LLANDOVERY defend their title at the National Fosters Sevens at Cardiff Arms Park this Sunday and will be eager to repeat their great form of last year when they beat the 2013 winners Pontypridd in the final 33-19 writes Huw S Thomas

Half of the winning squad are available including the stars of the tournament in Lee Rees, Player of the Tournament Rhodri Jones and Matthew Jacobs and they will be boosted by the presence of ex-Wales 7s flyer Will Thomas who joined Llandovery this year from the Cardiff Blues.

The Drovers field three genuine pace men in Rees, Thomas and wing Aaron Warren in the squad which opens its defence of the title with a local derby clash with Carmarthen Quins.

On the same day the Premiership club make their bow at the Aberaeron Sevens and will make a bold challenge for the title at the ever popular tournament on the Cardiganshire coast

Organisers of the the Aberaeron Sevens are delighted that Premiership side Llandovery have entered a team despite also appearing at the Fosters National Sevens on the same day.

“It is great that Llandovery have promised to send a good side to Aberaeron and it will certainly add to the occasion, said Secretary Alun Rees.

At Aberaeron, the defending champions Carmarthen Warriors will be the favourites and strong sides from Bargoed and the Ponty Butchers will make life difficult for the Drovers but coach Euros Evans has promised to send as strong a side as possible.

“We have had a pool of 24 players preparing fpr the National and Aberaeron Sevens and both squads will contain regular first team players as well as some really exciting youngsters who showed up well in the 45-19 win over Cinderford last week.”

Rhodri Wall, Craig Woodall, Richard Rees. Steffan Marshall and Rhys Gealy shone against Cinderford and will be possible starters at Parc Drefach alongside the highly promising Ryan Morgans and Jacob Clement – son of ex-British Lion Tony Clement who played for Swansea at Aberaeron in the 1980s and 1990s.

Carmarthen Warriors will not be very unduly worried by Llandovery’s presence as they will field the usual balance of experienced sevens players who have been playing together regularly over some years.

The Warriors have the quite remarkable record of winning Aberaeron six times in the last eight years and last year beat surprise packet Penallta 21-17 in a terrific final thanks to tries from Shaun Leonard (2) and Tomi Jones.

Llandovery squad for Fosters 7s: Matthew Jacobs, Lee Rees, Tom Ball, Richard Brooks, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren, Will Thomas, Jack Maynard, Stuart Worrall, Aron Evans, Josh Hodson, Dafydd Hughes

Llandovery squad for Aberaeron: Rhodri Wall, Craig Woodall, Rhys Gealy, James Davies, Jacob Clement, Richard Rees, Dan Brooks, Joe Morgan, Ryan Morgans, Jevon Barnes, Steffan Marshall, Ifan Beynon