Now the 34-year-old lock is hoping to stay on course to have another shot at ultimate glory with Pontypool. He has won the Championship and WRU Championship Cup at Pooler, but now the big one is back in sight.
Few thought last season’s Championship Invincibles would be able to compete at the top end of the table in their first season back in the Premiership after a 12-year gap. Just how far they can go this season could well depend on what they get out of Friday night’s (8 March) game with reigning champions Llandovery.
It is the ultimate test for Sweet and co as they seek to climb back into the top four to reach the play-offs. They are currently nine points adrift of Cardiff with a game in hand.
Having beaten Cardiff 20-13 on home soil in their last outing two weeks ago, they now need to go one step further against top-dogs Llandovery.
“Llandovery are a good side and they showed that against us up there. But this time it’s at the Park and anything can happen,” said Sweet.
“It’s easier going into a game like this off the back of a win. There are things to work on as well but we took a lot of positives out of the win over Cardiff.”
That game saw Sweet reach 50 appearances for the club and once again underlined his value to the team in the engine room of the pack.
“I’m a Pontypool boy and it means an awful lot to hit 50 games at my age. We knew we needed to get back on the horse after losing at Pontypridd. We put in a performance, and with performances, results will come.
“We had a good run of form before Christmas, but then we hit a sticky patch. It hasn’t been down to a lack of endeavour or want from the boys and we’ve always within touching distance of teams.”
It was 37-21 to the Drovers when the two teams last met at Church Bank. Llandovery have been beaten only once to date this season and have won their last four games, all away from home, by considerable margins – 43-7 against Ebbw Vale in the cup, 47-10 at Neath, 45-19 in Swansea and 54-26 at the Arms Park.
