Cardiff v Pontypridd match preview

Cardiff v Pontypridd – match preview

A new Premiership campaign gets underway for Pontypridd on Friday evening 6th September with an away tie against traditional rivals Cardiff. The match at the Arms Park kicks off at 7:05pm screened live on BBC2 Wales.

This encounter needs no cosmetic surgery, being a stand-out on the fixture calendar in its own right, a clash between the opposing rugby cultures of the valleys and the big city.

Cardiff were a form team of the previous season, winning the National Cup and finishing second in the Premiership, one place and a single point ahead of Pontypridd.

Honours were shared during that campaign, Cardiff winning at home by 34pts to 15 on New Year’s Day but Ponty gaining revenge at Sardis Road, victors by 28pts to 19 on 19th April.

Ponty go into the new season with a record of one defeat against Newport, and two wins against Clifton and Bargoed in their summer friendlies.

Ruled out of contention for the league opener against Cardiff are long term injury absentees, centre Ioan Evans and lock Chris Dicomidis (both shoulder) and prop Curtis Reynolds (knee).

Pontypridd will give senior debuts to new signings, lock James Murphy – against his former club – and hooker Ben Parry. Lloyd Rowlands also makes a welcome return to action at full back having taken time out the previous season to be assessed for concussion.

The Pontypridd team selected to face Cardiff is as follows:

15.Lloyd Rowlands. 14.Alex Webber. 13.Alex Knott. 12.Dafydd Lockyer – cpt. 11.Dale Stuckey. 10.Ben Jones. 9.Joel Raikes.

1.Huw Owen. 2.Ben Parry. 3.Morgan Bosanko. 4.Sean Moore. 5.James Murphy. 6.Kristian Parker. 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Morgan Sieniawski.

Subs: 16.Nathan Huish. 17.Ben Stephens. 18.Ben Warren. 19.Lloyd Evans. 20.Sion Parry. 21.Tom Rowlands. 22.Diggy Bird. 23.Corey Sheppard.