Consistency the key to success

Played one, won one is an impressive enough record so far for Pontypridd in the league, with their next engagement being a visit to the uncompromising venue of Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale on Saturday 20^th September, the game kicking off at 2:30pm.

A home win over reigning champions Neath last weekend gave Ponty a heartening start to their campaign, but the value of that result will be put to the test with the away trip to Ebbw, where league points have lately been difficult to come by.

Ponty currently lie seventh in the table, on four points, with Ebbw Vale in eleventh position on two points, having drawn at home to Bedwas and lost away to Bridgend in their two league encounters so far.

There were injuries picked up during the Neath game by full back Kristian Baller and centre Gavin Dacey, both recurrences of foot and groin strains respectively. Prop Stuart Williams is also unavailable, away on domestic leave.

Drafted into the Pontypridd team for their first starts of the season are centre Lawrence Price, winger Lewis Williams, prop Ian Poley, hooker Huw Dowden, lock Ryan Savage and flanker Geraint Lewis. Two of the Blues senior squad have also been made available, in winger Aled Brew and outside half Dai Flanagan. Scrum half Gavin Morris and lock Chris Dicomidis return from injury to take a place on the bench.

Team manager Richard Langmead realises the importance of the Ebbw game, in the context of a long hard season to come. “The win against Neath last week will count for nothing if we don’t perform against Ebbw Vale on Saturday” said Langmead. “We have set a standard which we need to maintain week in week out throughout the season. Consistency is a key word which we have been instilling in the squad. We will need another big performance to get anything out of the Ebbw Vale game”.

The Pontypridd team selected to face Ebbw Vale is named as follows:

15.Matt Hutchings. 14.Aled Brew. 13.Lawrence Price. 12.Adam Thomas. 11.Lewis Williams. 10.Dai Flanagan. 9.Andrew Jenkins.

1.Ian Poley. 2.Huw Dowden. 3.Sam Hobbs. 4.Chris Martenko. 5.Ryan Savage. 6.Geraint Lewis. 7.Wayne O’Connor. 8.Nathan Strong – cpt.

Subs: Mike Davies; Gareth McCarthy; Gavin Morris; Owen Cotton; Leighton Davies; Chris Dicomidis; Kristian Dacey.