Llandovery scrum half Lee Rees celebrated his 400th appearance for the club by leading his side to victory at Church Bank in a rousing SRC Trophy quarter-final.

RGC pushed the Drovers to the limit but it will be the West Walians – inspired by their jack-in-the-box skipper – that will take on Cardiff in Saturday’s semi-final at the Arms Park.

The Blue and Blacks earned their place in the semi-final with a 50–33 win over Carmarthen Quins.

35-year-old Rees has won league and cup medals, played sevens for Wales and inspired Llandovery to four Premiership Sevens titles, and now will dream of winning two more games to take one final trophy into retirement.

The Drovers, who finished fourth at the end of the regular season, outscored the side that finished one place below them by five tries to four in a tie that was an exciting game for the crowd and S4C viewers alike.

Both coaches – Euros Evans and Jon Callard – were full of praise for a clash that was open and fluid, full of cut and thrust rugby and finished in a crackerjack bout of scoring.

“We set goals of a good cup run and top-four finish in the league, so we are delighted that we are still in the running for the Trophy as well as just losing out to Newport in the Cup final,” said Evans.

“Games between us and RGC are nothing but high-scoring games with little to choose between two sides that are out to please.

“We know it will be tough at Cardiff on Saturday, but the prize of a place in the final will be motivation enough for the boys.

Callard - the former Bath and five-times capped England full-back - rued some crucial moments and unforced errors that did not do his side any favours.

“We have no complaints but are satisfied that we gave it our all and fell just short at the end,” he said.

“Down 29-23 and threatening a winning score, we lost the ball in attack to let wing Harri Doel sprint away for the killer blow.

“That was the key moment of the game and did for our chances.”

As open as the game was, with two adventurous back divisions in form, it was the close-range finishing of the home eight that was the essential difference between the two teams.

A brace of tries for prop Jamie Hughes and one from hooker Cameron Lewis all came after pressure from line-outs and set up a 19-15 half-time lead.

29-year-old Hughes - now in his prime - has now scored four tries this season from loosehead and was a powerful and prominent performer in the tight and loose to thoroughly earn S4C’s Man of the Match award.

The RGC backs, well marshalled by the league’s top points scorer in fly-half Billy McBryde, moved the ball smartly to stay in the game, with excellent long-striding full-back Dion Jones and bustling centre Delwyn Jones both crossing.

The scoring should have been heavier as both sides were close to scoring on several occasions, only for timely interceptions to come to the rescue - one by home centre Rhodri Jones saved a certain seven points.

The second half was tight for the first 30 minutes, with the home forwards edging things in tight and often in the loose, denying the slick RGC backs the quicker ball they needed.

The ever-lively Lewis had burrowed through for his second try after 46 minutes and, just as it looked to be fizzling out, the game exploded into life.

Evergreen Llandovery centre Adam Warren posted notice that he is far from retirement with some slashing breaks, and outstanding RGC No 8 Sam Williams twice burst clear only to run out of support.

Flanker Dafydd Thirsk took advantage of a skewed Llandovery clearance by Rees to squeeze over wide out before home fly-half Ioan Hughes and McBryde swapped penalties to make it 29-23.

Rees soon made amends with a vital piece of covering of a Williams kick ahead as the North Walians went on all-out attack as the game entered its final stages.

The visitors looked rejuvenated, their quick backs threatening to land a killer blow, and electric left wing Caio Parry was only denied by the ball rolling over the dead-ball line.

But when centre Delwyn Jones lost the ball while trying to put Great Britain sevens speedster Parry clear, Doel was on to it in a flash and raced away for the decisive score.

Ioan Hughes’s fourth conversion of the evening put the Drovers 13 points clear before Parry dazzled his way through, with McBryde’s last kick of the game narrowing the difference to just six points.

Saturday’s other semi-final will see Ebbw Vale - 28–21 winners over Bridgend - entertain bitter Gwent rivals Newport, who had the better of Swansea 38-21.

Llandovery

Tries: J Hughes (2), C Lewis (2), H Doel

Cons: I Hughes (4)

Pen:I Hughes

RGC

Tries: Dion Jones, Delwyn Jones, D Thisk, C Parry

Cons:B McBryde (2)

Pens: B McBryde (2)

Llandovery: J Davies; H Doel, Adam Warren, R Jones, Aaron Warren; I Hughes, L Rees (capt), J Hughes, C Lewis, B Watkins, H Holden, J Powell, D Gemine, E Sheldon, T Curry

Replacements: F Thomas, T Phillips J Pritchard, K Jones, T Sparrow, K Abraham J Maynard, L Setaro

RGC: Dion Jones; S Jones, D Cross, Derlwyn Jones, C Parry; B McBryde, C Denver; G Parry, J Petch-Jones, P Nelson, W McQueeney, H Chamberlain, D Thirsk, S Williams (capt), C Probert

Replacements: O Burt, J Williams, P Jones, W Kellett, C Ffransis-Roberts, M Dryhurst-Jones, T Jones, L Williams