NOTHING can compare to record breaking year 2016 but the Drovers enjoyed another successful year under the guidance of Head Coach Euros Evans, writes Huw S Thomas.

They finished in the top half of the 2016-2017 table before the Premiership divided into Tier One and Tier Two divisions before ending the league season in May sixth out of eight teams in Tier One.

They also came very close to retaining their hold on the Welsh Cup losing out to the eventual winners RGC 41-36 in a mad cap semi-final tie at Colwyn Bay.

Later in May Llandovery then won the Heineken Principality Premiership Sevens for a remarkable fourth consecutive time when they beat Aberavon 29-24 in the final at Parc Y Scarlets.

Team Manager Andrew Jones considered it as one of the club’s greatest achievements.

“To win the sevens four times in a row against all comers is for a small club like ours stupendous.”

“We probably didn’t have the same overall pace of past years, but our defence and basic skills were top class.”

“Above all after a ridiculously long day - we started at 10am and eventually got off the pitch at 7.30pm - it was sheer determination and team spirit that got us through those last two games against the Quins and Aberavon because of the pace they showed against us.”

“All played their part with Rhodri Wall, Joe Powell and Cai Devine young players who were outstanding in their first tournament whilst skipper Lee Rees and Rhodri Jones were both truly magnificent throughout the day in winning their fourth winners’ medals.”

In a terrific team performance the Drovers accounted in turn for Neath, Swansea, Carmarthen Quins and Aberavon to confirm their status as the sevens kings of Premiership rugby.

Three months later a Drovers VII won the Aberaeron 7s for the first time in their history when they denied seven kings Carmarthen Warriors a remarkable ninth title in eleven years, winning the final 24-17 more clearly than the score suggests.

In front of the usual bumper Bank Holiday crowd, they clinched a purse of £1200 thanks to a tremendous start which brought them three tries in as many minutes through Jack Parkinson, Rhodri Wall and Player of the Tournament and Llandovery captain Kristian Jones.

Fly half Jones - a new recruit from Trebanos - guaranteed good ball by hanging three kick offs with such precision and accuracy that the Drovers jumpers retained valuable possession.

He and scrum half Alex Davies were then able to construct attacks that put the Warriors defence under huge pressure and the speed of Wall, Parkinson, wing Gareth Gibby and ex-Gloucester full back Jack Jones proved too much for the Warriors defence.

The 2017-2018 Premiership season started with a bang when the Drovers upset the odds by beating Welsh Cup holders RGC 31-10 in the opening game in the West Conference.

New signings wing Lee Williams, lock Jack Jones, full back Jack Evans and hooker Ricky Guest made telling contributions in the bonus point win.

Since that opening day victory the Drovers - under new captain and no 8 Richard Brooks - have done the double over Llanelli, Swansea and Bridgend and also beaten Aberavon and Neath once.

Utility back Kristian Jones has proved another good signing and the goose stepping ex-Llandovery College wig/full back Tomi Lewis looks a wonderfully exciting prospect, destined to go far in the game

On the down side, there have been defeats at the hands of RGC, Neath, Carmarthen Quins and Aberavon to leave the Drovers currently in third place behind RGC and Carmarthen Quins.

The final game in the West League will see the Quins travel to Church Bank for a Christmas holiday humdinger on December 23 to see who will finish second to RGC.

After Christmas the teams in East and West come together to play each other once (home or away) with each team carrying points forward from their own conference – 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 according to their finishing conference positions.

Llandovery will have seven home games and eight away games and the champions will be the team that finishes top of the 16 strong table, the end of season play offs having been mercifully abandoned.