Pontypridd v Carmarthen Quins – match preview

It will be third against second in the Principality Premiership as Pontypridd host Carmarthen Quins on Saturday 28th April, the match at Sardis Road kicking off at 2:30pm.

One of the form teams of the campaign, Carmarthen trail table toppers Merthyr by just two points, and having secured an impressive away win against the Ironmen by 21pts to 33 on their previous outing.

Ponty lie in third position, six points adrift of the Quins albeit with a game in hand, and buoyed by a run of recent victories, the latest by 21pts to 38 away to Bargoed.

The east versus west clash on Saturday will be a tasty one, with the outcome going some way to determining who will offer a realistic title challenge to Merthyr at the business end of the season.

Pontypridd will be without scrum half Jamie Hill and prop Will Davies-King, both called up to a Wales under 20 training camp. Drafted in as cover from the USW squad are Harry Rumens and Tom Mably.

Veteran outside half Ceri Sweeney makes a return to the starting line-up, with promising centre Alex Knott from Nelson given an opportunity outside him.

The Pontypridd team selected to face Carmarthen Quins is as follows:

15.Lloyd Rowlands. 14.Alex Webber. 13.Alex Knott. 12.Gary Williams. 11.Dale Stuckey. 10.Ceri Sweeney. 9.Joel Raikes.

1.Ian George. 2.Huw Dowden. 3.Kieran Assiratti. 4.Sean Moore. 5.Chris Dicomidis. 6.Morgan Sieniawski. 7.Rhys Shellard – cpt. 8.Hemi Barnes.

Subs: 16.Harry Rumens. 17.Jordan Rees. 18.Geraint Walsh. 19.Joe Page. 20.Sion Edwards. 21.Shay Smallman. 22.Huw Owen. 23.Tom Mably.