The Gogs have also ‘gone young’ for their debut in the new tournament with no fewer than seven of the starting XV 23 or younger and the average age of their bench being 20.
Cardiff head coach Dan Fish has pinned his faith in his youngsters by selecting five of his nine Cardiff Rugby academy players in his starting XV and putting another two on the bench. As well as the half-backs, the academy provides Wales U20 full back Matty Young, former Bristol Bears academy player Tom Bowen, Wales U20 centre Elijah Evans.
It is a similar story around the other teams involved in Round 1. Rising Scarlets star Iorrie Badham starts on the wing for Carmarthen Quins against Swansea, with Callum Woolley on the bench.
Swansea will have Ospreys academy boys Harri Houston and Lewis Edwards starting in their back line, and Cam Jones packing down in the front row. Freddie Chapman and Kian Hire are on the bench.
Newport have been in the hunt for the top honours over the last two season in the Indigo Premiership and Cup but have just missed out on picking up silverware.
Two seasons ago arch-rivals Cardiff beat them in the WRU Premiership Cup final at Principality Stadium and earlier this year Llandovery used home advantage to beat them in the Premiership final at Church Bank.
But when you ask around the other clubs who make up the new Super Rygbi Cymru competition about who are favourites to take the first title, you keep getting the same answer – Newport are the team to beat!
Coming into the club’s 150th anniversary season it would be a sweet scenario, but Black & Amber head coach Ty Morris knows this season will be even harder than the past couple to pick up a trophy. They open the new era in SRC with a home clash against re-vitalised Bridgend.
“I like being at the top and last season there were two good teams in the final and it could have gone either way. It was the same for the Cup game against Cardiff,” said Morris.
“But I think the competition will be even stronger this season with the teams that make up the SRC. By Christmas last year, there was a top five and a bottom five, but I can’t see that happening again.
“Our aim is to try and get some silverware again – we won the cup in 2022 – and we would definitely like to go one better that the last couple of seasons. Even so, I feel like we’ve still got some things to clear up.”
Morris was at the 650 strong 150th anniversary dinner at the Celtic Manor Resort last weekend and would love to crown the season-long celebrations with some form of triumph. The Cup win two years ago was a first for 21 years and the four wins in a row over Cardiff in the 2021-22 season was a notable first in their history
“It’s an ideal situation where you’re winning silverware on your 150th anniversary, I don’t think it’s a be-all and end-all for us,” added Morris.
“It’s an event that we’re really proud of and we’ve really themed our season around, because it is a big deal. We want to make sure that the new players we’ve brought in know what it means to be wearing the jersey.
“But this season is more about what we deliver on the field, and as coaches to the players. That’s what’s going to make us win the silverware, not the 150th anniversary.”
Having helped to nurture players like Will Reed, Ryan Woodman, Joe Westwood, Harri Ackerman and Che Hope for the Dragons regional side in recent years, one of Morris’ top priorities this winter will be to try to push former Wales U20 caps Joe Peard and Nathan Evans back into the professional ranks.
He will also be in charge of the development of Dragons academy players Jordan Morris, Barney Langton, Oli Andrew, Nick Thomas and Oli Woodman – when they are fit!
“We’ve been very fortunate over the last couple of years in having eight to 10 Dragons-allocated players, and we’ve done very well with it. Now we’ve got a new batch that I’m looking forward to working with,” added Morris.
That is a sentiment shared by all the coaches in the new league. It was great to see the 18-year-old Will Evans picking up the man of the match award for his part in Llandovery’s 21-18 win in the opening night win at Pontypool on Thursday. The whole point of the new league system and the WRU’s £1m+ annual investment is to give the rising stars of the four regional academies the chance to learn their trade in a higher grade of rugby.
