There is no stopping the Cardiff Rugby U18 try scoring machine as they added nine more to the seven they scored in their opening game in the WRU Academy U18 Championship with a revenge win over title holders Ospreys.
It was the Ospreys who pipped them 28-25 to win the 2025 crown last season, but there was simply no stopping the boys in Blue & Black at The Gnoll as they turned a 42-0 interval lead into a stunning 63-22 triumph.
There was simply no holding the Cardiff attackers in the opening 40 minutes as they ran in six tires. To make matters worse for the Ospreys the Cardiff outside half Isaac Manning-Burke nailed every conversion.
Manning-Burke helped to steer Pontypridd Schools to a Dewar Shield victory at Principality Stadium two seasons ago and has been in fine form in the U18 Championship. After bagging 15 points in Round 1 he scored 23 at The Gnoll with a try and a perfect nine out of nine conversions.
The other star of the show was centre Ioan Leyshon, who helped himself to a hat-trick of tries The Beddau RFC product is hoping to follow in the footsteps of former Garth Olwg School alumni Harri Wilde and Steff Emanuel in graduating from schoolboy star into an age-grade international.
Cardiff’s other try scorers were wing Trystan Coates and No 8 Liam Williams with two each and Will Watkins. That made it six from the backs and three for the forwards in a side that showed 12 changes from the team that beat the Dragons 45-35 in the opening round with seven tries.
To their credit, the Ospreys hit back in the second half and actually won the final 40 minutes 22-21. With tries from replacement hooker Sam Watkins, centres Alfie Selby and Aled Davies and full back Cian Evans, and a single conversion from Cai Davies, they managed to leave with a try bonus point.