Gwalia Lightning Triumphs Over Brython Thunder in Celtic Challenge Derby

Gwalia Lightning try scorer Catherine Richards plays her club rugby for Gloucester-Hartpury. In the Celtic Challenge, Gwalia Lightning (21) defeated Brython Thunder (5) with a final score of 42-22. Gwalia Lightning’s tries were scored by P Jones, Richards, M Davies, Hughes, Terry, and Lewis, with Hughes adding six conversions. Brython Thunder’s tries came from Gant, Gill, John, and Hing, and Tromans kicked one conversion. Gwalia Lightning secured derby bragging rights with this 42-22 victory over Brython Thunder in an entertaining Celtic Challenge opener at Ystrad Mynach. Carys Hughes, the fly-half, delivered a masterclass performance, scoring a try and kicking six conversions for a total of 17 points, while Sian Jones was pivotal at scrum-half. Fourteen senior Wales internationals participated in the match, with Gwennan Hopkins captaining Gwalia Lightning and Natalia John leading Brython Thunder. The game saw Chloe Gant and Page Jones exchange initial tries from driving mauls before Lightning took control. Wales wing Catherine Richards scored from an interception, followed by a try from Wales prop Maisie Davies before the halftime whistle. Lily Terry further extended Lightning’s lead with a close-range effort, but Thunder mounted a comeback with three rapid scores from Evie Gill, Wales lock Natalia John, and Eleanor Hing. However, Lightning halted this resurgence with Caitlin Lewis’s late try. Gwalia Lightning entered the contest as favorites, boasting eight senior internationals in their starting XV compared to Thunder’s four. Despite this, it was the visiting Thunder who scored first. After winning a penalty, they kicked to touch, and a well-executed lineout saw John cleanly take the ball before offloading to Gant, who was driven over the try line. Lightning immediately responded with a similar try, as Page Jones crashed over following her own driving maul. From that point, Lightning asserted their dominance, with Sian Jones showcasing her international pedigree. Gwennan Hopkins, who was not selected for WXV2 in the autumn, also impressed at number eight and was unfortunate to be held up after a powerful drive towards the line. Lightning did not have to wait long for their next score, as Richards intercepted a loose pass and outpaced the covering defenders. Thunder then faced another setback when prop Katie Carr received a yellow card for not rolling away. Lightning fully capitalized on this just before the break, with another powerful run from Hopkins setting up Davies, who crashed over to give them a commanding 21-5 lead at halftime. The bonus point was secured shortly after the restart. A quick-tap penalty from Jones caught the defense off-guard, and a strong carry by Davies drew in defenders, allowing the ball to be moved through the hands and out to Hughes in open space. Hughes nearly created a second try for Richards with a varied cross-field kick, but Richards knocked on in the challenging conditions. Lightning then maintained possession among their forwards, and Terry was rewarded with a try, seemingly putting the game beyond doubt. However, Thunder initiated a fightback, which was aided by Courtney Greenwood’s yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. Replacement hooker Gill and John both scored from close range, while Eleanor Hing, who engaged in a notable battle with Richards out wide, scored what was described as the try of the afternoon. Thunder had been threatening in the right corner when skillful passing moved the ball to the opposite side, notably via Hannah Lane’s long pass, which enabled Seren Singleton to put Hing over in the corner to secure their try bonus point. As the clock wound down, Lightning extinguished Thunder’s unlikely comeback. Loose-head prop Davies executed an impressive “show and go” move, setting up Lewis on her wing for the final score. This provided a fitting conclusion to an entertaining encounter, which was enjoyed by the 500 spectators. The two teams are scheduled to meet again next Saturday for the return derby at Parc y Scarlets, with kick-off at 14:30 GMT. Gwalia Lightning captain Gwennan Hopkins commented: “I think we were really happy with how it went. There are a lot of work-ons, but they are ones we can control and we’re really excited to go into next week.” She added, “In the first half we had a bit of a wobble, but in the second we went in with physicality and used it so we could play the game we wanted to.” Brython Thunder captain Natalia John stated: “It wasn’t the greatest first half for us, but I thought in the last 30 minutes is where we want to be, that’s the performance we want to take forward into the next game.” John also noted, “For some of the girls, sometimes it can be a massive shock to the system stepping up, but I’m really proud of that last 30 minutes, it was class. It’s just proof that we can do it, and for some of these young girls, it’s just belief.” Gwalia Lightning: Courtney Greenway; Carys Williams-Morris, Kelsie Webster, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Catherine Richards; Carys Hughes, Sian Jones; Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Danyelle Dinapoli, Lily Terry, Alaw Pyrs, Bryonie King, Paige Jones, Gwennan Hopkins (capt). Replacements: Molly Wakley, Dali Hopkins, Jenni Scoble, Erin Jones, Katherine Baverstock, Katie Bevans, Lowri Davies, Caitlin Lewis. Brython Thunder: Rhiannon Griffin; Ellie Tromans, Meg Webb, Savannah Picton-Powell, Eleanor Hing; Niamh Terry, Seren Singleton; Katie Carr, Chloe Gant, Cadi-Lois Davies, Gwen Crabb, Natalia John (capt), Robyn Davies, Lucy Issac, Jessica Rogers. Replacements: Evie Gill, Lowri Williams, Meg Lewis, Kira Philpott, Danai Mugabe, Anna Stowell, Bethan Adkins, Hannah Lane.