LLANDOVERY YOUTH 45 GWERNYFED YOUTH 10
After a hiatus of seven seasons, Llandovery Youth returned to action on Saturday afternoon, notching up an impressive win over the Talgarth based Powys side writes Huw S Thomas.
With the kind permission of the Brecon and Radnor Express and Huw S Thomas
The effects of covid, the closure of Ysgol Pantyelyn and the WRU decision to change age qualification for youth rugby from under 19 on September 1 to under 18 on September 1 had resulted in Llandovery temporarily losing its Youth side.
Luckily, the Junior Drovers set up at the club continued to provide regular Sunday morning rugby for all age groups from Under 6 upwards.
Former flanker Huw Protheroe, alongside other ex Drovers in Gary Williams and Glyn Davies plus Builth’s Rob Lloyd – all with sons in the squad – have dedicated the last 10 years to bringing along a group of talented players.
The fruits of their labours were evident on the Church Bank 3G pitch, their charges displaying boundless enthusiasm, huge commitment and impressive basic skills in the win over Gwernyfed.
More than impressive was the refreshingly disciplined attitude of players – on both sides -who accepted the referee’s decisions without any trace of complaint, disagreement or petulance.
At a dangerous moment in the game when the authority of officials is being continually questioned and challenged, it reflected great credit on both the Llandovery staff as well as on Gwernyfed coach Gegs Williams.
Fielding a team full of last year’s successful U16 side that were regional champions at their age group, Llandovery promised a good season ahead in running in seven tries, some from a good distance out.
Not that the Powys boys were outclassed by any means as they came back strongly with some good football of their own.
Down 38-5 at one stage, they then restricted the young Drovers to one try, matched by a good one of their own from stand-in scrum half Ellis Davies.
But they were clearly second best for most of the game in the face of a side that kept the ball alive at every opportunity, ran straight hard and true for the most time, tackled well and were very competitive at the break down.
Former Youth coach Nigel Watts – a once Welsh Schools U18 hooker- who passed away in the summer at an early age would have much approved of the style and tempo imposed by the young Drovers.
Stars of the show were the trio of wing/full back Ollie Thomas, fly half Finn Lloyd and flanker Junior Brain, closely followed by centre Will Harnet- Jones, lock Dewi Williams and No 8 Llyr Richards.
Thomas showed serious gas in grabbing a brace of tries as well as making two outstanding last ditch tackles on strong running centre Llew Davies.
Lloyd – destined for Hartpury College – was a real power in midfield, physical, powerful and relishing contact and will be one to keep an eye on in the future.
Brain was permanently where the ball was, even when fitting in at centre late on and is another bound for Hartpury alongside Williams.
Centre Ryan Williams, wings Evan Lloyd and Sam Nixon also took their chances well and there was also a popular try from lock and stand-in skipper Callum Woolfe
Gwernyfed – having lost half of year’s cohort of players – had promising backs in Llew Davies and his Christ College colleague centre Archie Webb, a busy flanker in Fred Price and a non-stop No 8 Charlie Williams and kept fighting to the end.
To see the Youth side return will bring joy to Llandovery rugby fans, starved of regular Saturday afternoon fixtures for some years since the collapse of both second fifteen and youth fifteen sides.
There is the hope, too, that the establishment of the youth side will be the impetus for the re-formation of the 2nd XV and a further strengthening of rugby at large in the upper reaches of the Tywi Valley.
Llandovery Youth
Tries: O Thomas (2), R Williams, W Harnet-Jones, E Lloyd, S Nixon, C Woolfe,
Cons: F Lloyd (4), W Harnet-Jones
Gwernyfed Youth
Tries: C Williams, E Davies
PHOTOS OF LLANDOVERY YOUTH AND GWERNYFED YOUTH SQUADS AFTER THE MATCH AT CHURCH BANK
(photo by Huw S Thomas)