The champions, Ebbw Vale, will have to wait until Sunday to launch their defence of the title they won in such emphatic style at Sardis Road at the end of last season against reigning champions Pontypridd. All the other fixtures in the expanded league of 16 teams are being played on Saturday.
It is a tough start for the Steelmen, who have to play two away games in the opening week of the season at Parc Y Scarlets and Sardis Road. But skipper Damien Hudd is looking forward to adding to his medal tally at the club.
“This is my seventh year as captain. I started in Division 1 East and we won that title twice, the Championship twice and now the Premiership,” said Hudd.
“We got off to a poor start last season and we know we can’t afford to do the same this time. Everyone is going to want to take our title and we will have to fight a little bit harder to stay there.”
Former Wales Under 19 and Under 20 cap Luke Ford will lead Cardiff into action for the first time as he takes over as club captain. The son of the club’s all-time record try scorer, ex-Wales wing Steve Ford, he is loving his rugby under new head coach Duane Goodfield.
“It’s really exciting to be made captain and the club hasn’t had a Cardiff captain for a while – it’s a real honour to be captain of my home town club,” said Ford.
“Duane is setting a great example as coach and our two pre-season games have gone really well. I think we can surprise a few people this season.
“Newport have recruited well, but we beat them at home last season and I think we can surprise a few people. Our first goal is top eight and we haven’t discussed anything else after that.”
The former Australian prop Salesi Ma’afu will pack down in the front row for the Blue & Blacks and last season’s Under 20 caps, full back Rhun Williams, centre Harri Millard, outside half Jarrod Evans and back row man Morgan Sienaiwski in the starting XV.
Newly promoted Merthyr head to Cross Keys for what should be a thorough examination of their Premiership credentials. Andy Powell appears at No 8 for the visitors, while newcomers Aaron Pinches and Kyle Evans appear in the back line. Ex-Cardiff Blues outside half Gareth Davies starts at half-back with Rhys Downes.
Carmarthen Quins travel to face another of the promoted teams, Swansea, at St Helen’s. Prop Javan Sebastian has rejoined the club after a spell with Glasgow Warriors, hooker Torin Myhill has arrived from Llanelli, while promising fly-half Steff Marshall has come on board from Llandovery.
Scarlets outside half Aled Thomas has taken up a coaching role at the club and he starts at No 10 for last season’s beaten Swalec Cup finalists. Haydn Pugh has taken over the captaincy and is looking forward to an improved season in the league.
“The big goal is to break in to the top eight. We have a very good squad and the younger players have got a lot more experience,” said Pugh.
“Last year there were teams who did well off the back of their driving line-outs and the new rule this year, where the last man can’t pull out will make it better for the game. Swansea away is a great way to start and it’s great to see a great team and club like that back in the Premiership.”
New Bedwas skipper Richard Powell is wary about hosting Pontypridd in their opening game of the season given that Daf Lockyer’s side lost their grip on the title in May. But a good pre-season campaign has got the Bridge Field side in good nick.
“We’ve had a good pre-season so are looking forward to the challenge. Ponty will still be hurting a bit after losing to Ebbw Vale in the Premiership final last year, but we can take confidence from last year when the boys dug in to win in terrible conditions,” said Powell.
“You’ve got to get stuck into a side as good as Ponty and work hard. Everyone has worked their socks off in pre-season and we are buzzing for the start of the season.”
Ponty have picked a half-back pairing at opposite ends of their career. Ceri Sweeney, the 36-year-old former Welsh international, at outside half and the current Wales Under 18 scrum half, Dane Blacker, to feed him. Chris Dicomidis is back full time at the club having been released by the Blues.
“We lost pretty convincingly, but we are back this season and, hopefully, we will get the title back. We got taught a lesson in the final by Ebbw Vale – you get used to winning and then something comes along like that result and it is the hardest thing to take,” said Lockyer.
“We have signed a few boys who we think can push us back up to that level so we can compete again. Our new pitch will suit our style more than other teams.”
