Three weeks ago, Dan Fish and Matt O’Brien fought out a compelling tactical and technical battle as Cardiff beat Newport 13-10 in the WRU Premiership Cup final at the Principality Stadium. When both teams qualified to meet again in the semi-finals of the Indigo Premiership, everyone thought there would be another shoot-out between the two No 10s on Sunday. But neither will be at the Arms Park, for different reasons.

Llandovery fired another warning shot across the bows of the top two teams in the Indigo Premiership as they ran in four tries in a 29-0 West Wales derby win over Carmarthen Quins at Church Bank. Beaten only once this season in a tight tussle at Cardiff, where they still emerged with a couple of points, they gave notice they will not be cast adrift by the table-topping Blue and Blacks and Aberavon. Cardiff beat Pontypridd 39-13 at the Arms Park to stay nine points clear, while the Wizards triumphed 18-15 over Bridgend at the Brewery Field.

Euros Evans may not have had much competitive rugby to enjoy over the past year, but he has still been able to enjoy the fruits of his labour as director of rugby at Coleg Sir Gar. As the figurehead at one of Wales and the UK’s leading rugby colleges, not to mention head coach at Welsh Premiership club Llandovery, Evans knows what it takes to develop players and push them up through the system. That’s why he was delighted to see two Sir Gar old boys, Javan Sebastian and Harri Doel, finally make their mark.

It’s a long way from Llandovery to the Lions, but Wyn Jones and Tadhg Beirne will bridge the divide this summer. Five years ago, Wales prop Jones and Ireland forward Beirne could be found playing in the same West Wales club side in the Welsh Premiership. It can be a long journey from club rugby to playing for the Lions for most players, but to travel from playing in front of crowds of a couple of hundred hardy locals at Church Bank, to facing the world champions, the Springboks in South Africa, is an impressive stretch.