The Wizards have conjured five wins from five matches and are the only unbeaten side in Wales’s top flight. They overcame RGC 1404 22-11 in North Wales last weekend to stretch their lead at the top of the table to four points. But they face a resurgent Llanelli side who bounced back from a defeat against Newport with a triumph over newly promoted Bargoed.
Premiership champions Ebbw Vale and newly promoted Merthyr will be hoping to keep the pace with Aberavon as they clash in a mouthwatering contest at the Wern. The Steelmen, who have a game in-hand, are playing catch-up after Merhyr raced out of the blocks. Dale McIntosh and Lee Jarvis’s men have lost just once this season, to Bedwas in round three. The in-form pair of Gareth Davies and Osian Davies will be hoping to send a statement against the reigning champions.
Ebbw have won three games in-a-row since their opening day defeat to Llanelli. Head coach Nigel Davies has made a number of changes to the side that beat Bridgend last time out. Dan Haymond, Nathan Preece, Chris Thomas, Ian George, Ronny Kynes and Josh Jacas come in to the starting line-up with Rhys Clarke moving to number 8.
Pontypridd welcome Newport to Sardis Road amid an injury crisis. The Valley Commandos got back to winning ways last week with a narrow victory at Bridgend, but the win came at a cost. Former Wales outside-half Ceri Sweeney was the latest victim after he jarred his neck. Joe Popple and Sam May have come in on permit from Pontypool and Porth respectively and Aberdare flanker Lee Evans has also linked up with the squad. Newport’s Tom Riley returns from injury to face his former side as the Black and Ambers go in search of their second win of the season.
Swansea kickstarted their season with a hard-fought 12-8 triumph over old rivals Cardiff last week, and are out to continue their resurgence against high-flying RGC 1404. The North Walians had won their first four games of the season before league leaders Aberavon brought them back down to earth. The pair clash at St. Helens on Saturday afternoon, and RGC head coach Mark Jones wants his side to lay the perfect platform for victory.
He said: “Our set piece didn’t perform to the levels we have reached in past weeks so we know what areas to work on for Swansea next week.”
Bedwas have turned heads this season with four victories from their first five matches. They will be hoping to make it five from six this weekend as they take-on Bridgend, who have been on the end of a series of narrow defeats. The Ravens came close against Ponty last weekend, but eventually slipped to a 15-13 defeat. Andy Evans comes in on the wing for Bedwas while Geraint Edmunds comes into the second-row.
Newly-promoted Bargoed are hoping to gain their second triumph of the season at home to Carmarthen Quins, but captain Leigh Meades reckons the best his still to come from his Blues.
He said: “I don’t think we expected to do as well as we have done so far in terms of on-the-field performance even if the results have gone against us. In the opening games we have shown we definitely have something to offer to the Premiership by playing some really good rugby. We started off slowly against Neath, we deserved the victory over Swansea and we gave a very good account of ourselves against current leaders Aberavon.”
Llandovery and Cross Keys are both out to avenge defeats last week as they clash in West Wales, while Neath will attempt to win for the first time in four games against Cardiff at the Gnoll.
Principality Premiership fixtures
Aberavon v Llanelli
Bargoed v Carmarthen Quins
Bridgend v Bedwas
Llandovery v Cross Keys
Merthyr RFC v Ebbw Vale
Neath v Cardiff Rugby
Pontypridd v Newport
Swansea v RGC 1404
Teams:
Aberavon: Richard Carter; Matthew Jacobs, Will Price, Rheon James, Stef Andrews; James Garland, Jacob Flynn; Mike Burgess, Ieuan Davies, Jon Thomas, Ben Jones, Sam Williams, Lee Purnell, Chris Davies (capt), Nathan Brown.
Reps: David Pritchard, Steffen Williams, Matthew Jenkins, Gareth Harvey, Joe Tomalin-Reeves, Rhys Forse, Alex Jeffries, Luke Joseph.
Llanelli: Dion Jones; Dion Jones, Ashley Evans, Ioan Nicholas, Gareth Owen, Ryan Conbeer; Ioan Hughes, Rhodri Cole; Rhys Fawcett, Taylor Davies, Simon Gardiner, Adam Powell, Christian Long, Tom Phillips, Josh Macleod, Jack Condy.
Reps: Dan Jacobs, Matthew Moore, Tom Kaijaks, Ben Davies, Owain Morgan, Matthew Flanagan, Paul Davies, Nathan Edwards.
Bargoed: Sam Withers; Lewis Hudd, Darren Humphries, Phil Price, David Evans; Calum Jones, James Pizey; Ross Coombs, Adam Coupe, Louis Blacker, James Locke, Kieron Brown, Leigh Meades, Rhys Morgan.
Reps: Jack Williams, Anthony Lott, Lewys Lippett, Grant Rogers, Lee Beach, James Hallett, Greg Callow, Duane Dyer.
Carmarthen Quins: Aled Thomas; Tom Williams, Iolo Evans, Josh Batcup, Gavin Thomas; Steffan Marshall, Connor Lloyd; Nathan Williams, Torin Myhill, Javan Sebastian, Josh Helps, Haydn Pugh, Shaun Evans, Will Boyde, Shaun Jones.