Bargoed’s debut in the top flight will be at home against last season’s basement team, Neath. But Gareth Llewellyn’s summer signings look set to transform the Welsh All Blacks and turn them into a far more competitive side.
Wales cap Gavin Evans, who left Cardiff Blues at the end of last season, is at centre for Neath, while Bedwas will parade former Neath forward, and Wales Rugby Sevens World Cup skipper, Lee Beach in their second row.
The other promoted side, RGC1404, head south to the Bridgend Ford Brewery Field with new recruits Jacob Botica and Shaun O’Rourke in their ranks. Botica, son of former Llanelli and New Zealand outside half Frano, has joined to play at outside half, while O’Rourke has headed home after playing at Pontypridd last season.
Bridgned have a new coaching team this season under Matt Silva. Zac O’Driscoll remains as captain.
Principality Premiership Fixtures and Teams – Round 1
Friday, 2 September
Cardiff v Newport
Cardiff: Rhun Williams; Ceri Young, Harri Millard, Luke Ford (captain), James Beal; Jarrod Evans, Tom Slater; Rob Lewis, Joe Tomlinson, Salesi Ma’afu, Ben Thomas, Seb Davies, Luke Crocker, Morgan Sienaiwski, Joe Gaughan
Reps: Rhys Carre, Joe Page, Ben Leung, Nick White, Jordan Viggers, Liam Free, Gareth Thompson / David Bird, Paul King
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Owen Williams, Tom Pascoe, Tom Riley (captain), Elliot Frewen; Matt O’Brien, Ryan James; John Lavender, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, Rhodri Jones, Dan Partridge, Lloyd Phillips, Kyle Tayler, Reuben Tucker
Reps: Andrew Brown, Matt Prosser, Tom Piper, Brendan Lampitt, Craig Attwell, Owen Davies, Arwel Robson, Chay Smith.
Saturday, 3 September
Aberavon v Llandovery
Aberavon: Joe Gage; Richard Carter, Matthew Jacobs, Rheon James, Stef Andrews; James Garland, David Pritchard; Rowan Jenkins, Ieuan Davies, Alex Jeffries, Ian Moore (captain), Ben Jones, Lee Purnell, Chris Davies, Joe Tomalin-Reeves
Reps: Jacob Flynn, Morgan Williams, Will Price, Gareth Harvey, Nathan Brown, Rhys Forse, Jon Thomas, James Ratti
Llandovery: Lee Rees; Lex Botha, Richard Smith, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Jack Maynard, Rhodri Davies; Dean Howells, Emyr Phillips, Greg Cunniffe, Phil Day (captain), Rynier Bernardo, Stuart Worrall, Shaun Miles, Richard Brooks
Reps: Berian Watkins, Jamie Kaijaks, Jake Baker, Richard Rees, Dafydd Hughes, Craig Woodall, Mike Evans, James Davies
Bargoed v Neath
Bargoed: Calum Jones; David Evans, Darren Humphries, Lewis Protheroe, Lewis Hudd; Sam Withers, James Pizey; Rhys Morgan (captain), Ian Jenkins, Keiron Brown, Lee Beach, Bryce Morgan, Andrew Coupe, Alex Herbert, Ross Coombs
Reps: Jack Williams, Vinny Lott, Lewys Lippiett, Louis Blacker, Gavin Mcdonnell, James Hallett, Greg Callow, Ashley Norton
Neath: Ed Howley; Alec Jenkins, Gavin Evans, Keiran Williams, Aaron Grabham; Iwan Evans, Chris Morgans; 1 Matt Jeffreys, Sion Crocker, Geraint James, Leon Ward, Jon Barley, Jordan Collier (captain), Alun Jones, Charlie Davies
Reps: Neil White, Aled Morris, Callum Jones, Lyndon Bateman, Aled Cockwell, A.N. Other, Dan Guarneri, Matthew Pearce
