Llanelli v Cardiff Indigo Prem Preview

Cardiff coach Steve Law admits his team have some catching up to do if they are to cling to the Wizards’ coat-tails. 

Law takes his Indigo Premiership champions to Llanelli on Tuesday night, already in danger of seeing the Wizards of Aberavon magically disappear out of sight. 

Aberavon currently lead the Prem by eight points from Llandovery, with Cardiff a further five behind in third. 

That means a big 13-point gap has already opened up between the Blue and Blacks and the leaders, although Law’s men from the capital do have two games in hand and are still unbeaten themselves. 

One of those is at Parc y Scarlets, where the home side have been given a 14-point start with the odds-makers who reckon Cardiff can take a sizable bite out of that Aberavon lead. The questions is: how big a bite? 

“Aberavon have got the best squad in the league and even though they’ve won six on the trot they can only get better,” admits Law. 

“We can’t afford to slip up at all. Our first goal is a top four finish to get into the play-offs at the end of the season, but the big target is to be in the top two to get a home semi-final.  

“To do that we can’t let teams get too far ahead of us. That’s why the game in Llanelli is so important to us, it will allow us to try to make up some ground.” 

Law is right to be fulsome in his praise of Cardiff’s title rivals since Aberavon have a perfect record so far of six victories from six matches, with a bonus point collected in every game. 

Cardiff, in contrast, have so far struggled to find their fluency. Although they have won four from four, they have twice failed to score four tries and collect the priceless bonus point. 

But Law – whose team have not had a fixture since October 8 – is confident they can improve on their 25-21 victory at RGC and win get the bonus point victory that would draw them level on points with Llandovery. 

If they do, Law reckons it will prove Law’s Law – that the Premiership top five clubs are currently a cut above the rest. 

“The way things are looking so far this season, we have two leagues within the Premiership,” he says. 

“Aberavon, Merthyr and Swansea are up there with us in terms of playing personnel, but Newport have struggled so far.  

“Llandovery are throwing the ball about, and you can’t afford to let them play. We’ll need to get about them up front when we face them.” 

Back row pair Olly Robinson and Gwilym Bradley are both unavailable for Cardiff, so Ellis Thomas will come into the side for the visitors. 

Llanelli have started the season with just one victory from their four games so far, but Callum Evans showed his form last time out with two tries in their 28-27 defeat at Carmarthen Quins.