Newport got their season off to a good start with an injury time win over Aberavon at Talbot Athletic Grounds but they face another tough task with Llanelli looking to bounce back from their opening day defeat to Bridgend.
The Black and Ambers lost 25-37 to Llanelli in their first match of last season at Rodney Parade and never quite recovered as they recorded their worst ever Premier League season since 2003. In fact, Newport have lost their last three league matches against Llanelli but still lead the overall record with 11 wins against seven of the 18 league matches played since 2003.
Interestingly Newport Head Coach Sven Cronk has changed his half-backs for tonight’s game with Tom Hancock – who will be making his official debut – and Rhys Downes starting with last week’s man of the match Scott Sneddon relegated to the bench.
Newport captain Gethin Robinson makes a welcome return to action with a place on the bench after managing just 32 minutes on the pitch last season. The match should also see popular lock Adam Frampton make his 100th appearance for the club following his debut in Sept 2006.
Prolific try scorer Jordan Williams plays his first game of the season at Principality Premiership level from fullback for Llanelli and Anthony Buchanan, Llanelli’s Head of Rugby knows it will be a tough game.
“We’ll have to be up for the game after our defeat at Bridgend,” he said. “However there were some good signs in our last game but we know only too well we’ll have to be at our best to beat Newport at Rodney Parade.”
Newport: 15 G O’Driscoll 14 E Frewen 13 A Awcock 12 A.Davies 11 A Hewitt 10 T Hancock 9 R Downes; 1 D Pattison (c) 2 R Prosser 3 J Jones 4 R Jones 5 A Frampton 6 S Waldron 7 C Attwell 8 C Everett.
Replacements : A Brown, J Lavender, D Rosser, R Coombs, W Richards, S Sneddon, J Leadbeater, G Robinson.
Llanelli: 15 Jordan Williams14 Bowdy Davies 13 Nic Reynolds 12 Jonny Lewis 11 Kristian Phillips 10 Owen Williams 9 Aled Davies, 1 Shaun Hopkins 2 Craig Hawkins 3 Aled Hopkins 4 Jake White 5 Adam Powell9 (c) 6 Lewis Rawlins 7 Nic Cudd 8 Craig Price.
Replacements: Rhys Thomas, Kirby Myhill, Stuart Leach, Daniel Thomas, Justin James, Diggy Bird, Steff Hughes, Jamie Kaijaks.
