Newbridge v Pontypridd – Match Preview
On Saturday 25th January Pontypridd head into Gwent to play Newbridge at The Welfare Ground in the Admiral Premiership, kick-off 2:30pm.
Saturday’s match will be Ponty’s first visit to The Welfare Ground since 27th January 2007 when the two teams met in the Welsh Cup. The last league meeting between the two clubs at Newbridge’s home was even longer ago than that, just under two decades in fact, when on 30/4/2005 the Valley Commandos came away with a 51 points to 14 win in the Premiership.
Ponty and Newbridge renewed their rivalry earlier this season at Sardis Road – on Saturday 28th September three tries from the home side sealed a 22-0 win during the early weeks of the season. The months have passed and this weekend’s match pits 10th against 1st in the current standings. Newbridge will be looking for the win that will propel them up the Premiership table whilst Pontypridd will be looking to continue their winning run knowing that both Neath and Merthyr are right on their tails. The Valley Commandos will be well prepared for the challenge that Newbridge will bring following their very late defeat at the Gnoll last Saturday.
The Team News…
Ponty have made four changes to the starting XV that triumphed against Llangennech last week – two each in both the forwards and backs, and there’s another two new faces on the bench including another potential club debutant.
In the backs there are returns for Joel Raikes at scrum-half and Louis Rochefort-Shugar on the wing, the switch sees last weeks’ debutant Iwan Griffith move from the wing to outside centre.
In the forwards Ben Stephens is drafted back into the starting line-up at prop and Ieuan Davies, who also made his debut last week off the bench starts in the second-row. Player-Head Coach Kristian Parker moves out of the second-row and into the back-row.
On the bench the two new faces in the matchday squad are Oli Shepherd and lock Lloyd Jones. Lloyd could make his Ponty debut from the bench having joined the club on permit from Bedwas.
Unavailable for selection through injury are Garyn Smith, Cai James, Stuart Floyd-Ellis and Lloyd Riley.
The Pontypridd team selected to play Newbridge is as follows:
15. Dale Stuckey. 14. Louis Rochefort-Shugar. 13. Iwan Griffith. 12. Ioan Evans. 11. Joe Davies. 10. Jaydan Pugh. 9. Joel Raikes.
1. Ben Stephens. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Garyn Daniel. 4. Mitch Barnard. 5. Ieuan Davies. 6. Kristian Parker. 7. Cally James (c). 8. Joe Miles.
Subs: 16. Jeff Young. 17. Kian Mattravers. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Lloyd Jones. 20. George Thorrington. 21. Lucus Welch. 22. Jacob Symes. 23. Oli Shepherd.
SUPPORTERS TRAVEL –
The Pontypridd Supporters Club are organising travel for fans to the match, for those of you who have booked, the bus will leave Sardis Road at 1:00pm ahead of the 2:30pm kick-off. The bus will then depart Newbridge for Pontypridd at 5:30pm. As always Phil Lycett’s number is 01443 662561.
GROUND ADDRESS –
The postcode for Newbridge’s ground is NP11 5FR.
THE PONTYPRIDD PENDRAGONS ANNIVERSARY EVENT –
The Supporters Bus will be arriving back at Sardis Road at around 6:00pm – this will be just in time for the Pontypridd Pendragons One Year Anniversary event in the Clubhouse which all supporters are invited to. Please see our recent article which has all the key information for this – Come and Celebrate with the Pendragons
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