The Black & Ambers got their season off to a promising start with a hard fought victory at Neath but last week they failed to do themselves justice at Eugene Cross Park where indiscipline and with some real bad luck meant they came away with nothing against Ebbw Vale.
Newport will want to make amends when play their first home league game of the season. Pontypridd will no doubt start firm favourites but Newport will remember 2012/13 when they were the only team to inflict a league defeat on Ponty.
Saturday could see another three players make their official debuts for the Black & Ambers – ex-Ebbw Vale wing Wes Cunliffe, hooker Alex Watkins, (ex-Bargoed) and prop Josh Powell(ex-Pontypool Utd).
Full back Ed Howley (ex-Maesteg) is on the bench having appeared for Newport on permit last season.
Promising No 10 Arwel Robson will make his first start and is partnered by the experienced Ryan James.
Ponty welcome prop Chris Phillips and back rower Owen Sheppeard back into the squad, both having recovered from knee operations.
The most recent injury absentees are winger Dale Stuckey (knee), centre Bradley Coombes (thigh) and lock Alex Jones (ankle).
Newport: L Ap Myrddin, W Cunliffe, H Palmer, B Nightingale, E Frewen, A Robson, R James, J Greenfield, A Watkins, A Jeffries, Adam Brown (capt), D Partridge, R Jenkins, O Griffiths, B Lampitt
Subs : M Prosser, E Whitson, J Powell, C Attwell, B Morgan, Owen Davies, M O’Brien, E Howley.
Pontypridd: 15.Geraint Walsh. 14.Lewis I Williams. 13.Gavin Dacey. 12.Garyn Smith. 11.Matthew Nuthall. 10.Ceri Sweeney. 9.Joel Raikes. 1.Corey Domachowski. 2.Ashleigh James. 3.Kieran Assirratti. 4.Jordan Sieniawski. 5.Seb Davies. 6.Wayne O’Connor. 7.Rhys Shellard – cpt. 8.Hemi Barnes.
Subs: 16.Lloyd Williams. 17.Jarrod Evans. 18.Adam Thomas. 19.Liam Belcher. 20.Owen Sheppeard. 21.Chris Dicomidis. 22.Chris Phillips. 23.Keiron Jenkins.
