Llandovery College 72 Coleg y Cymoedd 19

LLANDOVERy College retained their Welsh Schools and Colleges U18 title at the Principality Stadium by sweeping aside an outclassed, albeit plucky Cymoedd side, writes Huw S Thomas.

It capped a great double for town and gown, the college now emulating the Drovers as Welsh champions in consecutive seasons, a quite remarkable feat for a small school of 350 boys and girls and town of 2,000 inhabitants.

The Rhondda boys had no answer to the all court game of the independent school who ran in no fewer than 10 tries with ruthless efficiency.

Superior in all areas and all positions, fitter, leaner and faster, Llandovery recorded the highest score in any WSC final, a score that could have been even higher were it not that they took their foot off the accelerator by using all eight replacements in the second half.

Even Cymoedd’s two best players – fly half Ben Coomer and hooker Logan Lloyd - were outshone by their respective opposite numbers in Carwyn Leggatt-Jones and Owen Griffiths.

A record 50 Llandovey College pupils have gone on to play for Wales 1881-2024 and one - Harry Randall for England - and in Carmarthen born Leggatt-Jones they have another possible senior cap in the making.

Cool, calm and assured whilst all around hurried in frantic fashion, the fly half showed a full repertoire of his passing, running and kicking talents to be unanimously voted Cup final Man of the Match for a second successive year.

One chistera back of the hand 20 metre pass was an outrageous piece of skill that led to a try by replacement wing Harrison Burke, two drop goals were struck with effortless ease, touchline conversions, huge touchfinders and even turnovers at the contact area were all part of a night’s work.

His first drop goal from 35 metres was hit so sweetly on the run that it sailed over the cross bar with 10 metres to spare and he followed it up with one from the Cymoedd 10 metre line.

But the Lilywhites were far from a one man band.

Their forwards were powerful and well knit with hooker Griffiths a live wire on the loose, locks Felix Godet and Ollie Lewis tireless ball carriers and Sam Gardner a No 8 of infinite energy.

If Leggatt-Jones was the shining star behind the scrum, the wing Thomas Williams was in his orbit, running with a balance, strength, shape and speed reminiscent of the former 1997 Lions wing John Bentley.

With two well-taken tries to his name, Williams, too, will be on the radar for honours along the line and so could centre and skipper Gryff Watkins whose industry and intelligence brought him the tenth and last try of the game.

As an unit, the backs had a fine understanding of space, angles and timing, no doubt under the influence of backs coach Adam Warren, a master at the College and centre for the all conquering Drovers squad that won everything at Premiership level in 2023-2024.

Head coach Nathan Thomas, himself an Old Llandoverian, was typically modest in victory: “Cymoedd gave us quite a shock when they took the lead early on but this turned in our favour as it did away with any complacency on our part.

“It was satisfying to see the boys play their best rugby of the season on such a big occasion, score some terrific tries and keep going right to the very end.

“As far Carwyn (Leggatt-Jones) – full marks as he had only just returned to the side after a nasty bout of glandular fever. To perform as he did after just one game in the semi-final win over Coleg Sir Gâr was special.”

Although Cymoeed hooker Lloyd went over after just three minutes, Llandovery were soon up to 27-7 with tries from centre Owen Rickard, flanker Baryan Kamara and Griffiths plus the drop goals and conversions from their fly half star.

Wing Joe Piontecki finished of Cymoedd’s best move of the night with a corner try, well converted by Coomer before Williams’s converted score made it 34-14 at the break,

The tiring Rhondda boys had no answer as the fizzing Griffiths, Williams, Burke, Gardner and Lewis crossed at regular intervals but they salvaged honour with a brave late try from flanker Lincoln Hall.

Alas, it was not to be the last try of the day as skipper Watkins intercepted a desperate counter attack pass to set the seal on the runaway win.