At the end of what has been an up and down season, Llantwit Fardre saved their best for last to secure Worthington’s Mid District Division 2 Cup glory.
A first half five-try blitz set-up Fardre for a 47-27 victory over their 2 East Central counterparts Cilfynydd at Sardis Road.
The two sides had both recorded a 16-8 victory over the other in their respective home fixture in the league, but on this occasion Fardre were all but out of sight by half time, leading 35-6. Captain Joe Popple, blindside flanker Liam Malkin, wing Will Huggins, twice, and inside centre Kyan Lewis all touched down.
Lewis was over again after the break while Scott Burrows was also on the scoresheet to cap a fine match of the match display at outside centre. He also added the extras to six of his side’s seven tries.
Kieran Gough had kicked Cilfynydd into an early 6-0 lead but despite then finding themselves 47-6 down in the second half, they rallied and a hat-trick from No 8 Luke Riley, all converted by Gough, made the scoreline more respectable.
Colin Smith of Molson Coors presented Fardre with their first piece of silverware since their Worthington’s Mid District Bowl victory in 2019 – when Burrows ran in two tries against Aberdare on the same ground to help secure silverware for Fardre that night too.
“We’re absolutely delighted to get some silverware at the end of what has been a long season. We played some of the best rugby we’ve played all year in the first half,” said Fardre club director Nigel Phillips.
“But fair play to Cilfynydd, they kept playing and didn’t let their heads drop. It was a really entertaining game and a nice end to the season.”
The performance from Fardre was even more impressive given it had been almost a month since the end of their league season – which saw them win nine and lose 13 of their 22 matches to finish in eighth.
“We kept to the same training pattern, with the boys coming in twice a week as well as doing their own fitness work. The focus was very much on winning the final and ending the season with some silverware,” added Phillips.
“To be fair to Darren Bool and his team of coaches, they mapped out everything and it was probably to our advantage that we had that month, because it allowed us to prepare fully for the opposition, who we know well anyway.
“I think the season has been one of consolidation. We’ve introduced some very young players into the squad, and as soon as a couple of the lads have turned 18, we’ve pulled them out of the youth team into the first team.
“People like Tom Lever and Jude Williams, they both came off the bench and performed admirably so we’ve got a good structure in there.”
