Llandovery College 17 Welsh Academicals U18s 10
THE College side had to withstand sustained late pressure before squeezing home against the famous invitation side on a heavy Tredegar Close pitch writes Huw S Thomas.
The Accies squad was comprised of promising young players from some 19 different schools and colleges throughout Wales - including Brecon HS lock Chris Gould – and gave the independent school a real run for their money.
It was a shame that none of the Welsh regions had bothered to send their scouts as there were a number of players on view worth a close look at.
Accies Fixture Secretary Keith Hughes regretted the omission.
"They would have seen some real talent, good enough to make regional U18 squads," said the former London Welsh and Wales centre.
In the Accies pack No 8 Sam Newton (Whitchurch HS), locks Chris Gould (Brecon HS) and Kieran Meecham (Llanishen HS) and prop Carwyn Francis (QEHS Carmarthen) caught the eye whilst behind the scrum Filton College’s Welsh Exiles wing Michael Green, full back Llyr Fairburn (Bro Myrddin) and scrum half Josh Moore (Llanishen HS) – son of former Wales scrum half Andy Moore – were full of ideas and adventure.
The Lilywhites too had good players with half backs Aron Hemmings and Ewan Starling, flanker Morgan Williams and full back Tomi Lewis running well through the cloying mud.
The College led 12-5 at the break after opportunistic tries from wing Kasper Andreasson and Lewis Fairburn plus a Starling conversion had trumped a thrilling effort from Fairburn.
A try from Williams made it 17-5 a quarter of an hour from the end but as the Accies understanding improved so did the pressure on the creaking Llandovery defence.
Brytneg CS back row Luke Williams brought the score back to 17-10 and only desperate home defence somehow kept the Accies out in the end.