Bargoed v Pontypridd – match preview

Pontypridd continue their Premiership East campaign with a visit to Bargoed on Saturday 23d September, the match at Bargoed Park kicking off at 2:30pm.

A fine home win by 42pts to 29 over reigning champions Merthyr the previous weekend will have boosted the confidence of the Ponty squad, and elevated the club to third position in the table. Bargoed trail behind in sixth place with a record of one win from their four games played.

The two teams met only once in the league last season with Ponty claiming a home win by 37pts to 15 in early December. Bargoed gained revenge however in the Challenge Cup with two pool victories, by 18pts to 15 at Bargoed Park then by 14pts to 17 at Sardis Road.

The latest casualty amongst the Ponty squad is lock Josh Hawkins who has suffered an ankle strain. Sean Moore starts in the second row with Shay Smallman called up to the bench. Also amongst the replacements, returning from recent injury, are prop Keelan Marney and lock Lee Evans.

The Pontypridd team selected to face Bargoed is as follows:

15.Lloyd Rowlands. 14.Alex Webber. 13.Garyn Smith. 12.Dafydd Lockyer – cpt. 11.Dale Stuckey. 10.Diggy Bird. 9.Wayne Evans.

1.Chris Phillips. 2.Huw Dowden. 3.Will Davies-King. 4.Sean Moore. 5.Chris Dicomidis. 6.Shane Lewis-Hughes. 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Morgan Sieniawski.

Subs: 16.Joel Raikes. 17.Ceri Sweeney. 18.James Lewis. 19.Joe Page. 20.Lee Evans. 21.Shay Smallman. 22.Huw Owen. 23.Keelan Marney.