Match Preview – Pontypool v Pontypridd
On Saturday 21st October Pontypridd RFC play Pontypool RFC at Pontypool Park, the Indigo Group Premiership match kicks off at 2:30pm.
Saturday sees Ponty visit Pooler’s home turf for the first time since Saturday 17th September 2011 and it was the away side that came away with a 25-10 win that afternoon.
The two clubs met this season in a pre-season friendly at Sardis Road back on Saturday 12th August. A late Pontypool try wasn’t enough and Pontypridd kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 28-21 win.
This week’s match sees 3rd take on 6th in the league table, between them the two clubs have won their last six league matches – Pontypridd two, and Pontypool four respectively so both teams will be looking to end each others winning run this Saturday.
The Team News…
Pontypridd have made five personnel changes and four positional switches to the team that beat Bridgend last week, and there are yet more injuries in the camp.
In the backs Joel Raikes and Ben Burnell are both drafted in and form a new half-back pairing, which allows the positional switches – Josh Phillips moves to fullback which sees Liam Lloyd move to the right wing, McCauley Rowley move to outside centre which allows Ryan Wilkins to move to inside centre.
In the pack Curtis Greenslade has recovered from the sickness bug which saw him miss last week’s match and he takes his place at hooker. There are also returns to the starting XV for Tom Harper and Skipper Kristian Parker.
On the bench there’s a return to the squad for Garyn Davies who made his Club debut off the bench away at Neath a few weeks back. There are also potential Pontypridd debuts for another two new faces – Kyan Lewis, who is on permit from Llantwit Fardre and came through the Coleg y Cymoedd system. Also ex-Glantaf product Louis Rochefort-Shugar, who is currently studying at Cardiff University could also make his bow for the Valley Commandos.
The Club’s list of injured players continues to grow – Joseph Scrivens, Aled Ward and Will Keep have unfortunately now joined Niko Matawalu, Cally James, Sion Parry, James Murphy, Tom Devine and Garyn Smith in the treatment room.
The Pontypridd team selected to play Pontypool is as follows:
15. Josh Phillips. 14. Liam Lloyd. 13. McCauley Rowley. 12. Ryan Wilkins. 11. Dale Stuckey. 10. Ben Burnell. 9. Joel Raikes.
1. Ben Stephens. 2. Curtis Greenslade. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Mitch Barnard. 5. Macauley Cook. 6. Kristian Parker (c). 7. Cai James. 8. Joe Miles.
Subs: 16. Rob Jones. 17. Kian Mattravers. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Chris Dicomidis. 20. Garyn Davies. 21. Harvey Nash. 22. Kyan Lewis. 23. Louis Rochefort-Shugar.
FACILITIES BOTH AT, AND NEAR THE GROUND – There is a café in the leisure centre next door to the main stand where supporters can purchase teas, coffees and snacks. For supporters that would like alcohol-based refreshments, Pontypool RFC have ‘adopted’ the Comrades Club, based in Market Street, as their clubhouse – this is a short walk from Pontypool Park.
GROUND LOCATION – The Pontypool Park postcode required for your sat-navs is NP4 8AT.
