The Ironmen’s drive to improve from Championship winners last season into Premiership champions this winter has been given a double boost with the addition of former Cardiff Blues and London Welsh prop Trevett and the 6ft 10in tall Namibian international lock to their squad.
With the season about to reach the half-way split, Merthyr are sitting on top of the table with the north Walians in fourth place – not bad given both teams were in the Championship last season. But while Merthyr are guaranteed their ticket into the top-eight in the second half of the season, Mark Jones’ RGC need a few more points to ensure they join them.
“We had two tough games against them last year, we know that they will bring, a big physical side and it will be a tough game. We need to turn up physically which we didn’t do last year against them and take the game to them,” admitted RGC skipper Maredydd Francis.
“At the start of the season we didn’t really talk about expectations or where we should finish, we were largely just happy to be where we were. First and foremost it is about finishing in the top eight.
“We’ve got to finish in the top eight and then who knows where we can go from then. We will re-evaluate after the next three games and see where we can go from there.
“There was no pressure on us at the start of the season, just the pressure that we put on ourselves, because we got into the Premiership by the skin of our teeth.”
The North Walians have lost their last three games against the current Premiership leaders, although they were all in the Championship – 54-14 and 62-17 last season and 27-21 at The Wern in 2014. They did, however, triumph 25-18 at home in the festive period of 2014.
Merthyr have ex-Aberavon star Richard Carter on the right wing and paired Rhys Downes and former Cardiff Blues outside half Gareth Dvies at half-back. Craig Locke will lead the side form the second row.
Merthyr: Matthew Jarvis; Richard Carter, Gavin Dacey, Aaron Pincers, Kyle Evans; Gareth Davies, Rhys Downes; Nathan Trevett, Rhys Williams, Rhys James, Ruan Ludick, Craig Locke (captain), Nick White, Ed Siggery, Phil Rees
Reps: Louis Jones, Nathan Buck, Matt Dwyer, Ben Murphy, Owen Jones, Adam Hoskins, David Bishop, Terri Gee.
Referee: Gwyn Morris(Cardiff)
