The connection between Llandovery RFC and Ammanford

The Llangennech based, former first class hooker coached the Drovers to a WRU Cup final win in 2016 and the Welsh Indigo Premiership title in 2023 and in the current season there are dreams at Church Bank of doing the cup and league double.

But Evans will be the first to acknowledge the fact that the “Ammanford link” has become an integral part of Llandovery’s good fortune.

The Ammanford club and locality has provided the Drovers with some outstanding players over recent years – Shaun Miles, Mike Evans, Craig Woodall, Rhodri Williams and Bryn Griffiths come quickly to mind.

All former pupils of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, they were very talented and great competitors as was former Newport player Simon Davies who spent many years as assistant coach to Euros Evans.

As much as Evans values the player connection, his warmest praise comes for his assistant coach at Church Bank, Gareth Potter, an out and out Ammanford man and product.

“Gareth has been an integral part of Llandovery success in recent years. He has a great rugby brain that allows him to prepare meticulously week in week out.”

“The club are extremely lucky to have his services as one of Wales’s prime thinkers on the game.”

As defence, then attack coach Potter must take huge credit for the style of exciting play that has become synonymous with Llandovery.

Current statistics reveal that the Drovers have scored an average four tries and 30 points a game with an attack masterminded by the former Ammanford fly half and captain.

Shaun Miles scoring for Drovers against Ebbw Vale (Image: Riley Sports Photography)

Potter’s CV underlines Llandovery’s good fortune.

He recently joined the Trinity St David Academy of Sport as a rugby coordinator and has vast experience in rugby coaching and performance analysis.

He has 30 years experience of working within the rugby sector in Wales. Much of his initial experience was within the field of performance analysis where he set up the first consultancy company in Wales.

He was asked to help coach the Scarlets Academy players and spent twelve successful years there as regional analyst and the kicking coach.

Like father, like son, 17-year-old Noah Potter has been a valuable part of the Llandovery coaching team as a rugby analyst.

Euros Evans was quick to stress the role played by young Potter who is still a pupil at Maes y Gwendraeth and a promising scrum half who recently played for the Welsh Academicals against Llandovery College.

“No exaggeration but here is a future Welsh team analyst!” said Evans. “He is at every game, his attention to detail and work ethic allows him to produce work and statistics of the highest and often complex order to help us in our preparations.”

Yet another link between Ammanford and Llandovery is current Drovers defence coach Tom Hancock who with the help of contact coach Nic Cudd has made his charges the best defensive side in the Premiership – conceding the lowest number of tries – 25, and points – 215.

A PE teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, he also coaches Mynydd Mawr and Dinefwr U16s and in that role helps the identification of the next generation of local players.

Drovers supporters will have very fond memories of the Ammanford boys that have contributed so much to the club.

Shaun Miles was an indefatigable flanker, Mike Evans an exciting attacking full back or centre and Craig Woodall a powerful centre whose very promising career was sadly blighted by injury.

All three put on the Llandovery shirt over 100 times as did Griffiths on 160 occasions (2012-2019) and all four played in the 2016 Cup final.

Bryn Griffiths remains – at least in this writer’s mind - one of the best signings that the Drovers ever made alongside John Westgarth, Adam Warren and Jack Jones.

Short of steel in the engine room of the pack, Llandovery signed Griffiths in 2012 after the lock had returned to Wales after a spell at French club Orleans.

“Bryn is a quality and experienced player that will add to the Drovers forward play this year,” said the then Llandovery forwards coach Euros Evans.

“Youngsters need good role models to look up to and learn from. Bryn is totally professional in his approach and he is fitting in really well to our environment.”

With the vast experience from playing for the Scarlets, Dragons, Blues and Doncaster, Griffiths was to play a vital part in making the Llandovery pack one that could stand toe to toe with any opposition.

His finest moment for the Drovers was his key role in the pack that set up the 25-18 win over Carmarthen Quins in the 2016 WRU Cup Final at the Principality Stadium.

Rhodri Williams, son of the former Ammanford and Swansea scrum half Alan Williams, learned his trade at Llandovery before going on to be a full time professional with the Scarlets, Bristol and then the Dragons, gaining three senior Welsh caps and representing the Barbarians.

In recent years, brothers Dino and Marco Dallavalle have featured prominently in the pack, young Ammanford wing Elis Lewis is in the current squad and a highly rated prospect as is yet another of the Potter family - Sam - who is training with the Drovers.

The link between the two clubs has also worked the other way, with the Drovers sending promising young players down to Ammanford to “work at the coal face” in the tough environment of the lower leagues.

As Euros Evans explained to the South Wales Guardian: “We work closely with Ammanford. They've got an excellent coaching team that fully buys in to the player development model that underpins the pro game in Wales.”

“British Lion Wyn Jones and Wales prop Samson Lee both learnt their trade there before going on to greater things.”

“Neither found it easy but with the right support, structures and good coaching they quickly progressed through the pathway.”

Ammanford’s current fly half in Championship West is Ryan Williams - son of former Llandovery centre and captain Geraint Williams - a fine footballer and still young enough with the talent to make it back into the Premiership.

The Ammanford - Llandovery connection is alive and prospering in all directions, on and off the field, witness the large gang of rugby men pouring onto the train in Tirydail over the Christmas period, off north to shout on the Drovers.

With the challenges that lie ahead, Llandovery can be confident that Ammanford will do its bit to fly the Carmarthenshire flag to prove that West is still best from the Amman to the Tywi valley.