ROUND 1 TEAMS
CARMARTHEN QUINS V SWANSEA – Carmarthen Park, 2.30pm
Carmarthen Quins: Eilir George; Louis Rees, Iestyn Gwilliam, Osian Jones, Iori Badham; Ifan Davies, Rhodri Davies; James Newnian, Lewis Morgan, Ifan James, Lee Taylor, Josh Helps, Tom Phillips (captain), Gethin Davies, Lewys Millin
Reps: Rhys Fawcett, Sion Jones, Connor Allen, Ryan Bean, Iestyn Richards, Lucca Setaro, Ryan Davies, Callum Woolley
Swansea: Harri Houston; Callum Dodd, Lewis Edwards, Joe Thomas, Tom Edwards; Josh Phillips, Aron Hemmings; Cameron Jones, Llew Phillips-Taylor, Chris Davies, Chris Thompson, Sam Pailor, Joe Greaves, Callum Bowden (captain), Luca Giannini
Reps: Owen Thomas, Freddie Chapman, Kian Hire, Geraint Powell, Ryan Jones, Iwan Temblett, Harri Williams, Brandon Wood
EBBW VALE V ABERAVON – CINER GLASS Community Stadium, 2.30pm
Ebbw Vale: Hamish Anderson; Ewan Bowden, Ethan Phillips, Dom Franchi, Ryan Gardner; Evan Lloyd, Jon Evans; Luke Garrett, Joel Franchi (captain), Adam Court, Dylan Bartlett, Curtis Gregory, Ewan McIntyre, Ben Main, Lewis Young
Reps: Ieuan Morris, Morgan Davies, Adam Williams, Jack Pope, Kobi Rees, Rory Harries, Josh Malson, Cameron Davies
Aberavon: Scott Delnevo; Cori Lewis-Jenkins, Frankie Jones, Bradley Roderick, Connor Moyse; Ed Dunford, Elis Horgan; Rowan Jenkins, Luke Davies, Morgan James, Shay Smallman, Lewis Marsh, Rhys Thomas, Ashton Evans, Gwilym Evans
Reps: Liam Seaward, Charlie Thomas, Caine Woolerton, Saul Hurley, Taine Morgan, Ross Fox, Dylan James, Jack Beazer
Newport v Bridgend – Newport Stadium, 2.30pm
Newport: Carwyn Penny; Iwan Pyrs Jones, Chay Foster-Smith, Dai Richards, Lloyd Lewis; Matt O’Brien, Dafydd Buckland; Tom Workman, Wade Langley, Ollie Drake, Joe Peard, Josh Skinner, Josh Reid, Kyle Tayler, Ben Roach (captain)
Reps: Henry Palmer, Archie Callaghan, Nathan Evans, Rynard Landman, Rhys Jenkins, Luke Crane, Jac Lloyd, Ioan Davies
Bridgend: Edd Howley; McCauley Rowley, Joe Gatt, Ryan Wilkins, Jake Thomas; Luke Price, Harvey Nash; Harry Olding, Curtis Greenslade, Marley Lovell, Barnaby Waddell, Dylan Burrows, Kyle Harris, Zac O’Driscoll (captain), Jordan Collier
Reps: Corey Lewis, Alex George, Liam Tobias, Evan Hill, Tom Jevons, Callaghan Smith, Ben Burnell, Tom Florence
RGC V CARDIFF – Stadiwm CSM, 2.30PM
RGC: Dion Jones; Rhys Tudor, Afon Bagshaw, Danny Cross (captain), Sam Stoddard; Billy McBryde, Connor Dever; Jessie Williams, Rhodri King, Pedr Jones, Tal Taylor, Ilan Evans, Dan Owen, Ethan Fackrell, Sam Williams
Reps: Jack Tomlinson, Gareth Parry, Patrick Nelson, Charlie Probert, Celt Roberts, Tudur Jones, Harri Hughes, Sam Earl-Jones
Cardiff: Matty Young; Tom Bowen, Elijah Evans, Jason Harries, Dewi Cross; Harri Wilde, Sion Davies; Rhys Barratt, Alun Rees, Joe Cowell, Craig Hudd, Sean Moore (captain), Gwilym Bradley, Lucas de la Rua, Benji Williams
Reps: Gavin Parry, Marc Thomas, Tom Harper, Evan Rees, Tom Rice, Joe Williams, Osian Darwin-Lewis, Joe Goodchild
