Cardiff 43 Llandovery 48
Huw S Thomas at the Arms Park, courtesy of Brecon and Radnor Express
In a wonderfully entertaining and exciting game of 14 tries and 91 points at the Arms Park , the Drovers beat the SRC league leaders more decisively than the scoreline suggests writes Huw S Thomas
Cardiff had beaten Llandovery 52-19 last month and on that form were red hot favourites to swamp the West Walians but whether through over confidence or lack of concentration, they could not match the intensity, rhythm and steely determination of the visitors.
Tackling may not have been the priority of both sides but with the ball in play far more than the average rugby game, it was Llandovery who used it the better.
“We had something to prove after playing poorly back in March “said coach Euros Evans” “and the tag of real underdogs fired a strong motivation to put together our best display of the season.”
“Psychologically, it puts us in a good place for the approaching play offs but today’s result will also serve to focus minds on the fact that surprises are part and parcel of this league.”
Llandovery are now assured of a home game at the quarter-final play off stage but will not know their opponents until the end of the regular season next week.
Dependent on how they go against Bridgend tomorrow night (Thursday) and results elsewhere, they will meet anyone of Pontypool, Aberavon, even Carmarthen Quins, Bridgend or RGC..
What is certain is that if they continue to play as well as they did against Cardiff and tighten their defence , their chances of adding the SRC title to last year’s Premiership title are serious.
Many of the forwards and backs produced their best form of the season on a perfect pitch and beautiful spring day in the capital.
Lock Ed Scragg was immense – soaring high at the line out, collecting kick offs and restarts with striking athleticism, hitting rucks and gambolling around the park to belie his 6’ 6”, 120 kilos presence.
Underestimated and underused by the Scarlets, the former Cardiff Met student is considering giving up professional rugby next year, so extreme is the disappointment in his treatment.
But for Llandovery, he has been putting in one big shift after another to become a real favourite of the fans and on Saturday formed a formidable partnership with another Scarlet in Morgan Jones.
With Osian Davies, Joe Powell and Ed Sheldon outplaying the Cardiff back three and all six front rowers as solid as a rock, the Drovers swept to a famous win.
Cardiff success this year has been on speed of ball and man and in full back Matt Young, wings Tom Bowen and Dewi Cross and centre Steffan Emanuel they had seriously quick men – but so too did the Drovers with Jac Davies, Llien Morgan and the incomparable Lee Rees posing huge threats in open space.
Helped, too, by some poor tactical kicking from Cardiff, the running and handling of the side was a thrilling spectacle for the neutral.
The old heads of centres Adam Warren and Rhodri Jones invariably took right options, full back Jack Maynard organised the back field with aplomb and there was a neat and promising start from young fly half Sam Potter, making his first appearance in an SRC starting line up.
The pace of the game was frenetic, play swinging from goal line to goal line, touch line to touch line, and with tries coming every five minutes – many out wide as testament to the ambition of both sides – eyes and concentration had difficulty keeping up with the quasi chaos.
The only blot on the day were the missed tackles that led to a concession of six tries but to score eight at the famous old ground was testament to Llandovery determination to please as well as win.
The Drovers started sluggishly conceding two early tries to Emanuel and Young but soon answered with Morgan and Powell crossing wide out.
Centre Jason Harries got Cardiff’s third before a purple patch of fluid, accurate rugby worked in Osian Davies, Morgan and then prop Jamie Hughes at a smart front of the line out move.
The exciting Young then sped away to leave it delicately poised 27-26 to Llandovery at the interval.
Cardiff briefly regained the lead with a try from replacement wing Joe Williams before a salvo of three unanswered scores pulled Llandovery clear 48-33.
Osiasn Davies’s try capped a non-stop effort, Potter supported a break out and then slid through a grubber to send former Glantaf wing Jac Davies over.
With a 15 point advantage, the Drovers were on course for a maximum six points only for Cardiff fly half Harri Wilde to kick a penalty and then convert an interception try by replacement lock Benji Williams to claim two losing bonus points for the losers.
Remaining SRC fixtures
April 16 Aberavon v Ebbw Vale
April 17 Bridgend v Llandovery; Pontypool v Cardiff
April 19 RGC v Aberavon; Ebbw Vale v Swansea; Carmarthen Quins v Newport
Cardiff
Tries; M Young, S Emanuel, J Harries, Joe Williams, B Williams
Cons: H Wilde (5)
Pen: H Wilde
Llandovery
Tries: L Morgan (2), O Davies, (2), J Powell, J Hughes, S Potter, J Davies
Cons: J Maynard (4)
Cardiff: M Young; T Bowen, J Harries, S Emanuel, S Cross; H Wilde, E Lloyd; M Thomas, A Rees, T Harper, M Martin, S Moore (capt), A Ward, , L de la Rua, N Hudd
Replacements: G Parry, J Williams, C Brooke, E Phillips, B Williams, E Rees, J Williams, J Goodchild
Llandovery: J Maynard; J Davies, Adam Warren, R Jones, L Morgan; S Potter, L Rees (capt); J Hughes, H Thomas, G Hawley, M Jones, E Scragg, O Davies, J Powell, E Sheldon
Replacements: T Davies, D Dallavalle, B Watkins, S Worrall, J Evans, I Phillips, H Doel, G MacDonlad