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Thursday, November 20, 2008, 09:01
In front of a crowd of close to 5,000, Llanelli launched a new era of rugby in the West Wales town with a comprehensive victory over their capital city rivals.
While most of the talk around the sparkling red-seated stands focused on the stunning facilities at the £23million Pemberton base, Llanelli made sure that events on the pitch weren't totally overshadowed.
"There was no way we could lose this game," said a more than satisfied Llanelli head of rugby Anthony Buchanan.
"This was a huge occasion for these players and they delivered.
"We have all been absolutely blown away by the facilities here, but we have no God-given right to be here, you have to earn that right on the field.
"We know that if we want to attract a new audience to watch us we have got to play a certain standard of rugby. We had a responsibility out there."
And, no doubt, many of those who tasted the stadium's fare for the first time on Saturday will be back to sample some more, even though this one-sided Principality Premiership clash struggled to spark into life for long periods.
Sometimes, the big occasion can inhibit rather than inspire, especially for younger players, and at times Llanelli did suffer from a dose of stage fright.
In damp conditions, a string of handling errors meant they were unable to pull away from a woeful Cardiff side — who looked more threatening on their team-sheet rather than on the lush green stadium surface.
The Arms Park men arrived in Llanelli with three Welsh internationals, Rhys Williams, Chris Czekaj and Craig Morgan in their matchday squad, as well as vastly experienced fly-half Lee Jarvis and Blues flanker Rhys Shellard.
But they were outplayed by a determined and purposeful home outfit who provided further evidence of their title credentials this season.
Of course, no-one down west is daring to talk of championship challenges at this stage of the campaign, even though this win pulled them five points clear of nearest rivals Newport and Aberavon with more than a third of the season gone.
Llanelli are traditionally hit hard by regional and Wales Under-20s calls during the Six Nations and will be wary of that. But on current evidence it will be a major surprise if they are not fighting it out for honours come May.
The club have always boasted dazzling runners out wide, but Buchanan and new forwards coach Vernon Cooper have developed a steely edge up front this term, backed up by the experience of Gavin Cattle at scrum-half.
Their set-piece was efficient throughout, while in hooker Ken Owens and openside flanker Nic Cudd the home side possessed the game's two outstanding performers.
Owens, who has already made a mark at regional level, was a dynamic carrier throughout, while Cudd — a No. 7 out of the Gwyn Jones mould — was ever-present at the breakdown area.
And the pair helped ensure that Llanelli spent the majority of the contest firmly on the front foot.
Four penalties from Priestland, to a lone strike from Jarvis, saw the home side turn around 12-3 to the good.
The fly-half added a penalty and a smart drop-goal after the restart, before centre Jonathan Davies wrote his name into the history books as the stadium's first try-scorer.
The Wales Under-20s talent had almost got there early in the first half, but ignored two free runners on his outside before being hauled down just short of the line.
But there was no halting the powerful Scarlet on 55 minutes as he cut inside to beat a couple of defenders after slick work by lively replacement scrum-half Gareth Davies and Priestland.
Llanelli had to wait until eight minutes into stoppage time for their second score with jubilant prop Simon Gardner diving over at the posts following a strong surge by another replacement Adam Powell.
It was just reward for their efforts and capped a memorable house-warming for the semi-pro boys.
And while the stadium's trophy cabinet may be struggling for regional silverware this season, there may yet be a space kept aside for Buchanan's boys if they continue to flourish on Llanelli's new field of dreams.
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