Wales U20 co-captain Steff Emanuel returns to the Cardiff side for their Super Rygbi Cymru semi-final play-off clash against Llandovery at the Arms Park today (2.30pm).
He will partner his U20 midfield partner Osian Darwin-Lewis as the SRC League winners attempt to stay on course for a home final next weekend against the winner of tomorrow’s second semi-final between Ebbw Vale and reigning champions Newport.
Emanuel has played five times for Cardiff this season and been on the winning side on each occasion. He has also made six appearances for the Cardiff regional side, but missed out on the last few weeks after taking a bump in training.
Missing out are two more Wales U20 caps in scrum half Sion Davies and hooker Tom Howe. Davies is still nursing the shoulder injury he picked up during the U20 Six Nations, while Howe suffered a head knock last weekend and the most important thing is to ensure they are fit for the Wordl Rugby U20 Championships this summer.
While the Blue & Blacks will go into the game as firm favourites after seeing off Carmarthen Quins 50-33 in the quarter final, they know full well that Llandovery will travel with no fear to a ground when they have lost only once since October 2022.
When they met earlier in the season in the Welsh capital Dan Fish’s side ran out 37-28 winners to notch that first win in three years. They also triumphed 45-14 at Church Bank in March.
“Llandovery beat us here in a cup final a few years ago and won last season. We’ve turned that around this season and beaten them twice, so we’ll go into the game full of confidence,” said Fish.
“We pride ourselves on our attacking rugby but defence will be equally important this weekend. We let Carmarthen Quins score 33 points against us in the quarter final and we know we can’t allow Llandovery to score that many against us.
“It’s going to be another physical and fast game like the two we’ve already played against each other. We need to put them under pressure,” said head coach Fish.
“We’ve been excellent the last eight games of the season and are playing a great brand of rugby. We know we need to start fast and put our stamp on the game.
“We worked hard to finish the season like we did, which gave us the opportunity of playing at home in a semi-final and final. I’m sure it’s going to be a great game and we’re hoping to get a good crowd down at the Arms Park.”
Llandovery made harder work than was possibly necessary in overcoming RGC in their home quarter final. They eventually ran out winners 36-30.
“We made life difficult for ourselves against RGC. They came into the game as one of the form teams in the competition, but in Cardiff we now face the most in from team of the season,” said Drovers head coach Euros Evans.
“We’ve got a few more drop downs from the regional set-up this weekend which will strengthen us. We know what it takes to go to the Arms Park and win on the big occasion, so we’ll just have to try and do it again.”
Scarlets full back Jac Davies starts for the Drovers and former Wales U20 hooker Harry Thomas is available to join Josh Morse on the bench.
Ebbw Vale, who were beaten in last year’s Grand Final and were runners-up to Cardiff in the league this time around, will host Newport in the second semi-final on Sunday. Newport have already beaten them twice this season and took the SRC Challenger Shield away from them in the process.
TEAMS
Cardiff: Matty Young; Joe Goodchild, Osian Darwin-Lewis, Steff Emanuel, Dewi Cross; Harri Wilde, Ethan Lloyd; Ioan Emanuel, Alun Rees, Tom Harper, Craig Hudd (captain), Evan Rees, Ben Fry, Nathan Hudd, Lucas de la Rua
Reps: Evan Nicholls-Ngasseu, Joe Cowell, Will Davies-King, Ethan Phillips, Sean Moore, Joe Williams, Lloyd Lucas, Rhys Cummings
Llandovery: Jac Davies; Harri Doel, Kian Abraham, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Ioan Hughes, Lee Rees (captain); Jamie Hughes, Cam Lewis, Gabe Hawley, Harry Holden, Joe Powell, Dan Gemine, Tom Curry, Evan Sheldon
Reps: Harry Thomas, Josh Morse, Berian Watkins, Kai Jones, Tiaan Sparrow, Adam, Warren, Jack Maynard, Lucca Setaro