LLANDOVERY College’s revival continued over the week with two decisive wins against Coleg Gwent and Plymouth College writes Huw S Thomas.
After the very encouraging 24-17 win over Millfield, the defeats of both Coleg Gwent 22-0 In a Welsh Colleges Elite League match and Plymouth College 48-12 confirmed the recent improvement in conclusive fashion.
Coleg Gwent had beaten the Lilywhites 44-6 on Tredegar Close back in September so to beat the same opponents 22-0 away from home was a big feather in the Llandovery cap.
Bolstered by the return from injury of flanker and skipper Ross Barnes, the side ran in three tries, the first by No 8 Ianto Jones from a line out before centre Corey Baldwin ran in two long distance tries to remind the Welsh selectors of his potential.
Fly half Ewan Starling chipped in with a brace of conversions but there was huge satisfaction among the ranks that the Llandovery defence had not conceded a single point in the damp and hostile conditions.
The weather was again atrocious in the game against West Country visitors Plymouth College – alma mater of England centre Henry Slade and coached by former Llandovery College master Richard Edwards – but the boost of a first minute try from dummying Starling prefaced a confident home performance.
Making light of the very difficult conditions, lock Cae Devine, wing Tomi Lewis, Jones and the excellent Baldwin all crossed before half time to establish a commanding 29-7 lead.
Lock Huw Richards-Price, flanker Morgan Williams and Lewis again stuck in the knife, Plymouth’s only success of the half coming from a dropped Llandovery pass.