Match Preview – Pontypridd v Llandovery
This Saturday 7th January Pontypridd host Llandovery RFC at Sardis Road, the Indigo Group Premiership match kicks off at 2:30pm.
It will be Ponty’s first match at home for four weeks and a return to action following Boxing Day’s reverse against Cardiff at the Arms Park.
Last season Ponty and The Drovers met twice, both matches at Church Bank with each team winning one match apiece. On Sunday 27th February Ponty won 34-18 in the league and less than two weeks later Llandovery avenged that defeat by taking the spoils 12 points to 3 in the quarter-final of the Cup.
This Saturday will be the first time we have welcomed Llandovery to Sardis Road for over four years. The last time the two clubs met in Pontypridd was Friday 16th November 2018, Ponty edged a close-fought contest by 18 points to 16 on that occasion.
Team News…
There are six changes to Ponty’s starting XV that ran out at the Arms Park on Boxing Day, five of them in the backline.
The only change in the pack is Tom Devine coming into start at loose-head prop. Behind the scrum Joel Raikes, Sam Hayman, Jordan Howells, Ewan Skuse and Alex Lloyd are all drafted in for starts.
On the substitutes bench there’s a recall for Matthew Lewis whilst Morgan Bosanko will be covering the hooker berth.
The Pontypridd team selected to play Llandovery is as follows:
15. Alex Lloyd. 14. Ewan Skuse. 13. Tommy Morgan. 12. Jordan Howells. 11. Sam Hayman. 10. Ben Burnell. 9. Joel Raikes
1. Tom Devine. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Kris Parker (c). 5. Chris Dicomidis. 6. Cai James. 7. Sion Parry. 8. Joe Miles
Subs: 16. Morgan Bosanko. 17. Ben Stephens. 18. Garyn Daniel. 19. Mitch Barnard. 20. Aled Ward. 21. Rory Harries. 22. Ceri Morris. 23. Matthew Lewis
SUPPORTER INFORMATION:
Tickets – Admission on the day will be £12 full, £10 concession access-all-areas and under 16’s free if accompanied by a paying adult. You can purchase tickets on the day or to save time can use our new online e-Ticket system, link – e-Tickets – The club has increased the range of tickets now available to cover small groups (2 people) and large groups (4 people). We are also pleased to have introduced a family ticket for our Youth and Mini & Junior sections.
Club Shop – The Club Shop at Sardis Road is stocked for the New Year and will be open from 1:30pm – 5:30pm.
Live Sport – The Clubhouse will be open from midday and will be showing a selection of live FA Cup football and Gallagher English Premiership rugby on the screens.
Pontypridd Youth – Following our game against Llandovery, Ponty Youth play Barry Youth at Sardis in what will be their first league match of 2023 – kick-off is at 5:30pm.
We looking forward to welcoming you all to Sardis Road for the first time in 2023 on Saturday.
