It’s a must-win game for the Exiles and the Whites with both sides having lost their opening game in Pool C.
Last Saturday, Welsh let slip a 16-point half-time lead to lose 24-21 at home to Moseley, while back in October Swansea went down 32-12 to Ulster at St Helen’s.
Formed in 1885, London Welsh is this season celebrating its 125-year Anniversary. Fitting then that Swansea should be visiting Old Deer Park in the B&I Cup as the two clubs first met on December 24, 1885 at St Helen’s.
“There’s always been a massive rivalry between the two clubs over the years,” said London Welsh Managing Director John Taylor. “Because London Welsh is determined to maintain a Welsh core to the club – it’s not just London Welsh in name only – our roots are very important and therefore it’s imperative that we make a statement when we play Welsh clubs.
“The fact that it’s live on S4C shows how important it is to people in Wales. That’s terrific and we’ll be determined to show that the London Welsh tradition of open attacking rugby is still very much alive. We expect it to be a very exciting game.
“We want to show people in Wales that London Welsh are an attractive side to watch, with ambition on the field as well as off it.”
Currently fourth in the Welsh Premiership, Saturday’s game will be Swansea’s first outing since beating Pontypool on November 20, due to the recent freezing weather.
The Whites lost three Premiership fixtures to the weather as well as last weekend’s B&I Cup game against Neath.
Saturday’s game will be the 99th between London Welsh and Swansea but the first time that the two clubs have met in a meaningful fixture since April 1, 1989 – the Whites winning 42-14 at Old Deer Park.
“Matches against Swansea were always the highlight of the London Welsh year in days gone by,” added Taylor. “We always played them over the Christmas period but that was always the day after Boxing Day down there, so this is a reverse on that.”
