The Christmas and New Year festive period did not prove to be a happy time for either club, with Ponty going down to defeat at home to Cardiff and away to Swansea, and Llandovery having lost their last three matches, away at Ebbw Vale and at home to Llanelli and Bedwas.
These results have pegged Ponty back to 8th place in the table, on 34 points, and Llandovery down in unlucky 13th position, one off the bottom on 12 points.
Statistics and past results will of course count for nothing as Ponty and Llandovery go head to head, with a history of close contests and upsets between the two rivals in the Premiership.
The Drovers, with a call on a number of Scarlet regional players, including fullback Darren Daniel, and former Wales internationals, prop Ben Broster and wing Garan Evans, will as usual provide a physical presence up front, and an attacking menace behind.
The Pontypridd squad have been affected by a bout of flu this week, preventing a number of players from training. Prop Ian Poley is ruled out of contention, rested following a head injury in the last game against Swansea. Better news on the fitness front is that winger Chris Clayton showed up well in training this week, and passed fit to play following a recent foot injury. Hooker Rhys Williams also returns to the starting line up, now fully recovered following surgery on a broken bone in the foot.
Prop Owen Cotton from Ynysybwl, and lock Sam Wahdan from Merthyr, have been drafted in on permit by Pontypridd, bolstering a squad currently hit hard by injuries. Outside half Gareth McCarthy, newly signed from the Gwent Dragons regional squad, will make his full debut for Pontypridd, partnering youngster Rhys Downes at half back.
Pontypridd: Lawrence Price; Kristian Baller, Gavin Dacey, Adam Thomas, Chris Clayton; Gareth McCarthy, Rhys Downes; Stuart Wiiliams, Rhys Williams, Sam Hobbs, Ryan Savage, Chris Dicomidis, Geraint Lewis, Wayne O’Connor, Nathan Strong (Capt)
Replacements: Neil Burnett, Andrew Jenkins, Owen Cotton, Ryan Harford, Leighton Davies, Sam Wahdan, Rhys Shellard