Gareth Llewellyn’s Welsh All Blacks are improving, but just cannot get over the line and clinch what would be their first Premiership win of the season. They thought it was coming at Bridgend last weekend, only to be undone by a late, late try.
Neath will be without centre Keiran Williams and scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams, who are on duty with Wales Under 20, so Aaron Bramwell and Ryan Evans return behind the scrum. With Sion Crocker and Ieuan Dobbs unavailable, Aled Morris resumes hooking duties with Maesteg’s Keiren Mattocks re-appearing on the replacements’ bench alongside former Kenfig Hill winger Aaron Grabham.
Back row forward Jordan Collier makes his first start since last October and joins the in-form Calum Davies and Josh Cole. Their task tonight couldn’t be much harder as Llandovery are bidding to bridge the six point gap between them and table-topping Pontypridd – and the one point that separates them from Ebbw Vale in second place.
The top two teams meet at Eugene Cross Park in what is a repeat of last season’s Premiership final. The Steelmen have won their last seven games in a row in the Premiership and were 26-18 victors’ at Sardis Road on 31 October.
Ebbw Vale coach Nigel Davies has made two changes from the side that hammered Llanelli last weekend for a match that could see his side provide another twist in the race for the play-offs. Cameron Regan and Matthew Williams come in for Rhys Clarke and Joe Franchi in the back row and at scrum half.
Former Welsh international Ceri Sweeney continues in the No 10 role for the champions, but they will travel with a heap of injury worries. Ruled out with hamstring strains are back row men Dan Godfrey and Dafi Davies, while locks Jordan Sieniawski and Chris Dicomidis are also sidelined with concussion and ankle damage respectively.
Flanker Rhys Shellard is away on leave, whilst both Lewis Williams’ – wing and outside half – are tied up with work commitments. Ponty have drafted Llanharan flanker Rob Jones onto their bench.
Cross Keys will be hoping to get back to winning ways after successive defeats to Pontypridd and Bedwas in the past week, albeit in different tournaments, when they host Carmarthen Quins at Pandy Park as they attempt to get back into the play-off race.
Newport and Cardiff will meet for the 422nd time when they clash at Rodney Parade. Cardiff beat Bedwas last weekend and will have former Wales scrum half Tavis Knoyle in their ranks, while former league leaders Newport, who have two games in hand on the three clubs above them, will be looking to keep up the pressure Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Llandovery.
Having lost their last three games – 16-14 at Llandovery, 24-20 at home to Pontypridd and 26-8 at Newport – Aberavon need to pick up a win when they host Llanelli at the Talbot Athletic Ground. They led by 20 points against Pontypridd before losing their grip on proceedings, while it was an injury time penalty in Llandovery last weekend that broke their hearts.
Bedwas host struggling Bridgend and will be looking to build on their 28-24 Foster’s Challenge Cup win at Cross Keys earlier in the week that earned them a semi-final place. It was their fifth win in six matches in Pool 3 and they will now face Pool 1 winners Carmarthen Quins at home in the semi-finals on Sunday, 20 March (2.30pm).
Pool 2 winners Pontypridd will host Cardiff, who qualified as the best runner-up with their 18 points from four wins also in Pool 2, in the last four.
Principality Premiership Fixtures
Friday, 12 March
Neath v Llandovery (7.30pm)
Saturday, 12 March
Bedwas v Bridgend (12 noon)
Cross Keys v Carmarthen Quins (1.00pm)
Ebbw Vale v Pontypridd (1.30pm)
Llanelli v Aberavon (1.00pm)
Newport v Cardiff (12.30pm)
