Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale – Match Preview
On Saturday 30th December Pontypridd play Ebbw Vale at Sardis Road, the Indigo Group Premiership match kicks off at 2:30pm.
The two clubs met at Ebbw Vale earlier in the season on Saturday 9th September and it was The Steelmen that came out on top by a 38-21 score-line. Ebbw’s last visit to Sardis Road was just over a year ago and it was an all too familiar story for Ponty at home last season when the Valley Commandos suffered another late heart-breaking defeat – Ebbw’s 79th minute penalty sealed a 23-22 win.
Pontypridd will be looking to get back on the winning trail this Saturday following defeat away at Cardiff last Saturday whereas Ebbw will be looking to build upon an impressive win over Merthyr last weekend, scoring a half century of points in the process.
A bumper crowd between two of the best supported clubs in the Premiership is expected this New Year’s Eve Eve – a great way to see out 2023!
The Team News…
Ponty have made five changes to the XV that started last Saturday’s match at Cardiff, four of them coming in the pack.
Up front Ben Stephens returns to the starting line-up at loosehead prop and Rob Jones is drafted in for his first appearance in nearly two months at hooker. There’s also more rotation in the backrow with Aled Ward and Joe Miles returning to the XV in place of Kristian Parker and Cally James who move to the bench.
In the backs McCauley Rowley is recalled to start on the left wing in place of Dale Stuckey who moves to the bench. Macauley Cook skippers the side against The Steelmen.
On the substitutes bench Joel Raikes returns to the Matchday squad after withdrawing late last week and there’s another call-up for Louis Rochefort-Shugar who was selected on the bench in the recently postponed match away at Merthyr.
Unavailable due to injury and leave are Niko Matawalu, Sion Parry, Joseph Scrivens and Mitch Barnard.
The Pontypridd team selected to play Ebbw Vale is as follows:
15. Josh Phillips. 14. Liam Lloyd. 13. Garyn Smith. 12. Ryan Wilkins. 11. McCauley Rowley. 10. Ben Burnell. 9. Harvey Nash.
1. Ben Stephens. 2. Rob Jones. 3. Tom Harper. 4. Macauley Cook (c). 5. Chris Dicomidis. 6. Aled Ward. 7. Cai James. 8. Joe Miles.
Subs: 16. Curtis Greenslade. 17. Tom Devine. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Kristian Parker. 20. Cally James. 21. Joel Raikes. 22. Dale Stuckey. 23. Louis Rochefort-Shugar.
SUPPORTER INFORMATION:
Tickets – Admission on Saturday will be £12 full, £10 concession access-all-areas and under 16’s free if accompanied by a paying adult. You can purchase tickets on the day or to save time (which is recommended to miss the queues) you can use our online e-Ticket system, link – Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale tickets 30/12/2023– The club has increased the range of tickets now available to cover small groups (2 people) and large groups (4 people). We also have a family ticket for our Youth and Mini & Junior sections.
Club Shop – To purchase your Ponty RFC merchandise, the Club Shop will be open from 1:00pm until 5:00pm on Saturday.
Live Sport – The Clubhouse will be open at midday and there’s a feast of live sport on our screens throughout the afternoon. Luton host Chelsea in the Premier League’s early kick-off and that’s followed by lots of live rugby – an English Premiership double-header – Northampton v Sale before Harlequins play Gloucester and RGC then take on Cardiff in the Welsh Premiership.
Supporters Club trip to RGC – The PRFC Supporters Club have organised a trip to North Wales over the weekend 12th – 14th April 2024 when the team play RGC on Saturday 13th April. Deposits of £50 per person are now due and Chris Kingsbury will be collecting the money at Saturday’s match – please see him to make payment.
We look forward to welcoming both sets of supporters to Sardis Road for the final match of 2023.
