Llandovery started off their campaign to retain the WRU Cup with a dramatic six tries to five Pool A win over Cardiff, writes Huw S Thomas.

Fragile in defence and prone to error in attack, down, and seemingly out of the game when they trailed 33-12 in the 55th minute, the Drovers woke up to hit back with three tries inside eight minutes to draw level.

Then two minutes from the end, wing Llien Morgan – a former Wales 100 and 200-metre sprinter - crossed for his third try after centre Rhodri Jones and left wing Ilan Phillips had combined to set up the winning score.

A callow Cardiff outfit had played really well for most of the game, eager in defence, ready to counter and capable of converting chances into scores.

An out of sorts Llandovery had been alarmingly porous in defence, over ambitious in attack and generally off pace in concentration.

“We scraped through without playing well but full marks to Cardiff who disrupted us for most of the game and exposed some frailties in our defensive set ups close in and wide out,” said coach Gareth Potter.

“On the positive side, we kept our composure, refused to panic when trailing by 21 points and the replacements made a decisive difference in the last quarter.”

After this opening win, the Drovers will now continue the Pool A programme with two away games - against RGC and Aberavon - and a home game against Bridgend.

Llandovery will be trying to win the WRU Cup for the fourth time, and this win puts the Drovers into a strong position in Pool A, alongside RGC who beat Aberavon 54-42.

Ebbw Vale who beat Carmarthen Quins 24-7, Pontypool who edged Swansea 32-31 and Newport fight out Pool B.

Both Cardiff and Llandovery had debutants galore, on and off the field, the capital city club having no fewer than three schoolboys in their squad but it was the Blue and Blacks who led 21-12, three tries to two, at the break.

Sloppy covering out wide, a lethargic reaction in the open and poor resistance to the driving maul had leaked tries to Kenyan international wing Ed Anya, centre Jason Harries and flanker Nathan Hudd, all converted by fly half Fraser Jones.

Tries from wings Phillips and Morgan had kept Llandovery in touch but when Harries and scrum half Joe Williams had taken advantage of opportunities, the home goose looked cooked.

A yellow card for Cardiff prop Marc Thomas, followed by the introduction of prop Jamie Hughes, hooker Taylor Davies and scrum half George MacDonald had a crucial effect on the Llandovery recovery.

Firmer up front, suddenly more accurate behind, Llandovery scored 21 points in eight minutes – a penalty try at the scrum, followed by a clever chip by full back Jack Maynard which got Morgan in and a close range charge from No 8 Nathan Hart.

With minutes left, centre Rhodri Jones slashed through and swift support from Phillips got Morgan his hat trick, crowned by Maynard’s fifth conversion of the day.

The Cup continues on February 15 when Llandovery travel to take on RGC in a game vital to the progress of both clubs.

Llandovery

Tries: L Morgan (3), I Phillips, pen try, N Hart

Cons: J Maynard (5)

Cardiff

Tries: J Harries (2), E Anya, N Hudd, Joe Williams

Cons: F Jones (4)

Llandovery: J Maynard; L Morgan, Adam Warren, R Jones, I Phillips; S Potter, L Rees (capt);T Phillips, G Williams, B Watkins, E Scragg, J Powell, L Ellis-Jones, N Hart, J Evans

Replacements: J Hughes, T Davies, G Jones, O Davies, S Worrall, T Sparrow, I Hughes, G MacDonlad

Cardiff: K Stone; E Anya, J Goodchild, J Harries. F Hart; F Jones, J Williams; M Thomas, G Parry, C Brooke, E Phillips, S Moore (capt), C Hudd, A Ward, N Hudd

Replacements: C Manship, Jarred Williams, C Donoghue, E Rees, W Jamieson, L Lucas, I Penry, O Das