The Llandovery match, which kicks off at 7:15pm, is a ‘must win’ affair for Ponty. A straight victory without the trimmings of a bonus point is the basic requirement which will consolidate a final top finish in the table and a direct passage to the Premiership Play-Off Final.
Ponty will be going for a season’s treble over their West Wales opponents, having won away at Llandovery in the British & Irish Cup by 28 v 18, and at home in the Premiership by 41 v 3. The Drovers’ league position, standing just one place off the bottom, belies a tradition of battling hard and always proving to be awkward opponents especially on their own patch.
Ponty have two current injury victims, full back Gareth Wyatt and outside half Simon Humberstone both out with bruised shoulders. Matthew Nuthall takes over the no15 shirt, with Dean Gunter partnering Lewis Jones at half back.
Blues Academy and Wales under 20 caps, prop Lewis Smout, lock Matthew Screech and no8 Owen Sheppeard are all given a start.
The Pontypridd team selected to face Llandovery is as follows:
15.Matthew Nuthall. 14.Lewis Williams. 13.Gavin Dacey. 12.Dafydd Lockyer. 11.Chris Clayton. 10.Dean Gunter. 9.Lewis Jones. 1.Lewis Smout. 2.Tom Hetherington. 3.Ryan Harford. 4.Craig Locke. 5.Matthew Screech. 6.Darren Waters. 7.Wayne O’Connor. 8.Owen Sheppeard.
Subs: Kristian Baller; Gary Williams; Adam Thomas; Huw Dowden; Ryan Savage; Cory Hill; Stuart Williams.
