LLANDOVERY 50 RGC 19
Helped by a hat trick of tries by Scarlets full-back Tomi Lewis, Llandovery racked up their fifth win in six Premiership outings to keep them pretty just behind current league leaders Ebbw Vale writes Huw S Thomas. Pic of Tomi Lewis from the WRU.
Affairs between the Drovers and Gogs have invariably been high-scoring games, such has been the attacking approach of both sides, and this was no different.
It has been five years since RGC last beat Llandovery and they rarely looked as if they were going to break that losing sequence, trailing 31-12 at the break and eventually conceding 50 points.
Yet again, home coach Euros Evans gave starting spots to some promising talent in young centre Gabe McDonald, wing Jac Davies and former Wales U20 lock Ed Scragg whilst there was a welcome- albeit temporary – return to Church Bank for ex-Wales Sevens speedster Tomi Lewis.
“We bounced back from the upset at Ebbw Vale and once again it was great to see newcomers fit into, our style of play.”
“We rested some staunch regulars but what was good to see was that we barely missed them in a seven try win that keeps us in touch with the leaders.”
Lewis, a Gwernyfed product, and newly returned from a spell with Jersey Reds was the stand out player of the day with a hat trick of tries through a combination of intelligent positioning .pace and elusiveness.
He is obviously a star on the making on the bigger scale if given the chance, but life was made easier for him by the creativity and cohesion of the home backs under the influence of the outstanding centre Adam Warren.
Warrem has been the most influential Llandovery signing in the club’s history.
His reading of the game, awareness of space and time and defensive general ship is of an order higher than the demands of the current Premiership – and well suited to the WRU’s vision of a more demanding Elite Domestic Competition (EDC) in 2024-2025.
The North Walians had suffered a nightmare journey through floods in north and mid Wales but competed hard and got three tries for their efforts although under pressure throughout from a Llandovery side that exuded confidence..
Two of RGC.s tries were interception efforts from wing Sam Stoddart and there was an early try from nippy scrumhalf Ollie Wynn but they were under the pump for most of the 80 minutes.
Llandovery led 31-12 at the break through tries from Adam Warren, Lewis, McDonald and No 8 Nathan Hart and with the home forwards on top – flanker Osian Davies in great form -the Drovers pulled clear.
Replacement scrum half Dafydd Land showed up well and a double from the effervescent Lewis and one from fine prop Jamie Hughes took the Drovers to 50 points in a canter.
Llandovery
Tries: T Lewis (3), .Adam Warren, G McDonald, N Hart, J Hughes
Cons: I Hughes (5), J Maynard
Pen: I Hughes
RGC
Tries: S Stoddart (2), O Wynn
Cons; S Earl-Jones (2)
Llandovery:T Lewis; J Davies, Adam Warren, G McDonald. Aaron Warren; I Hughes, L Rees; J Hughes, H Thomas, B Watkins, J Jones (capt), E Scragg , O Davies, N Hart, S Worrall
Replacements: D Dallavalle T Davies, G Jones, J Evans, J Powell, J Maynard.R Jones, D Land
RGC: S Earl-Jones, S Stoddart, H Hughes, D Jones, D Williams; H Ford, O Wynn; C Hone, J Liney. P Jones, T Taylor, I Evans, D Owen (capt), H Taylor, E Fackrell
Replacemnets; R King, G Parry, P Nelson, S Williams, C Probert, T Ellis, R Hamilton, C Parry