Llandovery 25 Newport 28

NEWPORT are the new 2026 SRC Cup champions after they squeezed past last year’s winners Llandovery at Cardiff Arms Park, writes Huw S Thomas.

The Drovers had done a league double over the Black and Ambers but were this time pipped at the post by opponents who were a shade stronger and more abrasive in the all important contact area.

It was fine entertainment for a disappointingly low crowd, in a game when one side took the lead, then the other, only for the men of Gwent to have the final word with a converted try from flanker Kyle Tayler with just one minute left on the clock.

Both sides deserved far more than the poor way that the day and event had been organised

There was general disappointment that a final to showpiece the cream of semi-pro rugby was neither played at the Principality Stadium nor even televised..

There was frustration , bordering on anger, that four lower profile community game finals – the Premiership final between Merthyr and Neath , Championship Cup final between Bedwas and Bridgend Athletic, Division One and women’s finals - have long been scheduled for April 12 at the Principality and to be televised live.

On Saturday, there was no match programme or even simple fly sheet for supporters to scan and the stadium announcer gave no team news or identification of any of the try scorers.

If that was bad enough, spare a thought for the players.

The 46 players had to change in the Principality Stadium, walk five minutes to the game, return to the changing room at half time , then back to the Arms Park for the second half before dragging themselves back to whence they came.

There was nothing to choose between two sides that threw everything at themselves in one of the closest finals in the 55 year history of the national cup.

“It could have easily been our day and we thought it was, going into the last few minutes,” said Llandovery coach Euros Evans “but that’s rugby and we congratulate Newport on their win.

“We will have to dust ourselves down, recover and throw ourselves wholeheartedly into the battle for the SRC league title.”

It was Llandovery’s fifth Premiership or SRC Cup final in 20 years – testimony to the club’s continuing progress in that time - and their first defeat but they will take eventually take comfort from the fact that they came so agonisingly close to another trophy.

The first half produced four converted tries – two to each side – but the Drovers led 17-14 thanks to the three points from a first minute penalty by fly half Ioan Hughes.

Wings Llien Morgan and Harri Doel finished off some fine, sweeping attacks to cross in opposite corners but Newport clung on with a touch line burst from wing Morgan Williams and close range effort from hooker Henry Palmer.

Back and forth went the play and with Newport edging the contact area and keeping possession that bit much better than Llandovery, they took the lead when lock Josh Skinner galloped in from a blind side probe that exposed the West Walian defence.

As waves of close range attacks rained down on the Llandovery line, another try was on the cards but desperate tackling , outstanding covering and one brilliant turnover from flanker Stuart Worrall kept Newport out.

The Drovers are never anything other than brave and bold as they, in turn, went back on the attack under the prompting of livewire scrum half and captain Lee Rees.

Forwards and backs alike were held up on the line before Morgan was worked wide for his second try of the day and when Hughes added a penalty, it put his side 25-21 up with under five minutes to go.

Llandovery looked comfortable but when they suddenly kicked possession away it gave the Black and Ambers the time to build up enough momentum for a make or break shot at victory.

Three points were not enough and when fly half Jac Lloyd drove a penalty into touch five metres out, the Newport line out - solid as a rock throughout - did the spadework for flanker Kyle Tayler to burrow through for the winner.

The impressive Lloyd kicked his fourth conversion of the final and the Drovers could do nothing to salvage the game in the seconds remaining.

Llandovery

Tries: L Morgan (2), H Doel

Cons: I Hughes (2)

Pens: I Hughes (2)

Newport

Tries: M Williams, H Palmer, J Skinner, K Tayler

Cons: J Lloyd (4)

Llandovery: K Abraham ; H Doel, C Baldwin, R Jones ,L Morgan; I Hughes, L Rees (capt); J Hughes, C Lewis, B Watkins, G Evans, J Powell, O Davies, E Sheldon, S Worrall

Replacements: T Phillips, H Thomas, G Hawley, H Holden, T Sparrow, Adam Warren, J Maynard, G MacDonald

Newport: C Penny; O Andrew, H Ackerman, H James , M Williams; J Lloyd, D Buckland; T Devine, H Palmer , G Harris, J Skinner, C Bradbury, H Ward, B Roach (capt), K Tayler

Replacements: W Langley, H Fry, O Drake, J Reid, T Chatham, Ioan Rhys Davies, L Welch, T Hoppe.