Match Preview – Aberavon v Pontypridd
Pontypridd travel to play Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground on Saturday 28th January, the Indigo Group Premiership match kicks off at 2:30pm.
The two clubs have played each other twice this season with the away side winning on both occasions. On Saturday 8th October 2022 Aberavon won 33-18 in the League at Sardis Road. Then on Saturday 3rd December last year Ponty triumphed at the Talbot Athletic Ground by 24 points to 5 in the Welsh Cup – the Valley Commandos put in a stoic eighty-minute performance that afternoon and will know that only a repeat effort this Saturday will be sufficient to come away from Port Talbot with the spoils.
Team News:
For Pontypridd it’s virtually ‘as you were’ for team selection in comparison to the starting XV, and indeed squad that were due to play Swansea last Saturday.
The only change to the starting XV is the return of Tom Harper who swaps places with Garyn Daniel, Daniel moving to the bench. On the bench there’s a 6:2 split between forwards and backs – the extra forward being a welcome return from injury for industrious back-rower Cally James.
There will be a belated, week later than scheduled club debut for new signing Jamie Murphy along with 50th appearance club-milestones for Ben Stephens and Rob Jones.
Still unavailable due to injury are Niko Matawalu, Joseph Scrivens, Rory Harries, Ben Burnell, Tommy Morgan and Lloyd Rowlands.
The Pontypridd team selected to play Aberavon is as follows:
15. Alex Lloyd. 14. Sam Hayman. 13. Ceri Morris. 12. Jordan Howells. 11. Dale Stuckey. 10. Jamie Murphy. 9. Joel Raikes
1. Ben Stephens. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Kris Parker (c). 5. Chris Dicomidis. 6. Cai James. 7. Sion Parry. 8. Joe Miles
Subs: 16. Gavin Parry. 17. Tom Devine. 18. Garyn Daniel. 19. Mitch Barnard. 20. Aled Ward. 21. Cally James. 22. Lucus Welch. 23. Garyn Payne
Ground Address:
The all-important address for your sat-nav is Talbot Athletic Ground, Manor Street, SA13 1AB.
We’ll see you in Port Talbot on Saturday Ponty Fans, ole!
