Reigning champions Pontypridd suffered a first Premiership defeat of the season on their last outing away to Bridgend, and lost further momentum as the ensuing fixture at home to Aberavon was called off last weekend.
Trailing four points behind table toppers Ebbw Vale, albeit with two games in hand, Ponty will be well aware that the points on offer at Bedwas are of great value. The two clubs met previously on 1st November, when Pontypridd edged a 16-13 home win, and having claimed a league double last season with a 42-31 win at Sardis Road and a 15-34 win at the Bridge Fields.
The Pontypridd squad has been depleted by Wales under 20 and Blues regional call-ups, compounded by injuries and work commitments with the second row department particularly hard hit. With Craig Locke, Jordan Sieniawski and Seb Davies on the sick list, and Alex Jones away with his duties as a school teacher, selection for the second row has been compromised by moving back rowers Luke Crocker and Dan Godfrey into the ‘boiler-house’.
Aled Summerhill makes a comeback from injury to take the full back berth, with scrum half Lewis Jones and prop Craig Mitchell drafted in from the Blues senior squad, the former to start and the latter on the bench. Lock Robert Jones has also been added to the squad on permit from Ynysybwl.
Pontypridd: 15.Aled Summerhill. 14.Chris Clayton. 13.Gavin Dacey. 12.Dafydd Lockyer – cpt. 11.Dale Stuckey. 10.Jarrod Evans. 9.Lewis Jones. 1.James Howe. 2.Huw Dowden. 3.Pat Palmer. 4.Luke Crocker. 5.Dan Godfrey. 6.Wayne O’Connor. 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Jake Thomas.
Subs: 16.Lloyd Williams. 17.Simon Humberstone. 18.Gary Williams. 19.Aled Morris. 20.Dafi Davies. 21.Robert Jones. 22.Chris Phillips. 23.Craig Mitchell.
