The first game of Wales’s new Super Rygbi Cymru league saw last year’s Premiership champions continue their winning ways but they were taken all the way by a pugnacious and pumped up Pontypool writes Huw S Thomas
The Drovers had to come from behind 15-12 and then 18-15 in the second half and owed victory to the boot of full back Jack Maynard who kicked three vital half penalties to – yet again- prove his worth.
Pontypool played well but did not win, Llandovery were off form but knew how to scrape home, even under a lot of pressure.
That might suggest two things.
That Pontypool will be extremely hard to beat on their own patch and that Llandovery will only get better with more rugby under their belts.
There was a palpable relief on Llandovery faces at the end, knowing that this was a game that they could have easily lost in the face of a ferocious home challenge.
The Pooler forwards won the contact area for much of the game – their physicality epitomised by lock Morgan Allen and No 8 Scott Matthews – and Llandovery rarely had the front foot ball on which their game depends.
The champions were hustled and bustled into mistakes, often losing ball at the breakdown and – with all having to work overtime in defence – attacks were sporadic.
That said, the Llandovery tackling was outstanding in the final moments when Pooler pounded the goal line in search of the winning try, only to be repulsed by huge commitment.
It had started so well for the Drovers when a patient build up got wing Ilan Phillips in at the corner before fly half Kieran Meek reduced the deficit with a penalty.
When home hooker Sam Scarfe was yellow carded for foul play, an attacking line out and driving maul worked in hooker Taylor Davies, Maynard converting well.
The loss of flanker Stuart Worrall to a neck injury hardly helped the Llandovery cause and 12-3 was an interval lead that was somewhat flattering.
Poor ball retention and slow reactions affected Llandovery composure and wing Matthew Powell twice took advantage of hesitant defending to put his side ahead with corner tries.
With Meek adding one conversion, Llandovery trailed 15-12 and were up against it.
There were occasional flashes of attacking flair, only for movements to break down through lack of support and accuracy but the Pooler forwards were in control of the contact area.
Maynard tied the scores, Meek regained the lead with a drop goal only for Maynard to kick another penalty.
When Pooler replacement wing Joe Scrivens was yellow carded, the full back hit an excellent penalty to sneak his side ahead but there was drama to come.
Only a fine cover tackle by fly half Ioan Hughes on centre Joel Mahoney saved a certain try
before Llandovery – stretched to the full – conceded a penalty 30 metres out with a minute to go.
Pooler bravely turned down three points to go for glory only for the Drovers to show their character with some shuddering tackles on the big home forwards, shades of the final minutes of last season’s Premiership play off against Newport.
None did better than S4C’s Man of the Match, teenage lock Will Evans who played the full 80 minutes on his debut and who was, with replacement Nathan Hart and No 8 Jordan Evans, in the forefront of this gritty effort.
Llandovery will take comfort in winning on the road when not in form but are now well aware that everyone will be striving that bit harder to knock the champions off their high perch.
They cannot be reliant on the goal kicking of Maynard too many times and the tricky trip to RGC on Saturday will tell us more about the season’s prospects in the brave new world of Super Rygbi Cymru.
Pontypool
Tries: M Powell (2)
Con:K Meek
Pen:K Meek
Drop goal: K Meek
Llandovery:
Tries: I Phillips, T Davies
Con: J Maynard
Pens:J Maynard (3)
Pontypool: J Thomas; I Duggan, P Lewis, J Mahoney, M Powell; M Flanagan, K Meek; S Cochrane, S Scarfe, K Williams, M Allen, D Hill, M Herbert (capt), S Matthews, C Davies
Replacements: K Best, D Hughes, J Noyes, I Jones, A Stratton, O Leonard, J Scrivens, T Davies
Llandovery: J Maynard; I Phillips, Adam Warren, R Jones, Aaron Warren; I Hughes, L Rees (capt); J Hughes, T Davies, L Green, W Evans, C Long, O Davies, J Evans, S Worrall
Replacements:D Dallavalle, H Thomas, G Jones, J Baker, N Hart, M Meaclem, S J Jones, G MacDonald