INDIGO PREMIERSHIP REVIEW
TOP of the table Llandovery dropped a point to their two nearest rivals as they struggled to beat a determined Carmarthen Quins side 20-0 in the Indigo Premiership.
It had been a stroll in Carmarthen Park when they two sides met for the first time this season on the opening weekend, with the Drovers winning 54-31, but this time there was no try-fest as the home side were held to three tries.
The Carmarthen effort was never short of commitment or bravery - epitomised by flanker and skipper Tom Phillips – but the tempo imposed by the defending Premiership champions had the visitors under pressure for long periods.
To their huge credit the Quins defended with immense gusto from first to last and kept their line intact in a hectic opening quarter. The stalemate was finally broken when ex-London Irish lock Ed Scragg smashed his way over.
With the wind in their sails and possession galore, the Drovers soon added another through wing Aaron Warren. That made it just 12-0 at the break and soon after outside half Ioan Hughes added a penalty to his earlier conversion to stretch the home advantage to 15 points.
The Quins kept on tackling to stifle home adventure until a close-range line out worked in hooker Taylor Davies’ favour and he plunged over for a third try.
Some selfish play by the home backs let the bonus-point slip away and it was the gutsy Quins who had the energy to launch a late attack which all but brought them a try they would have deserved.
Bridgend slumped to back-toback home defeats as they were beaten 20-12 at the Brewery Field by Swansea, who have now won their last three.
The Ravens never really recovered from a first half performance that saw them slip to a 20-0 deficit. The visitors got off to a flying start with a Rhys Jones penalty after four minutes and then a try by Owen Thomas in the 18th.
Jones added the extras to the try and then add a penalty to make it 13-0 moving into the second quarter. A near perfect first half for the Whites ended with a try from centre Joe Thomas that Jones improved just before the break.
That made it 20-0 and as hard as they tried, the home side simply couldn’t bridge the gap. Gareth Harvey and Zac O’Driscoll scored tries, the second of which came 10 minutes from time, and Rhys Williams converted one of them.
Ebbw Vale ensured they stayed in second place, and moved a point closer to league leaders Llandovery, thanks to a 50-31 home win over Merthyr. There were 81 points and 12 tries in a pre-Christmas cracker at Eugene Cross Park.
Fullback Morgan Richards and centre Ethan Phillips both crossed for try hat-tricks for The Steelmen, while No 8 Alex Hawes grabbed the other one. Outside half Evan Lloyd kicked 15 points with six conversions and a penalty.
To their credit, Merthyr refused to be blown away when it looked as though they might be. Paddy McBride’s men found themselves trailing 50-12 at one point in the second half, but conjured up three second half tries to at least leave with a try bonus-point.