Rugby Union: Scarlet blues blown away

Llanelli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Swansea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

ALL THE ingredients were there for a great top-of-the-table West Wales derby and the 10,000-plus crowd were served up a pre-Christmas treat with what was comfortably the best game seen in Wales this season.

There was plenty of pride and passion, boundless energy and, more importantly, great purpose and no little skill. It proved there is still a lot to commend in Welsh rugby.

The deflation felt by Swansea players and fans did not compare to the elation felt by their Llanelli counterparts. All week the talk had been about a major crisis at Stradey Park, of potential sackings on the coaching staff and problems among the playing staff, yet when it mattered most the 'Sospan' was able to come to the boil again.

Throughout last season Llanelli proved they were a big-occasion team in beating Australia, taking the Heineken League title with only two defeats and retaining the Swalec Cup. No wonder, perhaps, that all the talk had been of a crisis at the club, given they had lost three of their last four League fixtures.

It was, the Llanelli captain Rupert Moon conceded, more a test of character than a trial of playing strength. He knew they had the personnel and there is nothing quite like a game against Swansea to stir the blood and emotions for the Scarlets. 'I can go home and take the 'For Sale' sign down from my garden now,' Phil Davies, Llanelli's most capped forward, admitted. 'There would have been nowhere to hide and no one to talk to if we had lost this game.'

Davies was a key factor in the victory, proving once again to the Welsh selectors he must be in the side to face Scotland on 15 January, but it was the line-out contribution of his second row partner, Tony Copsey, that was critical in halting Swansea's run of nine successive wins.

The power of Scott Quinnell, and his awesome ability to break the gain line at almost every attempt, was another crucial factor in Llanelli's favour, while the Swansea coach, Mike Ruddock, applauded the home side's opportunism in gratefully accepting two 'soft tries'.

But Swansea remain on top of the table, with a one-point lead over Neath, and Ruddock knows that if his team can beat Neath at St Helens on 3 January a second title in three years will be well within their grasp. Now that would make amends for defeat at Stradey.

Llanelli: Tries I W Jones, Richards, Strange; Conversion Strange; Penalty Strange. Swansea: Try Appleyard; Conversion Williams; Penalties Williams 2.

Llanelli: I W Jones; A Richards, N Davies, S Davies, W Proctor; J Strange, R Moon (capt); R Evans, A Lamerton, H Williams-Jones, P Davies, A Copsey, P Jones, S Quinnell, L Jones.

Swansea: A Clement (capt); M Titley, S McIntosh, I Lewis, S Davies; A Williams, R Jones; I Buckett, G Jenkins, R Shaw, M Evans, R Moriarty (S Moore, 78), A Reynolds, P Arnold, R Appleyard.

Referee: R Yeman (Taibach).