Elite Colleges League

Llandovery College 12 Cowbridge CS 3

Llandovery College had to fight hard to overcome an abrasive Cowbridge CS - one of the newcomers to the Elite Colleges League - after trailing 3-0 at the break writes Huw S Thomas

The revamped Elite League – now known as WRU Wednesday U 18 League after the inclusion of Cowbridge CS, Newport HS and Llandrillo College - will have 11 sides split initially into three groups of four, four and three.

The top two in each group will form a first division league with the five others left to competing in a second division.

In the same group as Coleg Gwent and Llandrillo, the Lilywhites had to overcome the bulk and size of the Cowbridge boys before scoring two excellent second half tries on Tredegar Close.

Despite the sterling work of hooker and skipper Dafydd Hughes, flanker Alex Grey and No 8 Kieran Mudd, Llandovery struggled with the physicality of the Vale of Glamorgan pack led by flanker Dan Holder.

Their kicking and passing was also rather slapdash and it was no surprise that they trailed at the interval to a penalty by Cowbridge full back James Whittingham.

There was more urgency and accuracy in the play of the independent school side in the second half and quick ball let wing Josh Hodson run hard and long for a fine corner try.

Play was held up soon after for a good 15 minutes and an ambulance called for a nasty looking neck injury to Mudd.

The highlight of the game followed when College scrum half Harry Randell scooted away from a scrum and ran 50 yards for a great try, sidestepping two tacklers on his electric way to the line.

Fly half Josh Davies converted and although Cowbridge kept in the game with some eye catching runs from wing Harri Thomas, the home defence always had enough in the tank to foil any danger.