Swansea RFC came back from 11 points down at half-time to beat Bridgend Ravens 32-19 in an ill-tempered Super Rygbi Cymru Trophy game at St Helen’s.
Scrum-half Kai Inker scored two second-half tries, the last of them in the dying seconds, as the All Whites made it back-to-back wins.
It was played on Saturday afternoon, hours before the Ospreys’ 26-0 defeat to Cardiff at the same ground.
Joe Thomas charge-down try after James Richards is sin-binned
Full-back Josh Phillips kicked Swansea ahead with an early penalty.
Bridgend were then down to 14 when lock James Richards was yellow-carded for a dangerous challenge.
Fly-half Luke Scully kicked the penalty to touch inside the Bridgend 22, and number eight Jacob Hopkins powered over the gain line. Bridgend won the ball back, but centre Joe Thomas charged down their chipped clearance and touched down for the opening try.
The Swansea pack struggled, though, and the Ravens made them pay when Scully fumbled under pressure. They spread the ball wide for wing McCauley Rowley to score.
Callum Carson’s 20-minute red card
Swansea’s own discipline let them down next. Centre Callum Carson was shown a 20-minute red card for a dangerous clear-out, and Ben Burnell kicked the penalty to touch inside the Swansea 22.
Bridgend made the extra man count straight away, sweeping the ball along the backs for number eight Ioan Davies to score in the corner.
Wing Cameron Ellis should have added another when he chipped ahead, but the home side scrambled back superbly to stop a certain try.
It mattered little. Inker had a kick charged down, and Richards squeezed over at the next phase to give the Ravens a 19-8 lead at the break.
Sam Morgan and Kai Inker tries bring Swansea back
Swansea were much better after the break. Inker made a superb sniping break, but replacement hooker Jamie Cox could not finish when well placed.
The comeback began when lock Cai Arnold took a lineout on the Bridgend 22. A clever move involving Inker and Thomas sent flanker Sam Morgan over in the corner.
Burnell’s restart then went out on the full, giving Swansea a scrum on halfway.
A well-weighted kick put the Ravens under pressure, and Inker charged down the clearance, gathered and scored to make it 19-18.
Callum Bowden puts Swansea in front
With momentum on their side, Swansea won a penalty, and Scully found touch deep inside the Ravens’ 22.
Lock Theo Currie won the lineout, and flanker Callum Bowden crashed over to put Swansea in front with five minutes left. Scully converted for 25-19.
Bridgend threw everything at Swansea in the dying seconds, but spilled the ball forward into Inker’s arms. He raced clear to score under the posts, and Scully converted to seal it.
Newport next after a three-week break
The Super Rygbi Cymru Trophy now takes a three-week break for the autumn internationals. Swansea’s next game is away to Newport at Newport Stadium on Saturday 21 November (2.30pm).
The All Whites’ first win of the season came against Cardiff RFC, 26-3 at St Helen’s on Thursday 15 October, five days after a 27-26 defeat to Ebbw Vale in their first game back at the rebuilt ground.
Swansea RFC: 15 Josh Phillips (co-capt), 14 Brandon Wood, 13 Callum Carson, 12 Joe Thomas, 11 Harvey James, 10 Luke Scully, 9 Kai Inker, 1 Morgan James, 2 Osian Oliver, 3 Kian Hire, 4 Theo Currie, 5 Cai Arnold, 6 Sam Morgan, 7 Callum Bowden (co-capt), 8 Jacob Hopkins.
Replacements: 16 Jamie Cox, 17 Tom Crockett, 18 Kamren Harris, 19 Chris Thompson, 20 Jake Roberts, 21 Matthew Aubrey, 22 Luke Price, 23 Jack Hoskins.
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