Both sides had enjoyed an unbeaten season before this game, their 100 per cent records spoiled only by a draw down in Ebbw Vale in early November, writes Peter Weavers.

However, it soon became clear that it was Sam Stephens’s side that would be in the quarter-final draw, Dylan Skyrme scoring the first try of a hat-trick within five minutes in a win that saw Gwernyfed dominate every phase of the game.

Skyrme, one of nine in the starting line-up whose father and/or grandfather played in green, white and black, took advantage of some poor alignment and weak tackling by the visiting centres after Luke Eckley released the backs from the scrum 30 metres out. The youngster, arguably more fleet-footed than father Geraint and grandfather ‘Taxi’ in their playing days, needed no second invitation, going in unattended to make Joe Winfield’s conversion a formality.

RTB’s only real excursions into the hosts half in the first period were from the kick-offs, but when any of skipper Stephens, lock Tom Lloyd or Lloyd Powell collected, normal service was resumed as each charged into the visitors’ territory, setting up rucks for the speedsters to exploit.

Winfield at fly half creates space and times his pass to perfection. With Gethin Davies and Skyrme outside him, they represent a taxing problem for defences and made massive inroads. However, the forwards had their say when Lloyd Powell got involved in a move, the impressive number 8 beating all before him from 25 metres. When Powell was finally brought down, prop Prys Eckley was on hand to get his name on the scoresheet, a reward for a player who shines in the tight, in defence with ferocious tackling, at ruck time and in broken play - a hugely influential player at Gwernyfed these days, like father Stuart and uncle Mike before him.

The visitors saw little of the ball and when forced to clear in desperation invariably found one of back three Will Lloyd, Jack Williams and Tyler Morris. All three, Morris in particular, cut through the defence at speed, setting up rucks which were swiftly cleared to Winfield and the back line. On 20 minutes the fly half spotted Skyrme and Williams out wide, releasing an arrow of a long pass which Skyrme took at a pace that the covering defence couldn’t cope with. Williams was on hand, but the youngster didn’t need help, touching down in the corner.

Winfield narrowly missed the conversion from the touchline, the only ‘blemish’ on an impeccable afternoon demonstrating fly half play at its best. His next involvement was to add three points when the visitors strayed offside and within minutes he converted the try of the day. From a scrum on the half-way line Winfield passed to Dylan Skyrme, Gethin Davies looped around his outside centre and made huge progress until passing inside to full back Tyler Morris. Morris switched back out to vice-captain Williams who rounded the defence to run under the posts. The roar from the massive home crowd was heard in Three Cocks.

With a 29-point advantage at the break the home side could have been excused if they had taken their feet off the pedals. Coaches Thomas, Phillips and Lewis would have none of that. The second half was almost as one-sided as the first, the score slightly constrained by some sympathetic decisions by a very good referee who nonetheless saw forward passes and offences that mystified even the visitors and served to prevent at least three tries.

Rugby rarely sees one side dominate throughout the 80 minutes and, after a frustrating quarter during which Gwernyfed were denied further tries, RTB did press the home line on the hour and finally got some reward for their efforts, touching down after a series of rucks within the five-metre line. However, the arrival of fresh home legs in the form of Anthony Parry, Kyle Davies, Andrew Norris and Mark Gwynne up front and Calum Fergusson out wide put the visitors under the sword again.

After Parry had been denied an apparently perfect try, a ruck 20 metres out on the right went swiftly through the hands of Luke Eckley, Winfield, Davies and Morris to the left wing. On this occasion there was no need for Fergusson’s speed and elusiveness, those inside him had moved the ball so quickly that a gentle canter into the corner sufficed, Winfield potting the two points from the touch line once again.

The final score originated from a scrum in Gwernyfed’s 22. The backs made headway with Tyler Morris weaving his way to the opposition 10-metre line. Luke Eckley was quick to the breakdown, giving Joe Winfield space for a beautifully weighted chip through for Fergusson to chase. Collecting the ball with aplomb, the winger was odds on to score but when challenged by the visiting full back offloaded to Dylan Skyrme whose third try was a formality.

The win puts Gwernyfed to the last eight of the cup with a visit to the Principality Stadium the prize for the finalists. Based upon this performance and the season to date, Stephens and his men stand a real chance of marking the Club’s 60th season by continuing their winning ways.