Pontypridd coach Simon King is also unable to call upon scrum-half Wayne Evans (back) and hooker Duane Goodfield (Cardiff Blues duty), after both players failed to recover from injuries despite intensive treatment, but King believes his side – who were the only side to defeat Neath during the Principality Premiership season – have what it takes to deny the All Blacks a league and cup double.
“Neath have done extremely well throughout this season to have suffered only one defeat and, while they have got great strength in depth, it gives us confidence that we were the only team to beat in the Premiership,” he told BBC Wales Sport. “We also acquitted ourselves well down at the Gnoll so, while we are underdogs, we will be giving it our best shot.
“Both teams enjoy playing expansive rugby and I sure all 44 players will be excited at the thought of playing this final at the Millennium Stadium, it will show the potential within the Premiership.”
Team news for Neath sees James Hook given the nod at outside-half vote with Arwel Thomas likely to join a strong bench with Hywel Jenkins. Dan McShane keeps Jenkins out of the side, Ed Shervington is preferred to Gerwyn Price at hooker, and Steve Martin captains the side at lock despite nursing a calf strain.
Neath coach Rowland Phillips played down his side’s tag as hot favourites.
“We have got a strong squad, but I don’t think there is as much between us and the rest of the pack as people might think,” said the coach who has led his side to successive Principality Premiership titles. “Our goal was to improve on last year’s results and, in getting away wins at clubs like Newport, Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery – and in getting past the quarter-final stage of the Konica Minolta Cup – we have already improved on last season.
“The fact that Pontypridd and us have played each other twice with a win each shows the type of close game we can expect on Saturday. We are a tight squad and we won’t be worrying about any favourites tag. We’ll just get on with doing what we do best.”
Neath: G Morris; S. Thomas, W Mitchell, A Bevan, R. Johnston; J Hook, P Horgan/M Roberts; C Griffiths, E Shervington, C Mitchell, M Morgan, S Martin (capt), A Llewellyn, D McShane, J McPhail
Pontypridd: Morgan Stoddart; Chris Clayton, Tom Riley, Dafydd Lockyer, Matthew Nuthall; Dai Flanagan, Gareth Jones; Stuart Williams, Ben Phillips, Scott Roberts, Chris Dicomidis, Grant Harrington, Lee Evans, Rhys Shellard, Nathan Strong (capt)
Replacements: Tom Dickens, Paul Matthews, Jason Pocock, Ryan Harford, Leighton Davies, Adam Powell, Wayne O’Connor
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
