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PREM PREVIEW: Top two clash in East and West

PREM PREVIEW: Top two clash in East and West

There is still everything to play for in the Principality Premiership East Division with the top two locked on the same number of points going into the penultimate round of matches in the first phase this weekend.

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Reigning champions Merthyr currently top the table and have home advantage over Ebbw Vale in Round 13 and host Bargoed on 20 December in their last match. Second placed Pontypridd head to Pandy Park for a tough test against Cross Keys and then have Cardiff visiting Sardis Road.

There are eight points available for the top teams in both the East and West Divisions to carry forward into the second phase. In the West, the top two clash at The Park, Carmarthen, where a win or a draw for RGC 1404 will earn them the full eight points.

Having just edged past Swansea 35-34 at Parc Eirias last weekend the Gogs will travel fully aware that their hosts are on a run of six successive wins.

“It was a close run game against Swansea. We’ve talked about discipline and making sure we don’t give away penalties, because in the past few games we have struggled to keep the momentum going,” said RGC scrum half Alex Schwarz.

“We want to head into next year in good form, but we know the Quins are a team playing well at the moment. We’re expecting another tough game on the road.”
 
Principality Premiership East Division – Round 13
Friday, 1 December
Bargoed v Newport
Bargoed: Matthew Lewis; Duane Dyer, Jordan Howells, Lewis Bowden, Luke Smalley; Iain John Smerdon, James Pizey; Rhys Morgan (captain), Leigh Meades, Alex Gardner-Key, James Locke, Matt Thomas, Louis Blacker, Grant Rogers, Ieuan Jones
Reps: James Hallett, David Evans, Darren Humphries, Jon Armitage, Lewis Weyman, Geraint Clarke, Scott Evans, Phil Price
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Elliott Frewen, Haydn Palmer, Chay Smith, Jon Morris; Matt O’Brien, Owen Davies; John Lavender, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, Joe Bartlett, Dan Partridge, Morgan Burgess, Kyle Tayler, Rhys Jenkins (captain)
Reps:  Will Evans, Nicky Boyce, Ken Dowding, Rhys Cresswell, Alex Everett, Ryan Bates, Haydn Simons, Curtis Ayling

Cardiff v Bedwas
Cardiff: Llwyarch Ap Myrddin; Corey Howells, Adam Jones, Will Rees-Hole, James Beal; Josh Fly, Geraint Watkin; Peter Lloyd, Ian Jenkins, Fraser Young, James Murphy, Callum Bradbury, Ben White, Luke Crocker, Sion Bennett
Reps: James Greenfield, Corrie Tarrant, Paul Smith, Corey Tucker, Tom Daley, Mike Hale, James Dixon, Pat Lewis
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; Adam Williams, Ross Wardle, Mike Callow, Mathew John; Steffan Jones, Tom Rowlands; Bryn Toms, Alun Rees, Rhys Hutcherson, Craig Hudd, Ben Thompson, James Richards, George Lee (captain), Andrew Waite
Reps: Dan Preece, Dale Rogers, Jack Williams, Geraint Edmunds, David McGuigan, Nathan Hudd, Nicky Griffiths, Lewis Evans

Cross Keys v Pontypridd
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Mathew Powell, Lewis Barnett, Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge; Josh Prosser, Owain Leonard; Corey Hewlett, Zac Hewlett, Richard Cornock, Tom Lampard, Dan Mock, Josh Skinner, Scott Matthews (captain), Adam Powell
Reps: Rob Jones, Lewis Smout, Gary Carpenter, Kris Smith, Luke Dyckhoff, Corey Shephard, James Leadbeater, Barney Nightingale
Pontypridd: Joseph Williams; Alex Webber, Gary Williams, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Lewis Williams; Diggy Bird, Wayne Evans; Huw Owen, Joe Page, Keelan Marney, Josh Hawkins, Chris Dicomidis, Sean Moore, Rhys Shellard, Morgan Sieniawski
Reps: Joel Raikes, Jordan Rees, Declan Williams, Jon Elley, Hemi Barnes, Shay Smallman, Tom Mably, Joe Popple

Merthyr v Ebbw Vale
Merthyr: Kristian Phillips; Kyle Evans, Tom Riley, Arran Pinches, Steff Andrews; Richard Powell, Justin James; Nathan Trevett, Richard Wilkes, Joe Rees, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke (captain), Nick White, Osian Davies, Phil Rees
Reps: James Howe, S Evans, Louis Jones, L Evans, Ed Siggery, Rhys Downes, Gareth Davies, Matthew Jarvis
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Srdan Majkic, Dom Franchi, Dai Langdon, Toby Fricker; Callum Hall, Carl Lewis; Ross Jones, Mathew Williams, Rob Sevenoaks, Damien Hudd, Lance Randall, Rhys Clarke, Ronny Kynes (captain), Kristian Parker
Reps: Joe Franchi, Joel Harries, Joshua James, Jon Davies, Lewis Young, Sam Ireland, Lewis Dennett, James Lewis

Principality Premiership West Division – Round 13
Friday, 1 December
Carmarthen Quins v RGC 1404

Carmarthen Quins: Aled Thomas; Dale Ford, Nic Reynolds, Joshua Batcup, Jack Price; Steffan Marshall, Ifan Beynon-Thomas; Gethin Robinson, Torin Myhill, Javan Sebastian, Shaun Jones, Josh Helps (captain), Elis Lloyd, Lewys Millin , Lawrence Reynolds
Reps: Steffan Phillips, Sion Jones, Steffan Thomas, Lee Taylor, Elliot Davies, Aled James, Gavin Thomas, Matthew Owen
RGC: TBC

Neath v Bridgend
Neath: Ed Howley; James Roberts, Mike Evans, Matthew Pearce, Geraint Llewellyn; Dan Guarneri,  Scott Gibson; Liam Tobias, Sion Crocker, Ryan Thomas, Ryan Bean, Jon Barley, Rhys Jones, Elis Hopkins, Scott Hicks
Reps: Jon Bamsey, Jordan Hawkins, Geraint James, David Griggs, Ceri White, Jake Cole, Ben Atkins, Luc Caines
Bridgend: Ed Doe; Aaron Grabham, Joseph Gatt. Nathan Edwards, Mike Powell; Ryan Evans, Connor Tantum; Rhodri Apsee, Iestyn Merriman, Cai Lewis, Chris John, Kieran Martin, Adam O’Driscoll, Zac O’Driscoll (captain), Ashton Evans
Reps: Gareth Harvey, Owen Jordan, Garyn Daniel, Owain Lloyd, Tom Morgan, Will Baird, Joseph Scrivens, Jonny Phillips

Saturday, 2 December
Swansea v Llandovery

Sunday, 3 December
Aberavon v Llanelli
 

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