PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP PREVIEW
The Ravens have come out of the blocks at a sprint this season, impressively beating Swansea, Cardiff and Glamorgan Wanderers in their unbeaten start. But Bedwas could present the toughest test yet for the Ravens after their disappointing start to the season.
Coaches Steve Law and Ian Gardner have watched their team glean only three points from a possible nine this term and will be desperate to kick-start the new campaign. Reigning Champions Neath travel to the Arms Park to front up to a Cardiff side still looking for their first points of the season.
The All Blacks have dropped points to Pontypridd already this season and Rowland Phillips will be keen for a win to keep in touch with the teams at the top. With three consecutive defeats under their belt, Cardiff are not likely to reverse the trend against Neath and come tea-time on Saturday could still find themselves propping up Wales’s top flight.
Table-toppers Cross Keys welcome Swansea to Pandy Park and will hope they can notch a fourth win in as many games as they launch their assault on champions Neath. The Keys have looked impressive this season and their unbeaten record looks unlikely to be tarnished by an All Whites outfit still looking for their first win after three consecutive defeats.
Ebbw Vale clash with Carmarthen Quins at Eugene Cross Park in a game that could go either way. The Steelmen were less than convincing in a narrow victory over Swansea last weekend whilst the Quins fought bravely against Newport before finally going down 30-15.
Quins coach Ian Jones will be asking for a little bit more from his side on Saturday and may well come away with the spoils if Ebbw Vale are below par. Newly promoted Glamorgan Wanderers and Maesteg clash at the Memorial Ground in what in footballing terms would be dubbed a six-pointer. The Wanderers and the Old Parish are both still looking for their first points of the season and both will be hoping for a victory on Saturday to get them off the mark. The Wanderers will look to make the most of home advantage in a tie that could easily go either way.
Elsewhere, Newport remain unbeaten in 33 games and will travel to Llandovery this weekend confident of continuing their march into the record books. Llanelli host Pontypool at Stradey Park with the sides separated by just one place in the table and Pontypridd meet Aberavon head-on in a game that will strip one side of their unbeaten start to the season.
