Dec 18 2021 Ebbw Vale v Llandovery
Llandovery wing Aaron Warren who is the club’s leading try scorer this season with eight tries so far
COVID STOPS HIGH FLYING DROVERS VISIT TO EBBW VALE
Llandovery’s trip to take on Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park had to be called off after some of the Steelmen players were feared to have contracted covid writes Huw S Thomas.
The Gwent club issued a statement on Friday to explain their decision to postpone the Indigo Premiership game.
“Due to a mix of people across the club displaying symptoms of Covid positive cases at the Wales U20s training camp, the club has taken medical advice and have reluctantly taken the decision to postpone tomorrows fixture against Llandovery.”
There was general disappointment in the Llandovery camp as the Drovers have been in terrific form of late, the most recent victory a five tries to nil 32-3 defeat of RGC.
That win over the North Walians was the first game in the 2021-2022 league and it followed a Cup campaign which saw them win nine of their ten games in the West Conference of the Indigo Premiership Cup.
They are due to meet either RGC or Pontypridd at Church Bank in the quarter finals on January 22, depending on the result of the play-off game between the North Walians and Pontypridd on January 8.
The Drovers will not be too happy at missing the Ebbw Vale game but now face local Tywi Valley rivals Carmarthen Quins on Sunday December 26 in a 1 00 pm kick off league game.
The Quins come fresh from a televised 30-13 win over Llanelli in which they clinched a bonus point win with a late try from powerful wing Morgan Griffiths.
Llandovery have done the double over the Quins in the West Conference but coach Euros Evans will remind his troops that the Quins won a pre-season friendly at Church Bank 35-14.
The Drovers were short of key players and used some 30 players on a roll on- roll off basis in that game and now have a settled and experienced side.
The Christmas clash at Carmarthen Park promises to be a full blooded contest between fierce rivals who know each other’s game well.
There will be t least half a dozen former Drovers in the Quins line up, including danger man and scrum half Rhodri Davies who ironically was one of the Llandovery try scorers in the Cup final win over the Quins in 2016.
A great source of encouragement for the Drovers is the number of newcomers to have made a very promising start to their time at the club.
New signings in wings Ashley Evans and Callum Williams and back rowers Lloyd Pike, Jordan Evans, Griff Evans, Iwan Davies have strengthened the all round quality of the squad.
Lock Osian Davies is improving by the game whilst the return of full back Will Thomas has added to the potency of the well balanced back division.
The likes of the ever reliable trio of scrum half Lee Rees, centre Rhodri Jones and wing Aaron Warren are playing some great rugby whilst such has been the form of Kristian Jones at fly half that the departure of Jack Maynard to Cardiff has gone unnoticed.
Warren – brother of the former Drover and current Dragons centre Adam Warren – is top of the try scoring chart with eight Cup and League tries, Kristian Jones the leading points scorer with 69 points.
Skipper and lock Jack Jones, props Jamie Hughes, Dino Dallavalle and Berian Watkins, flanker Stuart Worrall and the excellent Joe Powell – at lock or in the back row- have always been in the thick of things up front.
There have also been telling contributions from the Scarlets players attached to the club.
Squad members lock Morgan Jones, prop Harri O’Connor and back row Iestyn Rees have displayed their quality as has hooker Dafydd Hughes who is getting valuable match practice after a number of injuries.
It is surely only a matter of time before the refreshed Hughes makes an impact at a higher level, the rumour running that Ireland are keeping on eye on him through his Irish grandfather.
Llandovery are the heaviest scorers of any team in the Premiership, having scored 325 points and 48 tries in 11 games and have the meanest defence in conceding just 130 points.
An average score of 30-12 is a fair confirmation of the power of the attack, the resolve of the defence and the effectiveness of the coaching staff led by Euros Evans and Gareth Potter.
Llandovery are yet to meet the powerful clubs from the East – Cardiff, Newport, Merthyr – but these are exciting times at Church Bank with the hope that 2022 will bring a third Welsh Cup to add to those of 2007 and 2016 and a targeted top three place in the Premiership.
Llandovery scoring details Indigo Cup and League 2021-2022 as at Dec 22 2021
Played 11 won 10 Lost 1
Points for 325 against 130
Leading try scorers: 8 A Warren; 5 A Evans; 4 C Williams; 4 R Jones
Leading points scorers: 69 K Jones; 40 A Warren; 31 J Garland; 25 A Evans
— Huw S ThomasRugby World Schools Editor4 Maes y ColegLlandoveryCarmsSA20 0HS 01550 72002807866 553920