Cardiff Met v Pontypridd – Match Preview

On Saturday 4th April Pontypridd RFC travel to the capital to play Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Campus. The Admiral Premiership match between the two sides kicks off at 2:30pm.

*Please note – we have been informed by Cardiff Met that the match will now take place on their 3G pitch, at the same address.

Ponty’s last visit to Cyncoed came during last season’s Premiership campaign on Saturday 19th October 2024. The Valley Commandos ran in six tries to triumph by a 42-12 scoreline on that particular afternoon.

More recently Cardiff Met visited Sardis earlier this season and there was very little between the two teams throughout the contest, but it was Pontypridd that earned a hard-fought win by 19 points to 12 on Saturday 6th December.

Ponty and the Archers head into tomorrow’s match both desperate for a win but for very different reasons – the home side currently occupy the final relegation spot in the league and will want to pull away from the trap door, whereas as Pontypridd need the win that will keep the pressure on Merthyr at the top of the standings. This week’s match has an almost identical feel to the Valley Commandos’ last outing away at Llanelli Wanderers two weeks ago – pob lwc bois!

The Team News…

Pontypridd have made seven changes and two positional switches to the starting XV that won away Llanelli Wanderers a fortnight ago, and there are a further two new faces on the bench.

In the pack Louis Tovey, Kian Mattravers and Iestyn Harris are all drafted back in for starts.

The backline sees returns for Stuart Floyd-Ellis, Rhodri Smith, Joe Davies and Tommy Morgan permits from Bridgend Ravens like he did earlier in the season.

The two positional switches sees Jorge Lucey move from 15 to 10, and Lloyd Riley move from the backrow into the second row.

In terms of the matchday 23, there are welcome returns from injury for Oli Shepherd and Finian Murray amongst the substitutes.

The Pontypridd team selected to play Cardiff Met is as follows:

15. Rhodri Smith. 14. Louis Rochefort-Shugar. 13. Stuart Floyd-Ellis. 12. Tommy Morgan. 11. Joe Davies. 10. Jorge Lucey. 9. Joel Raikes.

1. Ben Drew. 2. Louis Tovey. 3. Kian Mattravers. 4. Mitch Barnard. 5. Lloyd Riley. 6. Iestyn Harris. 7. Cai James. 8. Joe Miles (c).

Subs: 16. Connah Hughes. 17. Dan Cotterell. 18. Finian Murray. 19. Ioan Davies. 20. Ben Bora. 21.Lloyd Dennett. 22. Callum Coxley. 23. Oli Shepherd.

SUPPORTERS TRAVEL –

For those of you who have booked on the Supporters’ Bus, it will be departing Sardis Road at 1:00pm – please phone Phil Lycett on 01443 662561 for any queries. Here’s our recent Supporters Bus article with all the key information – Supporters Coach to Cardiff Met

THE JOHN PUGH MEMORIAL SHIELD –

On Saturday the two sides will again be competing for the John Pugh Memorial Shield. John was a former Pro-Vice Chancellor and Chairman of Cardiff Met RFC for over 30 years, before his sad passing in October 2023. John is also a former Pontypridd player and as a mark of respect the two sides contest the shield in his memory when they play matches against each other at Cyncoed.

GROUND AND TICKET INFORMATION –

The address for Cardiff Met’s ground is ‘Rugby 1’, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cyncoed Campus, Cyncoed Road, Cardiff, CF23 6XD.

Supporters are able to purchase their tickets on the gate on the day via cash or card.

 

 

 

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