Arwel comforts Swansea

John Kennedy
Sunday 26 January 1997 00:02 GMT
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Swansea 71

Dunvant 10

Swansea may have coasted to victory in their Swalec Cup sixth- round tie against their poor relations Dunvant, but the loss of Paul Moriarty with a broken arm could have serious implications for their season.

Moriarty left the field midway through the first half after emerging from a forward tangle, and he was taken to hospital last night. The fracture will almost certainly leave him on the sidelines for the rest of the season as Swansea try for a league and cup double.

Moriarty, who returned to Swansea from the rugby league side South Wales in the summer and is a former Wales captain, has had a brilliant first season back in the ranks. Swansea's international stars stole the limelight yesterday. Arwel Thomas once again lit the touchpaper for a sparkling performance that crushed Dunvant's spirit and made adequate amends for their 26-18 defeat at Broadacre earlier this season.

Swansea had quickly made their mark on the game with a pushover try from scrum-half Andy Booth as Dunvant felt the early backlash.

Thomas, the outside-half who took the plaudits for his performance in Wales's 34-19 Five Nations victory over Scotland last weekend, was next to break through as he continued his rich vein of form. He chipped over the Dunvant defence and ran on to score. Thomas played a major part in all Swansea did as they swept to a 34-5 half-time lead, leaving the opposition breathless. His international team-mate, centre Scott Gibbs, also got in on the action with a try while Dean Thomas and Alan Harris made it a miserable first 40 minutes for Dunvant, who could only reply through a Ceri Davies try.

Dunvant showed stiffer resolve early in the second half, with Davies reducing the deficit with a second try, before the home side moved into top gear again. They could even afford to substitute their international stars during the second period, taking off Thomas and bringing on Aled Williams, who once had Wales ambitions of his own, as they cruised through.

Swansea: M Back; A Harris, M Taylor, S Gibbs (L Evans 54), Simon Davies; A Thomas (A Williams 50), A Booth; C Loader (I Buckett 65), G Jenkins (capt, E Evans 70), C Anthony, S Moore, P Arnold, Stuart Davies, P Moriarty (S Thomas 15), D Thomas.

Dunvant: Dean Evans (capt); J Dodd, G Davies (C Hutchings 65), W Lloyd, Deiniol Evans; M Thomas (D Morgan 43), S Wake; M Harris, Mefyn Davies (D Chick 50), G Jeffries, Mike Davies, P Matthews, C Davies, S Jenkins (M David 65), C Thomas.

Referee: W Erickson (Australia).

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