Saturday afternoon’s clash at Raeburn Place will be the host club’s first game in the cross-border tournament, after qualifying as fourth placed club in the Scottish league last season.
The Accies currently sit in fifth position domestically, their most recent result being an 8-30 home reverse against Gala.
Dale McIntosh takes his Pontypridd side north on the back of seeing Pontypridd lose their 100 per cent league record. The Sardis Road club drew away to Llandovery last time out but the defending Welsh champions still sit in second placed in the Principality Premiership, level on points with leaders Carmarthen.
Though Pontypridd drew at Church Bank last time out, domestic form may well count for little as the campaign expands across national borders with the commencement of the British & Irish Cup pool games.
With a new challenge on the horizon, Pontypridd take a strong looking team to the Scottish capital.
Sidelined with injury are scrum half Gareth James (fractured hand), props Pat Palmer (shoulder) and Bradley Thyer (neck) and flanker Wayne O’Connor (finger tendon). The squad will also be without the services of Wales Sevens internationals Adam Thomas, wing Alex Webber and flanker Rhys Shellard.
Making a landmark 200th appearance for Pontypridd will be centre Gavin Dacey, who has been in fine form this season with a record of five tries scored in four competitive games played. Elsewhere, prop Chris Phillips returns from long term injury to take a place on the bench.
Pontypridd: 15 Geraint Walsh 14 Owen Jenkins 13 Gavin Dacey 12 Dafydd Lockyer 11 Matthew Nuthall 10 Simon Humberstone 9 Tom Williams, 1 James Howe 2 Rhys Williams 3 Keiron Jenkins 4 Craig Locke 5 Chris Dicomidis (c) 6 Jake Thomas 7 Thomas Young 8 Dan Godfrey.
Replacements: Lloyd Williams, Dai Flanagan, Aled Summerhill, Huw Dowden, Luke Crocker, Jordan Sieniawski, Chris Phillips.
