Ponty Youth gear up for action

After an extended break of nigh on eighteen months, Pontypridd Youth are gearing up to resume competitive action.

The previous season of 2019-20 was affected by a series of match postponements due to bad weather before the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to any further hopes of continuity.

There is at last light at the end of a very long tunnel, and the Youth have been back in training at Sardis Road for the past six weeks and have engaged in some friendly 10-a-side matches against local opposition such as Gilfach Goch, Porth, Merthyr and Beddau.

The coaching team remains unchanged with Simon Bayliss continuing in charge, assisted by former player Greg Mogford and with Cally James in the role of team manager. There has been quite an upheaval however in terms of the squad, mostly due to a WRU decision to change the age range of youth rugby, which will now cover 16 to 18 year olds. As a result Pontypridd have lost up to a dozen of their most senior players and will depend next season on a very young squad progressing from junior rugby.

The next step for Ponty Youth, as allowed by the governing body, is to resume playing 15-a-side rugby, with a ‘Blues North Cup’ tournament due to commence in early September, in which they will be up against local rivals Porth, Gilfach, Penygraig and Treorchy.

The focus this coming season will be very much on player development from a young age, realising the need in time to supply quality players to the ranks of the Pontypridd senior squad.