We are graced with two reports on this important game.
John Kendrick reports:
When the sun shines and the pitches firm up the Drovers come out to play. After the mixed fortunes of games in the rain and mud Llandovery were back to their early season free running style and defeated a spirited Wanderers side with a bonus point 5 tries to 2 victory, and in doing so the Towy valley side completed their first double against their city based rivals.
Coach Lyndon Lewis was delighted with the way the side had played. “We mixed it up well - when they began to fan out in response to our open rugby we began to hit closer to the breakdown and draw them back in. It was good intelligent attacking play although I was also very pleased with the way in which we defended when they tried to use their forwards to batter a way through”.
Such was the intensity of the exchanges that the home side gradually lost players to injury throughout the game. The first to go was influential outside half and captain Scott Sneddon, later followed by lock Tom Evans and in the later stages Wales Under 20 outstanding player full back Dan Fish. The result was that they played the final few minutes with only 14 players left.
Amongst the Drovers’ backs the power of centre Joe Ajuwa, the incisive, weaving running of wing Lee Rees and the kicking and control of outside half Cerith Rees all made significant contributions to the victory. Along with this the outstanding display of the entire back row, the ferocious tackling of Nio Aiono, the driving power runs and handling of Number 8 Dean Fitzgerald and the scavenging of open side Lloyd Phillips, both in disrupting the opposition and in supporting attacks, played a vital role in the victory.
At the centre of all this was the calm captaincy of scrum half Rob Walters whilst full back Howard Thomas had probably his best game of the season.
The first score came 6 minutes into the game when Joe Ajuwa and Lee Rees combined to run the ball from their own 22 to set up hooker Adam Yelland for a corner try which Cerith Rees converted with an excellent kick. The outside half then kicked a penalty to establish a 10 point lead before Ajuwa, with a powerful surge from the half way line, brushed aside several attempted tackles to cross for a second Llandovery try. A Dan Fish penalty completed the scoring for the first half.
Within a minute of the re-start it was a third try for the visitors. From a turnover on their own line Cerith Rees saw the opportunity to open up and, making ground, he passed to Lee Rees for the winger to run 50m and cross kick, where supporting full back Howard Thomas picked up to cross at the posts and give Cerith Rees an easy conversion.
The bonus point 4th try again resulted from a turnover. Number 8 Dean Fitzgerald powered away close to the breakdown to find back row partner Lloyd Phillips with a well timed pass and the open side crossed, allowing Cerith Rees once again to convert. Now with the game breaking up and both coaches making full use of the bench it was Fitzgerald himself who touched down for the fifth and final Drovers try, following good support of a break by centre Sam Soul. Rees, the Premiership’s top points scorer, converted to bring his match total to 11 and his season league total to 252.
In the final minutes the Wanderers, who to their credit never gave up, recorded two tries, the first from replacement lock Gareth Knight following a quickly taken penalty and then the replacement scrum half Harry Trelawney after a series of rucks on the Drovers line. Dan Fish converted both, before being forced off through injury, to bring a certain respectability to the score.
The Drovers last game is away at Bedwas on Wednesday night but whatever the result they are secure for a play-off place in 8th position, as the Carmarthen Quins in 9th place are 6 points behind with only one left to play.
Huw S Thomas reports:
The Drovers clinched a lucrative eighth play-off spot with this five-tries to two win over the out of sorts Wanderers.
Tries from centre Joe Ajuwa, hooker Adam Yelland, full-back Howard Thomas, No 8 Dean Fitzgerald and flanker Lloyd Phillips secured the bonus point with fly-half Cerith Rees adding 11 points with the boot.
Outstanding for the winners were wing Lee Rees, Ajuwa and the back-row of Nio Aiono, Dean Fitzgerald and Lloyd Phillips.
To the delight of coaches Rob Appleyard and Lyndon Lewis, Llandovery produced the attacking and adventurous rugby that is fast becoming a trademark.
"We set out our stall early in the season," said Appleyard, "and the squad has grown in enough confidence to play attacking rugby even in the worse of conditions" said the former Swansea and Wales flanker. "We look forward to the play-offs with the immense satisfaction of having seen the club improve its league position by playing attractive rugby. It is the only way forward and, win or lose in the play-offs, we will keep moving the ball and stay true to our philosophy."
Before the play offs on April 27, Llandovery finish their scheduled league programme on Wednesday when they travel to Bedwas.
Whatever happens at Bedwas, the Drovers are guaranteed eighth spot but they will have to wait and see who will be their opponents in the knock-out play-offs. Llandovery will be away to the club that finishes in fifth place and that is likely to be a choice between Llanelli, Pontypridd and Cardiff depending on how these three fare in their final matches over the next week.
The draw for the knock-out stage will see 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd, 5th v 8th, 6th v 7th – the first named teams getting home advantage.
As the tables stand Swansea (1) would play Llanelli (4), Neath (2) would meet Newport (3), Pontypridd (5) face Llandovery (8) and Cardiff (6) entertain Aberavon (7).
The winners of the top two matches go straight through to the semi-finals, the losers of the last two matches are permanently eliminated.
The remaining four sides play off to reach the semi-finals.
