Match Preview – Llandovery v Pontypridd
Pontypridd play Llandovery on Saturday 11th February in the Indigo Group Welsh Premiership. The match at Church Bank Playing Fields kicks off at the earlier than usual time of 1:00pm.
The match was originally due to take place on Saturday 10th September 2022 but was postponed following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on the Thursday before.
Last season the two clubs met twice in the space of a fortnight at Church Bank. On Sunday 27th February 2022 Ponty won 34-18 in the league, then on Saturday 12th March Llandovery took the spoils by 12 points to 3 in the quarter-final of the Premiership Cup.
This season Ponty and the Drovers locked horns last month in the league at Sardis Road, and the away side took the W back to West Wales following a 23-12 win. The two clubs had a week-off from action last weekend, but prior to that both earned wins a fortnight ago – Ponty away at Aberavon and Llandovery at home against Ebbw Vale respectively.
Team News…
Before we get into team selection, an injury update of mixed news. The good news is there are returns to full fitness for Niko Matawalu and Tommy Morgan, whilst Joseph Scrivens, Rory Harries and Lloyd Rowlands are making good progress and should return in the near future.
Unfortunately Cally James and Lucus Welch have been added to the injury list whilst Chris Dicomidis is unavailable for selection this week.
There are five changes to the XV to play Llandovery this week compared to the team that triumphed at Aberavon a fortnight ago – all coming in the pack, it’s as you were for the backs.
In the forwards the props all rotate between starting XV and bench – Devine and Daniel come in for Stephens and Harper. James Little is drafted in to the second-row and in the back-row Aled Ward starts on the blind-side flank in place of Cai James who moves to the bench.
On the bench there are returns from injury for Niko Matawalu and Tommy Morgan and there is a potential Ponty debut for young fullback Iestyn Griffiths. Iestyn is linked to Ponty from Coleg y Cymoedd – pob lwc bois!
The Pontypridd team selected to play Llandovery 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. Tom Devine. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Garyn Daniel. 4. Kris Parker (c). 5. James Little. 6. Aled Ward. 7. Sion Parry. 8. Joe Miles
Subs: 16. Gavin Parry. 17. Ben Stephens. 18. Tom Harper. 19. Mitch Barnard. 20. Cai James. 21. Niko Matawalu. 22. Tommy Morgan. 23. Iestyn Griffiths
SUPPORTER INFORMATION:
Ground address – the info you need for your sat-nav is – Church Bank Playing Fields, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0BA.
Live rugby – The Sardis Road Clubhouse will be open on Saturday for live Six Nations rugby and Pontypridd supporters are more than welcome to head back to watch Scotland v Wales live on the screens. Kick-off at Murrayfield is 4:45pm and there’ll be complimentary food served during the match.
