RUGBY UNION: LET'S HOPE DAFYDD HAS LEARNED A BIG LESSON

DAFYDD Jones will be going through far greater agonies this morning than Perpignan scrum-half Ludovic Loustau.

The Frenchman will be nursing the effects of Jones's boot on his opponent's head, but he will know he is into the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup.

For Dafydd there will just be the bitter realisation that his moment of madness probably cost Llanelli a chance to lift the trophy they crave so badly.

Only Daf will know what came over him. It was a reckless, foolish act and if referee Tony Spreadbury had not sent him off the official would have been guilty of a shameful cop-out.

It had to be an instant red card. Once you kick a player on or near his head you have to go. You've crossed the line - it's as simple as that.

Dafydd was also sent off in Europe at Sale this season and he will not need me to tell him that he needs to learn far more self- discipline if he's to realise his potential for both Llanelli and for Wales.

Off the field he's a lovely lad. He is not a dirty player but while I would hate to see him lose his abrasive edge in matches, he needs to show more care and self-control.

Down to 14 men on Friday night it was always going to be an uphill task for Llanelli and it proved to be one which was beyond them. They needed massive matches from their key men but Stephen Jones had a mixed bag, so did Leigh Davies, and Chris Wyatt was not quite at his best either.

The whole town is devastated because so many people felt this season represented a fantastic opportunity to lay some ghosts to rest.

It would have been such a shot in the arm for Welsh rugby if Llanelli had made the semi-finals and possibly the final.

The Six Nations could have been forgotten for a while and we could have cherished some success.

Interview: DAVID WILLIAMS

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