Match Preview – Aberavon v Pontypridd

On Saturday 18th November Pontypridd RFC play Aberavon RFC at the Talbot Athletic Ground, the Indigo Group Premiership match kicks off at 2:30pm.

Last season the two clubs met three times in league and cup, and it was away side that triumphed on each occasion. On Saturday 8th October 2022 Aberavon came away from Sardis Road with the spoils following a 33-18 win. Then Ponty won two matches away at the Talbot Athletic Ground in consecutive months. Firstly on Saturday 3rd December the Valley Commandos sealed a hard-earned 24-5 win in the Welsh Cup, then a month later on Saturday 28th January Pontypridd completed an ‘away-double’ for the season in Port Talbot when the team won 27-10 in the league.

Ponty will head into this week’s match taking confidence from those away wins last season as well as last Saturday’s victory over Swansea at Sardis Road – all the best lads!

The Team News…

Pontypridd have made just three changes to the starting XV that played Swansea last week, and they all come in the pack – one of them being a Club debut.

In the forwards Tom Harper and Mitch Barnard are recalled to the starting line-up in place of Morgan Bosanko and Chris Dicomidis who both switch to the bench. At hooker Dafydd Hughes makes his debut for Ponty on permit from Cardiff Rugby. Daf spent seven years at the Scarlets before joining Jersey Reds just this summer. Jersey’s unfortunate recent demise saw Daf sign for Cardiff Rugby just last month and as a result he makes his Ponty debut this Saturday.

For the backline it’s very much as you were – no changes, and apart from Dafydd Hughes’ inclusion it’s the same matchday squad that beat Swansea last weekend.

The Pontypridd team selected to play Aberavon is as follows:

15. Josh Phillips. 14. Liam Lloyd. 13. McCauley Rowley. 12. Ben Burnell. 11. Dale Stuckey. 10. Joseph Scrivens. 9. Harvey Nash.

1. Ben Stephens. 2. Dafydd Hughes. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Mitch Barnard. 5. Macauley Cook. 6. Aled Ward. 7. Cai James. 8. Kristian Parker (c).

Subs: 16. Gavin Parry. 17. Tom Devine. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Chris Dicomidis. 20. Joe Miles. 21. Cally James. 22. Joel Raikes. 23. Ceri Morris.

GROUND LOCATION – The address for your sat-navs, should you require it is Talbot Athletic Ground, Manor Street, SA13 1AB.