
Replacement prop Adam Court had to be replaced by Luke Garrett and with the game ending, number eight Ryan Jenkins was helped off the field and replaced by hooker James Talamai.
Despite the best efforts of both sides no further points were added to the scoreboard and the Steelmen progressed to the semifinal.
Fulltime: Ebbw Vale RFC 28 Bridgend Ravens 21
Tries: Morgan Rees (1), Ieuan Morris (2), Gruff Tough (1)
Conversions: Evan Lloyd (3)
Ebbw Addicts Man of the match: Sion Parry
Ebbw Vale’s next game is the play off semi-final against Newport RFC at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium on Sunday 3rd May 2026, with kick off 16:45. The game is shown live in front of the S4C Clic cameras.
Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans
Ebbw win a last-minute game
The game was played at Dunvant RFC on a sunny spring afternoon. The team sheet saw a late change for Ebbw on the bench, Harry Arundel replaced Morgan Richards. The game was intense and tight until the final whistle.
Swansea came bouncing out of the blocks when winger Liam Lloyd scored the opening try of the game. Josh Phillips sent the conversion wide of the posts to make it five nil to the All Whites. Tom Price slotted a penalty to put Ebbw five, three down. The game was back and forth until the 29th minute when Swansea number six Iwan Shenton was red carded for what had seemed to be a barge in the back of an away side’s player, leaving referee Paul Newman with no other option. A catch from the lineout saw Steelmen hooker Ieuan Morris score from the rolling maul. Price was unsuccessful with the conversion.
Ebbw were forced into their first change of the game when Harry Arundel replaced Dylan Bartlett due to injury.
Despite being reduced to fourteen men, two quick tries for the hosts by Lewis Edwards and Matthew Aubrey, both converted by number ten Phillips, saw Swansea take an eleven point lead into the half time interval.
Halftime: Swansea RFC 19 Ebbw Vale RFC 8
The second half got off to a bad start for the home side when fullback Matt Protheroe was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on. A few minutes later the Steelmen were awarded a penalty try by referee Newman and prop Kian Hire was sent to the sin bin to spend 10 minutes on the sidelines.
Ebbw took advantage of the numerical advantage when hooker Ieuan Morris scored his second try of the game from the lineout and driving maul. Price slotted the conversion.
The visitors coach Jason Strange made a further change when prop Adam Court replaced Morgan Bosanko.
The away sides centre Cameron Davies used his strength to muscle his way over the line to score Ebbw’s bonus point try. Price added the extras to give his side a ten-point lead on the scoreboard.
After good work by the Swansea forwards, replacement flanker Callum Bowden charged over the line, with Phillips converting the conversion.
The Steelmen hen changed scrum half Dan Buffrey for Carter Pritchard and Joe Rees-Weldon came on for Ben Main.
Three consecutive penalties in a row against the away side saw Ebbw second row Curtis Gregory receive a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on All Whites replacement lock Theo Currie on the wing.
From a lineout by Swansea, their rolling maul got taken down close to the try line illegally by Ebbw, giving referee Newman no choice but to award a penalty try to the home side and a yellow card for the visitors prop Luke Garrett.
Ebbw Vale’s finally changes of the game saw prop Regan Jones come on to make his debut to replace Joe Rees-Weldon due to the yellow card to Garrett and a scrum being awarded, Ryan Gardner replaced Dom Franchi and Alfred Bateman-Lloyd came on for Harry Arundel.
Going into the last minute of the game, a break by Ebbw Vale winger Dafydd Thomas deep into the hosts twenty-two, saw Swansea twenty-three Iwan Glynn receive a yellow card for failing to release the man in the tackle. Price dinked the ball to the corner and Ebbw saw Morris get his hattrick of tries in the corner, after a team effort to break the All-Whites’ hearts at the death. Priced missed the final conversion to close out the game.
Fulltime: Swansea RFC 33 Ebbw Vale RFC 34
After the game we spoke to Ebbw Vale scrum half Dan Buffrey. Dan said he enjoyed the game. He thought the wind made the first half trickier than it should had been. He praised the team for starting well in the second half and capitalising on Swansea’s two yellow cards by scoring two tries. Dan finished by saying that the team made it hard work for themselves to get the win but it was good to win the game in the end.
Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans
Ebbw lose against RGC
Injury hit Ebbw failed to secure top spot after losing their second home game in a row against RGC on a dry but windy afternoon.
RGC were quick to come out of the blocks when flyhalf Billy McBryde slotted a penalty early on, to put his team three points to the good.
However, the Steelmen immediately hit back. Despite the home side’s best efforts to score a try, number ten Tom Price kicked a penalty to bring the scores level.
Despite the first half never igniting, the game was back-and-forth between the two teams; however, poor handling or ill-discipline stopped any momentum for either side.
A few minutes before half-time, the visitors took the lead again. From a penalty inside the halfway line, the Gogs’ fly half, McBride, sent the ball through the middle of the sticks.
Halftime: Ebbw Vale RFC 3 RGC 6
A few minutes into the second half, Ebbw coach Jason Strange made his team’s first substitution of the game when Ben Main replaced flanker Joe Rees-Weldon.
The home side eventually got a foothold in the game and took the lead when, from a lineout, Ebbw set up a rolling maul which was finished off with a try being scored by hooker and top try scorer Ieuan Morris. The conversion was successful by outside half Price to put the Steelmen four points ahead.
With the hosts trying to stamp their authority on the game, referee Keith David reduced the visitors to fourteen after showing RGC prop Patrick Nelson a yellow card for ill-discipline.
The numbers were soon to be equal again when referee David showed Steelmen replacement Ben Main a yellow card for ill-discipline.
The home side’s coach, Strange, then changed the front row when Adam Court replaced prop Luke Garrett, Regan Jones came on for prop Morgan Bosanko, and Charlie Manship replaced hooker Ieuan Morris due to injury. A further change by the hosts saw replacement scrum half Rory Harries come on for Dan Buffrey.
The away side then made the decisive strike. After collecting a high ball in his own half, the Gogs winger Ciao Parry evaded numerous tacklers to race half the pitch to score in the corner. Outside half McBride kicked an excellent conversion from the touchline.
The final score of the game was in favour of the visitors. Replacement scrum half Connor Dever darted down the blindside from just inside the Ebbw half to go over the line unopposed. With the last kick of the game, McBryde was successful with the conversion.
Fulltime: Ebbw Vale RFC 10 RGC 18
Try scorer: Ieuan Morris (1)
Conversion: Tom Price (1)
Penalty: Tom Price (1)
Ebbw Vale’s final game of the league before the play-offs is away to Carmarthen RFC at Carmarthen Park, with kick-off at 2:30pm.
Written By Alex Kinsella-Evans