Cup Semi Final Preview – Pontypridd v Newport

Saturday 25th March Pontypridd play Newport at the Dunraven Brewery Field in the semi-final of the Welsh Cup. The match in Bridgend kicks-off at 2:30pm.

In a revamped format for the Cup this season, all the Premiership clubs were split into four groups of three teams. The four group winners qualified for the last-four – Ponty earned their passage into the semis by winning Group B whilst Newport won Group C.

The last time Pontypridd and Newport played each other in the knock-out stages of the Welsh Cup was just over six years ago on Saturday 18th February 2017. That match took place at Sardis Road and Ponty edged themselves into the next round by beating the Black & Ambers by 34 points to 29.

But to the present and Ponty have made four personnel changes, two apiece in backs and forwards, to the XV that started away at RGC a fortnight ago. In the backs there are returns to the side for Alex Lloyd on the right wing and Niko Matawalu at outside centre. In the forwards the front-five remain unchanged, but in the back-row Sion Parry returns on the openside flank and Joe Miles has recovered from injury to start at no.8. Cai James reverts back from openside to blindside flanker in the team’s only positional switch.

The bench is bolstered by returns to the matchday squad for Garyn Daniel, James Little, Aled Ward, Rory Harries and Jamie Murphy.

Cally James, Lloyd Rowlands and Lucus Welch remain side-lined through injury whilst Chris Dicomidis is unavailable.

The Pontypridd team selected to play Newport is as follows:

15. Iestyn Griffiths. 14. Alex Lloyd. 13. Niko Matawalu. 12. Ceri Morris. 11. Dale Stuckey. 10. Joseph Scrivens. 9. Joel Raikes

1. Ben Stephens. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Kristian Parker (c). 5. Mitch Barnard. 6. Cai James. 7. Sion Parry. 8. Joe Miles

Subs: 16. Gavin Parry. 17. Tom Devine. 18. Garyn Daniel. 19. James Little. 20. Aled Ward. 21. Rory Harries. 22. Jamie Murphy. 23. Tommy Morgan

All the very best Saturday lads!

SUPPORTER TRAVEL INFORMATION:

For fans that have booked on the Ponty Supporters Club coach, it will be departing Sardis Road at 1:00pm. For fans making your own way to the ground, the address for your sat-nav is – Dunraven Brewery Field, Tondu Road, Bridgend CF31 4JE.

Bring your voices Saturday Ponty Fans and as always, be our 16th man!