Ystrad Rhondda v Pontypridd – Matchday Preview

Next up for Pontypridd RFC on Saturday 26th April is a short trip up the road for a local derby against Ystrad Rhondda RFC. The Admiral Premiership match between the two clubs will kick-off at 2:30pm at Gelligaled Park.

Matches between the two clubs goes way back with our Club Historian Alun Granfield informing us that the first record of a game taking place was on 24th September 1885, at Ystrad Rhondda, and it Ponty that came away with a win by a goal, a try, and two touches down to nil. The last match between Ponty and Ystrad at Gelligaled Park was a bit more recent, on Saturday 20th August 2016 and it was Pontypridd that came away with a 38-0 win in a pre-season friendly.

This season the teams met just before Christmas in a ‘festive derby’ at Sardis Road on Saturday 21st December. Played out in front of a bumper vocal crowd the contest was everything you’d expect from a local derby, and with a few minutes left the result could have gone either way. Ponty were leading by just two points when number 8 Joe Miles crashed over for his third try of the afternoon to help seal a 26-17 win for the Valley Commandos.

There are now just three league matches remaining for Pontypridd, and the team can still get to one hundred points in the Premiership but that will still not be enough without Merthyr losing at least two matches before the end of the season. The top three teams all won last weekend, so once again it’s as you were in terms of the points separating each other. Ystrad currently sit comfortably in mid table in what’s their first season at Premiership level. Despite losing away at Llangennech last Saturday, Gelligaled Park is a bit of a fortress for them and in their previous five home league matches they have won four beating Bargoed, Newbridge, Newcastle Emlyn and Neath whilst losing 27-20 against Cardiff Met after conceding a late try.

A subplot on top of this weekend’s match is the Mid District Premiership Cup. Pontypridd currently occupy third place in the table with Saturday’s result at Ystrad and the final game of the season’s result away at Bargoed contributing to the final standings – the top two will face off in the final on 17th May for the third major trophy of the 2024/25 season.

A local derby, a double-incentive to get the W for Pontypridd – this Saturday should be a cracker!

SUPPORTERS TRAVEL –

As always the Pontypridd Supporters Club are organising travel for fans to the opposition’s ground. The bus will be departing Sardis Road at 1:00pm – please phone Phil Lycett on 01443 662561 to book a seat. Here’s our recent Supporters Bus article with all the key information – Supporters Coach to Ystrad Rhondda

GROUND ADDRESS –

The postcode for Gelligaled Park is CF41 7SY.