With all eyes on the academy players taking part in the new 10-team tournament this season, the teenage man mountain – he is 6ft 6in tall and weighs in at 18st 5lb – from the Scarlets Senior Academy shone as he went toe-to-toe with some of the biggest beasts at this level of rugby.
The 18-year-old found himself opposing two of the most powerful ball carriers in the league, Morgan Allen and Scott Matthews, at the heart of the Pooler pack and playing at the venue steeped in the grandest of forward history and expertise.
With one of the greatest sons of Pontypool looking on, current WRU president Terry Cobner, Evans rose to the occasion and underlined why he is so highly rated at Parc Y Scarlets.
Capped by Wales U18 earlier in the year, he was a key figure in the Scarlets side that won the Regional Age Grade U18 title and in the engine room for Llandovery College. Injury forced him to miss the historic win in the WSC Rugby U18 final at Principality Stadium, but he was a powerhouse on his return for Wales U18 in the summer.
And he carried on that form in the first game in the new SRC as he played the full 80 minutes, adding in a great kick downfield from the Llandovery 22 to relieve the mounting pressure in the dying moments.
“It was a really tough game, but I enjoyed every minute of it. We struggled a bit at the breakdown, and they managed to slow down our ball,” said a beaming Evans after receiving his man of the match award.
A product of the Welsh Exiles programme, Evans learned his rugby at Cobham RFC in Surrey before heading to Llandovery College. He joined the Scarlets Junior Academy in 2022 and had now graduated into the Senior Academy.
In a compelling contest there was never more than nine points between the two teams and twice in the second half Pontypool battled back to take the lead. Having taken an early lead through a Kieran Meek penalty, the home side found themselves trailing 12-10 at the break after the Drovers took the lead through tries from wing Ilan Phillips and hooker Taylor Davies, one of which was converted by Ioan Hughes.
Pontypool’s cause wasn’t helped by a yellow card in each half, hooker Sam Scarfe leaving a few minutes before opposite number Taylor scored and then Joe Scrivens in the dying minutes.
The first of two tries from left wing Matt Powell brought Pooler back into the contest at the end of the first half. Meek, celebrating his 100th game for the club after his return from Ebbw Vale, added the extras to cut the gap to two points.
Powell struck again seven minutes into the second half after being put clear following a brilliant break by his centre Joel Mahoney. This time Meek couldn’t convert, but Pooler were ahead 15-12.
From there on it became a battle between the two packs and the two goalkickers. Jack Maynard kicked three penalties for the Drovers, while Meek dropped a goal and then kicked a penalty.
As time wore on, so the pressure mounted and Llandovery, last season’s Indigo Premiership and Premiership Cup winners, were pushed to the edge before clinging on for victory. Pooler ignored a wide-angled kick at goal to try to level the scores in the final few minutes.
Meek kicked into the Drovers 22, the line-out was won and the charge for a match winning try was on. The forwards drove time after time as the move went across field, but then the ball was dropped, and Llandovery were able to clear to touch to take the win.
It was a great start to the new tournament – ‘Super Rygbi’ indeed!
