Llandovery v Pontypridd – Match Preview
Pontypridd RFC play their first match of 2024 this Saturday 6th January away at Llandovery RFC. The Indigo Group Premiership clash between the two clubs at Church Bank kicks off at 2:30pm.
The sides met earlier in the season on Saturday 16th September at Sardis Road and it was The Drovers that claimed victory by 24 points to 12. Ponty’s last visit to Church Bank was on Saturday 11th February last year and in a match that could have gone either way, it was Llandovery that came out on top by a single point by 20 to 19.
Reigning league champions Llandovery sit top of the Premiership table having won 12 of their 13 league matches this season and are currently on an eight match winning streak – Pontypridd will know that only a complete performance will suffice on Saturday if they want to go one better this season and get the win at Church Bank.
Pob lwc bois!
THE TEAM NEWS…
Ponty have made three personnel changes – one in the backs and two in the pack along with two positional switches to the XV that played Ebbw Vale last Saturday, and a further three new faces come onto the subs bench.
In the backs Dale Stuckey returns on the left wing which sees McCauley Rowley switch to outside centre. In the pack club captain Kristian Parker returns to skipper the side from no.8 and Cally James is drafted back into the starting line-up at openside flanker, brother Cai moves to blindside.
On the substitutes bench there are returns to the matchday squad for Sion Parry, Joseph Scrivens and Kyan Lewis – Lewis, who is on permit from Llantwit Fardre made his Ponty debut earlier in the season away at Pontypool.
Unavailable for Saturday’s match because of injury are Niko Matawalu and Aled Ward whilst Mitch Barnard is away on leave.
The Pontypridd team selected to play Llandovery is as follows:
15. Josh Phillips. 14. Liam Lloyd. 13. McCauley Rowley. 12. Garyn Smith. 11. Dale Stuckey. 10. Ben Burnell. 9. Harvey Nash.
1. Ben Stephens. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Macauley Cook. 5. Chris Dicomidis. 6. Cai James. 7. Cally James. 8. Kristian Parker (c).
Subs: 16. Curtis Greenslade. 17. Tom Devine. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Joe Miles. 20. Sion Parry. 21. Joel Raikes. 22. Joseph Scrivens. 23. Kyan Lewis.
GROUND LOCATION – If any travelling Valley Commandos require an address for The Drovers’ ground, it’s Church Bank Playing Fields, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0BA.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there supporting the team on Saturday.
