The champion sides of the last two seasons meet again at Church Bank tonight (Thursday, 28 Sept – 7.30pm kick off on S4C Clic) with Euros Evans’ unbeaten, top of the table Drovers heavily favoured to maintain their winning streak.
Cardiff are hampered by the fact Cardiff Rugby have their first pre-season friendly in the Welsh capital against the Scarlets on Friday night. Add in a one-match suspension to back row man Nathan Hudd, and an injury to skipper Morgan Allen, and you see why there are three second rows and a hooker in the back five.
“The Drovers are in a rich vein of form at the moment and are continuing from where they left off last season,” said Cardiff Rugby academy manager, Gruff Rees
“They are a very confident side but we will be looking to improve on the progression we made last week against Newport. We need to get the basics right and keep the errors to a minimum.”
Llandovery are currently four points clear of Ebbw Vale at the top, with third placed Newport the only other unbeaten team having played a game less. Cardiff are in eighth place
Llandovery: Jack Maynard; Harri Doel, Adam Warren, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Ioan Hughes, Lee Rees; Dino Dallavalle, Harry Thomas, Berian Watkins, Jack Jones (captain), Joe Powell, Osian Davies, Stuart Worrall, Luca Giannini
Reps: Llew Phillips-Taylor, Jamie Hughes, Guto Jones, Chris Long, Jordan Evans, Gabe McDonald, Rhodri Wall, Ben Thomas
Cardiff: Jacob Lloyd; James Beal, Luke Pollock, Arron Pinches, Dewi Cross; Harrison James, Tom Habberfield; Ollie Evans, Joey Tomlinson, Freddie Barnes, Ethan Phillips, Shaun O’Rourke, Craig Hudd, Alun Rees, Sean Moore
Reps: Gavin Parry, Cam Tyler-Grocott, Adam Williams, Will Gregory, Mason Hughes, Joe Williams, Harri Wilde, Joe Goodchild
