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PREVIEW: Aberavon v Pontypridd

PREVIEW: Aberavon v Pontypridd

Ninth placed Aberavon welcome top-of-the-table Pontypridd to the Talbot Athletic Ground in the Principality Premiership this coming Saturday. (KO 2:30pm).

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The Sardis Road side have won all three of their league games this season, scoring bonus points in each one.
Head-to-head, Aberavon and Pontypridd have met each other 30 times in the league with Ponty leading the series 18-11 with one game drawn.

At the Talbot Athletic Ground, the Wizards lead 9-6 and won the corresponding fixture 29-27 last season whichwill be remembered for the amazing drop goal by Richard Carter.

Ponty make nine changes, positional or in personnel, from the starting line-up that battled to an unconvincing home win over Bridgend last time out. The versatile Aled Summerhill moves to centre with Matthew Nuthall slotting in at full back. A new back row combination is utilised as Owen Sheppeard takes over at blindside packing down alongside the experienced Wayne O’Connor and Dan Godfrey.

Recent additions to the Ponty sick list are centre Gavin Dacey and flanker Rhys Shellard – both with slight groin strains, whilst second row Craig Locke resumes a two match ban following a recent sending off.

Aberavon: 15 Morgan Williams 14 Kristian Corbisiero, 13 Matthew Jenkins, 12 Will Price, 11 Stef Andrews, 10 Nic Damjanovic,  9 David Pritchard; 1 Rowan Jenkins, 2 Gareth Harvey, 3 Chris John, 4 Ian Moore (Captain), 5 Ben Davies, 6 Lee Purnell, 7 Nathan Brown, 8 Chris Davies.
Replacements: 16 Chris Morgans  24 Ceiron Thomas 18 Joe Gage 19 Ieuan Davies 20 Ben Thomas 21 Adam Beard 22 Andrew Clatworthy 23 Neil White.

Pontypridd: 15 Matthew Nuthall 14 Lewis I Williams 13 Aled Summerhill 12 Dafydd Lockyer (Capt) 11 Owen Jenkins 10.Simon Humberstone 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 James Howe 2 Liam Belcher 3 Bradley Thyer 4 Seb Davies 5 Alex Jones 6.Owen Sheppeard 7 Wayne O’Connor 8 Dan Godfrey.
Replacements: 16 Dale Stuckey 17 Lewis K Williams 18 Chris Clayton 19 Aled Morris 20 Tom Hetherington 21 Luke Crocker 22 Chris Phillips.

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