Reps: Gethin Robinson, Rhodri Clancy, Steffan Thomas, Lee Taylor, Roy Osborn, Gareth George, Callum Price, Morgan Griffiths.
Bridgend: TBC
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; Andy Evans, Connor Edwards, James S Dixon, Pat Lewis, Richard Powell ©, Nicky Griffiths; Dan Preece, Alun Rees, Matthew Pettit, Geraint Edmunds, Robson Blake, James Richards, George Lee, Andrew Waite.
Reps: Phil Price, Brynley Toms, Rhys Hutcherson, Rhys Verley, Dan Crimmins, Nathan Hudd, Luke Crane, James Dixon.
Llandovery: Lee Rees; Corey Baldwin, Richard Smith, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren, Jack Maynard, Rhodri Davies; Jamie Kaijaks, Dafydd Hughes, Greg Cunniffe, Bryn Griffiths, Phil Day (capt) Stuart Worrall, Shaun Miles, Richard Brooks.
Reps: Scott Jenkins, Jamie Hughes, Joe Powell, Richard Rees, Andrew Pritchard, Duane Eager, Craig Woodhall, Mike Evans.
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews, Mathew Powell, Lewis Barnett, Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge; Josh Prosser, Owain Leonard; Lewis Smout, Darren Hughes, Richard Cornock, Danny Hodge, Simon Williams, Ieuan Jones, Scott Matthews (c), Adam Powell.
Reps: Replacements: 16. Ellis Shipp, 17. Corey Hewlett, 18. Leon Brown, 19. Josh Skinner, 20. Tom Lampard, 21. Jacob Unwin, 22. Ross Pritchard, 23. Barney Nightingale.
Merthyr: M Jarvis; K Evans, G Dacey, A Pinches, M Trowbridge; D Gunter, R Downes; J Howe, R Williams, G Powell, B Murphy, C Locke, N White, E Sigery, T Daley.
Reps: L Jones, N Buck, M Dwyer, B Siers, O Jones, A Hoskins, J Whittingham, O Howe.
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Chris Levesley, Nathan Preece, Dai Langdon, Jared Rosser; Josh Lewis, Chris Thomas; Ian George, Mathew Williams, Gethin Robinson; Damien Hudd (Capt), Ashley Sweet; Josh Jacas, Ronny Kynes, Rhys Clarke.
Reps: Joe Franchi, Ross Jones, Rob Sevenoaks, Joe Bartlett, Ethan Doyle, Ben Ellis, Jordan Howells, Ryan Gardner.
Neath: Dan Guarneri; Aaron Grabham, Gavin Evans, Matthew Pearce, Ed Howley; Iwan Evans, Chris Morgans; Ben Uphill, Sion Crocker, Geraint James; Jonny Griffiths, Jon Barley; Leon Ward, Calum Davies, Jordan Collier (capt).
Reps: Callum Jones, Ifan Phillips, Ryan Thomas, Rhys Jones, Aled Morris, Josh Guy, Ruben Morgan-Williams, Gareth Morris.
Cardiff: TBC
Pontypridd: Dale Stuckey, Joe Davies, Bradley Coombes, Dafydd Lockyer, Alex Webber, Callum Hall, Joel Raikes; Joe Popple, Ashleigh James, Mitch Auger, Hemi Barnes, Chris Dicomidis, Dafi Davies, Rhys Shellard, Owen Sheppeard.
Reps: Dane Blacker, Lewis K Williams, Cameron Lewis, Corrie Tarrant, Dan Godfrey, Lee Evans, Connor Lewis, Sam May.
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll, Llywarch Ap Myrddin, Tom Riley, Chay Smith, Elliot Frewen, Arwel Robson, Ryan James, James Greenfield, Evan Whitson, Christian Coleman, Adam Brown, Dan Mock, Rhodri Jones, Craig Attwell & Reuben Tucker. Reps: Henry Palmer, John Lavender, Tom Piper, Henri Williams, Jack Goodey, Owen Davies, Matt O’Brien & Wesley Cunliffe.
Swansea: Josh Jones; Richard Williams, Jedd Evans, Josh Martin, Richard Thomas; Julian Mogg, Martin Luckwell; Tom Sloane, Ricky Guest, Sam Martin, Gavin Ronan, Tudor Hughes, Jon Vaughan, Will Jones, Jon Fox.
Reps: Paul John, Richard Murphy, Mitchell Walsh, Jay WIlliams, Rory Gallagher, Mike Jones, Jac Wilson, Dai Watts.
RGC1404: Afon Bagshaw, Carwyn ap Myrddin, Tom Hughes, Tiaan Loots, Rhys Williams; Jacob Botica, Alex Schwarz; Joe Simpson, Evan Yardley, Ross Davies, Maredydd Francis (capt), Shaun O’Rourke, Dan Owen, Will Bryan.
Reps: Tom Hughes, George Roberts, Kerkin, Robin Williams, Rhys Williams, Josh Leach, Sam Jones, Aron Evans.
