Bargoed v Pontypridd – match preview

Pontypridd travel the short distance across to the upper Rhymney Valley to play Bargoed on Saturday 21st April, in a Premiership tie that kicks off at 2:30pm.

This will be the third league encounter of the season between the sides. In the east conference, Ponty claimed a double over Bargoed with a 29pts to 10 win at Sardis Road in September, followed by a 13pts to 26 away win in late November.

In the fully integrated league Pontypridd currently lie in sixth position, trailing leaders Merthyr by thirteen points, whilst Bargoed lie back in fifteenth place with just two wins from their eight games played. Their latest reverse came on Tuesday evening, by 29pts to 3 away to Newport.

Pontypridd make four changes from the starting line-up that secured a valuable away win at Aberavon last time out, with experienced lock Chris Dicomidis returning from injury and Aled Summerhill drafted in from the Blues senior squad to start at full back. Flanker Rhys Shellard retains the captaincy in the absence of injured centre Dafydd Lockyer.

The Pontypridd team selected to face Bargoed is as follows:

15.Aled Summerhill. 14.Alex Webber. 13.Cameron Lewis. 12.Gary Williams. 11.Dale Stuckey. 10.Diggy Bird. 9.Jamie Hill.

1.Ian George. 2.Huw Dowden. 3.Will Davies-King. 4.Sean Moore. 5.Chris Dicomidis. 6.Ross Morgan. 7.Rhys Shellard – cpt. 8.Morgan Sieniawski.

Subs: 16.Joel Raikes. 17.Jordan Rees. 18.Lloyd Rowlands. 19.Will Haly. 20.Sion Edwards. 21.Hemi Barnes. 22.Huw Owen. 23.Kieran Assiratti.