Bedwas v Pontypridd
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell, Pat Lewis, Mike Callow, Connor Edwards, Adam Williams; Richard Powell (captain), Nicky Griffiths; Dan Preece, Alun Rees, Matthew Pettit, Geraint Edmunds, Matthew Screech, Andrew Waite, James Benjamin, Robson Blake
Reps: Brynley Toms, Jack Haines, Joe Mills, Tom Bell, James Richards, Luke Crane, James Dixon (the younger), Garyn Payne
Pontypridd: Aled Summerhill, Lewis I Williams, Cameron Lewis, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Alex Webber; Ceri Sweeney, Dane Blacker; Bradley Thyer, Liam Belcher, Mitch Auger, Hemi Barnes, Chris Dicomidis, Jake Thomas, Rhys Shellard, Dan Godfrey
Reps: Joel Raikes, Callum Hall, Bradley Coombes, Huw Dowden, Josh Novell, Sean Moore / Peter Sidoli, Callum Lewis, Liam Bodman
Bridgend v RGC 1404
Bridgend: Marc Bennett; Garin Lougher, Joseph Gatt, Ryan Evans, Mike Powell; Joseph Scrivens, Chris Williams; Nicky Boyce, Iestyn Merriman, Cai Lewis, Jack Pope, Jon Kenny, Ashton Evans, Zac O’Driscoll (captain), Matthew John
Reps: Alex Dunham, Lewis Francis, Rhodri Apsee, Kyle Evans, Adam O’Driscoll, Will Baird, Geraint Llewellyn, Morgan Jones
RGC1404: Afon Bagshaw; Carwyn Ap Myrddin, Tom Hughes, Tiaan Loots, Sam Jones; Jacob Botica, Alex Schwarz; Joe Simpson, Rhys Williams, Ross Davies, Shaun O’Rourke, Maredydd Francis, Andrew Williams, Mei Parry, Huw Worthington
Reps: Sam Wainwright, Jed Kerkin, George Roberts, Bryn Williams, Will Bryan, Josh Leach, Rhys Williams, Richard Hopkins
Cross Keys v Merthyr
Cross Keys: Ethan Davies; Mathew Powell, Lewis Barnett, Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge; Josh Prosser, James Leadbeater; Lewis Smout, Darren Hughes, Richard Cornock, Danny Hodge, Josh Skinner, Ieuan Jones, Scott Matthews (captain), Adam Powell
Reps: Ellis Shipp, Corey Hewlett, Gary Carpenter, Max George, Jacob Unwin, Barney Nightingale, Owain Leonard, Tom Lampard
Merthyr: Owen Howe; Kyle Evans, Matthew Jarvis, Aaron Pinches, Terri Gee; Gareth Davies, Rhys Downes; James Howe, Rhys Williams, Garry Powell, Craig Locke (captain), Ben Murphy, Edward Siggery, Osian Davies, Andy Powell
Reps: Louis Jones, Matthew Dwyer, Nathan Buck, Ben Sier, Matthew Rees, Tom James, Dean Gunter, Matthew Trowbridge
Swansea v Carmarthen Quins
Swansea: TBC
Carmarthen Quins: Gavin Thomas; Lee Williams, Gareth Owen, Rhys Williams, Iolo Evans; Aled Thomas, Connor Lloyd; Nathan Williams, Rhodri Clancy, Steffan Thomas, Josh Helps, Haydn Pugh (captain), Shaun Jones, Josh Middleton, Elis Lloyd
Reps: Steffan Phillips, Torin Myhill, Javan Sebastian, Ben Thompson, Roy Osborn, Gareth George, Steffan Marshall, Dylan Morgan.
Sunday, 4 September
Llanelli v Ebbw Vale
Llanelli: Dion Jones; Ioan Nicholas, Steffan Hughes, Johnny Lewis, Ashley Evans; Billy McBryde, Declan Smith; Dan Jacobs, Taylor Davies, Simon Gardiner, Adam Powell (captain), Ben Davies, Nathan Hart, Owain Morgan, Trystan Lloyd
Reps: Tom Kaijaks, Greg George, Will Taylor, Chris Long, Jack Davies, Matthew Flanagan, Ioan Hughes, Paul Davies
Ebbw Vale: TBC
