Drovers Defeat

Llandovery raced to an eight tries to two win in the Indigo Premiership, condemning Llanelli to their eighth straight defeat of the season writes Huw S Thomas.

The home side put in a lot of effort and showed flashes of individual promise but the gulf in class was significant and they were soundly beaten at the end of a fast and open game.

The Drovers followed up their 39-12 win at Church Bank to complete a comfortable double with Aaron Warren grabbing four tries out on the left wing and fly half Kristian Jones scoring a try and seven conversions for a personal haul of 19 points.

Scoring five tries after the break, this bonus point win guarantees the Drovers a top two spot and a semi final place.

Llanelli started promisingly enough, edging into a two tries to one lead but once the Drovers got their head in front, they had far too much pace and invention to record their biggest ever win over their regional rivals.

Llanelli coach Paul Fisher bemoaned the way his side caved in after the break.

“We start games promisingly – as we did here – and we were ahead at the end of the first quarter but the extra know how of the Llandovery forwards and their pace behind did for us.”

“We soldier on and have a couple of games left against Swansea and the Quins to give us hopeful encouragement for the Premiership league season.”

Llandovery defence coach Lloyd Phillips acknowledged his team’s sluggish start but could not criticise the second half performance when the Drovers racked up 35 unanswered points.”

“We were off our game early on but a half time pep talk sorted it out and we scored some lovely tries for a decisive victory.”

Early pressure was Llandovery’s and skipper, scrum half Lee Rees was all through under the posts but it mattered little as the lanky Warren soon went over wide out.

Llanelli’s reply was immediate, prop Dylan Lawley forcing his way over from close range, fly half Ioan Hughes converting and they went further ahead when a blind side probe let wing Harrison Button finishing off well in the corner,

Button came near to another try in a free flowing game but the Drovers drew level when wing Ashley Evans finished off a multi handling move with a try converted by fly half Kistian Jones.

There was little between the two sides at this juncture and a run from flanker Jacob Lewis tested Llandovery’s cover defence to the full.

Jones and lock Joe Powell – playing his first premiership game of the season –  all but fashioned a Llandovery try before full back Lawrence Thomas ended another sweeping attack, Jones converting for a 19-12 lead interval lead to the Drovers.

Warren secured the bonus point, Jones converting from wide out as the Drovers stepped up the pace, Warren soon claiming his hat trick.

The in-form Warren got his fourth try of the day and when Llanelli replacement Jack Solomon was yellow carded, replacement hooker Ricky Guest burrowed over for Llandovery.

Llanelli were then finished off with Jones racing in on an interception from 50 metres and nailing his seventh conversion for a 19 point haul.