Having become the first team to pick up an added bonus point by beating Bridgend by more than 15 points on the opening day of the season, Ty Morris’ men will head west having set the early pace in the new 10-team league.
A burst of 27 points in the final 25 minutes turned a potential defeat into a 35-27 bonus-point victory at St Helen’s to ensure they stayed ahead of nearest rivals Cardiff on points difference.
“We kicked poorly, made a number of handling errors and a lot of players didn’t play to their best at Swansea. You just have to put it down to being one of those days,” said Morris.
“We’ve just got to keep on winning now and make sure we are more accurate in future games.”
Having sent players like Will Reed, Ryan Woodman, Harri Ackerman and Joe Westwood up into the Dragons senior squad, Morris is now hoping to resurrect the professional fortunes of tight head prop Nathan Evans and lock Joe Peard.
Both were released after their academy days and are now looking to use SRC as a stepping-stone back into the regional reckoning. Peard helped himself to a debut try in Black & Amber in the win in Swansea and another player hoping for a second chance, hooker Wade Langley, scored a superb solo effort to help turn the game around.
“Wade put in one of the best man-of-the-match performances I’ve seen in my time at the club. He really has developed so well after being let go from the age-grade teams at the Dragons,” added Morris.
“Players like him, Nathan and Joe are being given a chance in the SRC to resurrect their career and we intend to give them as much help as possible. It’s not easy when you are balancing a full-time job with your rugby ambitions, but they are all doing well to date.
“Jac Lloyd, a former Wales U20 outside half, also had a good game for us in Swansea but, unfortunately, he had to go to hospital on Saturday night to have an operation on his appendix. He’ll now be missing for a while.”
Aberavon started the season with a team with an average age of 23 and, after being beaten first time out at Ebbw Vale, they turned things around with a 24-18 home win over Carmarthen Quins. Former Cardiff University outside half Ed Dunford pulled the strings in that victory.
“Ed is one of a number of players were signed who have BUCS Super Rugby experience and we were delighted to have won last weekend,” said Aberavon assistant coach Chris Davies.
“It is a high standard competition, and they will all add to our squad this season.”
