**Ebbw Vale Seal Place in Super Rygbi Cymru Final After Sensational Comeback**
Ebbw Vale RFC have dramatically booked their place in the Super Rygbi Cymru final, overturning a significant 16-point deficit to edge out Llandovery with a nail-biting 29-28 triumph at Eugene Cross Park. Their victory on Saturday marks a remarkable continuation of their flawless home form, as the Steelmen notched up their thirteenth straight win on familiar soil this season.
The match was a genuine showcase of resilience and determination, as Ebbw Vale found themselves trailing 21-5 at the break. Llandovery, last season’s double winners in both league and cup, appeared to be in cruise control with three first-half tries and looked set for another final. Ebbw, hampered by yellow cards and struggling with discipline in the opening forty, nevertheless managed to keep their hopes alive with a crucial try of their own before the interval.
Llandovery’s early dominance was swiftly established, with Rhodri Jones taking advantage of an Ioan Hughes chip to cross the whitewash after just six minutes. The visitors doubled their lead almost immediately, as captain Lee Rees finished off a move sparked by some silky footwork from full-back Jac Davies. With Hughes slotting both conversions, Ebbw Vale were facing an uphill task.
Compounding their woes, the Steelmen spent significant periods of the first half a man down—first, winger Ieuan Evans saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on, and then back-row Jack Pope followed for an illegal boot to the ball. Despite this, Ebbw found a lifeline just after the half-hour mark. Evan Lloyd’s interception within his own territory allowed him to put Ryan Gardner away on a brilliant solo run to the posts. But Lloyd’s missed conversion left the home side still playing catch-up.
Llandovery regained momentum on the stroke of half-time, with the influential Jac Davies running half the length of the field to notch his side’s third try of the afternoon. Hughes added the extras to leave the hosts seemingly with a mountain to climb after forty minutes.
However, Ebbw Vale’s response after the restart was swift and emphatic. The hosts wasted little time in turning the tide, pummelling the Llandovery line and eventually reducing the arrears when full-back Morgan Richards finished off a multi-phase attack, converted by Lloyd. Moments earlier, Llandovery’s Rees was sent to the sin-bin following repeat infringements, opening the door for Ebbw’s resurgence.
A penalty from Lloyd soon brought Ebbw within striking distance, and with fifteen minutes remaining, Ethan Phillips produced a moment of individual brilliance. Chipping ahead and winning the race to the bouncing ball, he touched down and Lloyd converted, putting his side in the lead for the first time in the match at 22-21.
That go-ahead score rocked Llandovery, and the decisive blow came just five minutes later as substitute hooker Ieuan Morris burrowed over from a driving maul for Ebbw Vale’s fourth try. Lloyd maintained his composure under pressure to slot the crucial conversion, establishing an eight-point cushion.
The closing minutes were far from straightforward. Ebbw finished the match with 14 men after Gardner received a yellow card, but their defensive resolve stood firm. Llandovery managed a last-gasp try through Harri Doel as the clock ticked into red, but with the conversion missed, it was not enough to deny Ebbw a place in the season’s showcase finale.
For Ebbw Vale, this victory represents not only redemption from prior semi-final heartbreaks—their third triumph over Llandovery this year, including avenging a cup final defeat—but also an opportunity to chase silverware when they face either Cardiff or Newport in the championship decider next weekend.
Neutral observers were left in no doubt about the Steelmen’s spirit and tenacity, as they overcame both adversity and a well-drilled opponent in front of their home supporters. Such dramatic encounters continue to underline why Super Rygbi Cymru remains a focal point of Welsh rugby union’s domestic scene.
The stage is now set for what promises to be a memorable final, with Ebbw Vale entering the contest brimming with confidence, believing in their ability to dig deep when it matters most. For Llandovery, attention will turn to reflection and rebuilding after a season’s ambitions met an abrupt and unexpected end in Blaenau Gwent.