25 CLUB NEWSLETTER No 13 –April 30 2023

Please note that there is a separate 25 Club page on the Llandovery RFC web site with a drop down menu for newsletters. There is also a separate page for match reports.

The Annual 25 Club Dinner on Friday April 28 was enjoyed by all members and guests.

The highlight of the evening was the Question and Answer Forum in which Llandovery coaches Euros Evans, Gareth Potter and Tom Hancock were joined by the WRU’s Head of Player Development John Alder.

The club was delighted to welcome John who eloquently spoke of the challenges and problems facing the Union and – in particular interest to club members – of the quest to bridge the gap between the pro and semi pro game in Wales.

By inference, it looks very possible that season 2024-2025 will be pivotal for the future of the semi pro game in Wales with the prospect of a new Elite League formed of eight clubs.

The only problem for those clubs, ambitious to be in that “super league”, is that the WRU has yet to lay down the criteria for qualification.

Alder spoke of the importance of getting young players to get more game time with the implication that Elite League clubs would need to play a leading role in this.

At the end of the forum, the appreciation that Llandovery RFC has for the club’s coaching team was clearly summarised by 25 Club member Derek Jones.

From the floor, Derek was generous in his plaudits on the great strides that the club has made under Euros Evans and that it was a privilege for Drovers supporters to be entertained Saturday after Saturday by such a great a brand of attacking rugby.

That the club has beaten all the old and great clubs of Wales in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Llanelli, Bridgend, Aberavon, Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd was an immense source of pride.

His words were more than deserved for not only the three coaches but for the whole support team behind Llandovery’s success.

 

THE FIRST/LAST TRY COMPETITION

If Llandovery are fortunate enough to get a home draw for the Premiership play offs, the first/last try competition will continue to operate

£50 for the first try, £50 for the last try will be the order of the day for 25 Club members

 

Indigo Premiership table April 30 2023

TEAM P W D L PF PA PD T TA TB LB PTS
Cardiff 21 18 0 3 694 375 319 91 43 11 2 85
Llandovery 21 18 0 3 643 355 288 81 42 10 1 83
Merthyr 21 16 0 5 618 396 222 89 44 15 3 82
Newport 21 14 0 7 613 403 210 87 51 12 6 74
Ebbw Vale 22 14 0 8 540 426 114 63 50 7 6 69
Aberavon 22 12 0 10 605 543 62 86 67 11 3 62
RGC 1404 22 11 0 11 576 476 100 75 58 9 5 58
Bridgend Ravens 22 9 0 13 458 574 -116 56 76 5 4 45
Carmarthen Quins 22 6 0 16 356 674 -318 45 90 4 3 31
Swansea 21 5 0 16 405 655 -250 52 97 6 2 28
Pontypridd 21 4 0 17 381 542 -161 39 70 4 6 26
Llanelli 22 2 0 20 395 865 -470 54 130 5 2 15

 

 

WRU regulations state:

National League placings will be decided on the basis of League points gained during the season. Where teams have gained equal numbers of League points, the team with the most wins shall be given preference. If the number of wins is equal, the team with the fewest losses shall be given preference. If the number of losses is equal then the Club having recorded the most tries in the Season shall be given preference. If the number of tries is equal the points ‘for’ shall be divided by the points ‘against’ and the team with the highest factor shall be declared to have the better rec

 

 

Top of Form

6) 25 CLUB MEMBERSHIP ROLL FOR 2022-2023 with winnings after Round 11

1 TONY WILLIAMS

2 KATHRYN DAVIES (£200)

3 DAN JONES

4 ROB HUNT (£100)

5 PHIL RATCLIFFE (£50)

6 GERI DAVIES

7 BRIAN JONES

8 ANTHONY BARRY

9 GERAINT MORGAN (£100)

10 STEVE LOCK (£50)

11 HOWARD POTTER (£100)

12 ROBIN BARLOW (£100)

13 PAUL ADAMS (£50)

14 NIGEL CLARKE (£100)

15 DAI THOMAS

16 DAVID BOORER (£50)

17 MICKEY GOUGH

18 JONATHAN DAVIES (£50)

19 DEREK JONES

20 ROB SALT

21 MARK VINCE

22 ISMAEL OZDEMIR

23 MARGARET DAVIES

24 HUW S THOMAS (£50)

25 WYN MORGAN (£100)

For the 25 Club Huw S Thomas 30/04/2023

 

ADVANCE NOTIFICATION

Membership of the 25 Club for 2023-2024 will be open to the general public from May 20 onwards.

Existing members will have priority of joining from now until May 20.

Payment will not be necessary at this moment in time,  just confirmation that you will be re-joining

The terms and conditions of membership will be as last year apart from the addition of extra hospitality days in the expanded 13 team Premiership.

Those who wish to stay in the club should inform either Gina Deering and/or Huw S Thomas before May 20, after which time membership will become open to all.