Cross Keys host Abercarn and Risca at Pandy Park on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm), while last season’s Tier 1 runners-up, Aberavon, will stage a Past v Present match at the Talbot Athletic Ground (kick-off 4.00pm). Neath, who were runners-up in Tier 2, head to Ystalyfera (kick-off 2.30pm).
Here is some other news from around the clubs as the countdown to the opening day of the new season gathers momentum.
RGC 1404
The WRU National Cup holders have been boosted by the news that Evan Yardley, Afon Bagshaw, George Roberts ,Sam Jones and Dan Owen have all put pen to paper on new deals.
Head coach Mark Jones has also recruited a Welsh-qualified prop, Curtis Reynolds, from Scottish Premiership club Gala. Born in Plymouth to a Welsh father, Reynolds played in the game against Wales in June.
“With Phil John focusing on coaching this season it created a gap, so Curtis gives us that depth in the squad,” said Jones.
PONTYPRIDD
Pontypridd have drafted two players from Penallta into their squad for the coming campaign, full back Lloyd Rowlands and flanker Ross Morgan. Both have been training with their new club over the summer and are now looking to make the step-up from Division 1 East to Premiership level.
The 26-year-old Rowlands, who can also play on the wing, learned his rugby at Senghennydd and Caerphilly before joining Penallta, where he helped the club win the WRU National Plate last season. Morgan captained of the Pitmen last season, when they also won the Mid District Cup, and has previously played at Bedwas.
Wing Joe Davies, centre Brad Coombes and No8 Owen Sheppeard have all left the club.
SWANSEA
Swansea have confirmed that Nick Roberts will take over from Rhodri Jones as their backs coach for the forthcoming season. The Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School PE teacher Roberts is a former Bath Rugby and Celtic Warriors Academy player who represented the Ospreys at Under 18 and Under 20 levels.
He spent two seasons at Glamorgan Wanderers in 2006-08 before spending time at Aberavon, Cardiff and Bridgend. His playing career came to an end at the Brewery Field in 2011 through injury at the tender age of 24.
He quickly turned to coaching and he helped guide Llandaff RFC from the bottom of Division 4 in 2011 to third place two years later. He also got involved with coaching the Ospreys U18 (regional champions), Ospreys Under 16 East, Ospreys U16 combined side and Bridgend County youth teams.
“Swansea is a fantastic club with significant history and they have a young, talented backline with a lot of potential,” said Roberts, who coached at Bridgend last season.
ABERAVON
Former Wales U20 and Wales Sevens international Chris Davies has been appointed as Aberavon’s defence coach after hanging up his boots at the end of last season.
It is a job that will make Davies, a veteran of 228 games for the Wizards over a 10 year spell, the busiest man at the club. He is already the Commercial and Marketing Manager who also manages the Community Programme delivered by a Community Officer in local schools.
“Chris has a great understanding of rugby, his sevens experience together with his extensive knowledge of the 15-a-side game will ensure our players receive the best coaching available and are fully prepared for competition,” said Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt.
“Chris has earned the respect of everyone at Aberavon both on and off the field during his playing career. I’m positive he will have the same impact as a member of our coaching team.”
Davies will join Hyatt, Lyndon Lewis (assistant coach), Howard Thomas (conditioning coach) and Jamie Davies (skills coach) on the coaching team. Marc Breeze is also returning to the club as a player / coach.
“I’m delighted and honoured to be asked to coach at Aberavon, especially after being a player at the club for 10 seasons. My pure focus will be the contact area and defence and, with some new law changes, it will be a good challenge for players to adapt to new strategies,” said Davies.
James Garland will captain the club for the 2017/18 season. The Clydach-born outside half has played 96 games for the Wizards, scoring 509 points.
LLANDOVERY
Llandovery will be skippered by back row man Richard Brooks this season, with Lee Rees acting as his vice-captain. Brooks has made 139 appearances for the Drovers since joining from Llandovery in 2011, while Rees reached 207 games last season in his nine year stint to date at the club.
As well as the experience provided by Brooks and Rees, head coach Euros Evans will also have a lot of younger talent to incorporate into his side. Scarlets academy players Corey Baldwin, Scott Jenkins, Lewis Ellis-Jones and Tomi Lewis will continue their development at Church Bank, while Wales Under 18 prop Llyr Green, a former Coleg Sir Gâr student, is joining the club.
“It’s always a challenge to get the balance right between experience and development. We take seriously our commitment to develop players for the Scarlets and Wales Under 20, but we believe it’s essential for these players to have experience around them to help them improve as players,” said Evans.
“Lewis, Llyr and Tomi have all been selected for the Wales U18 tour to South Africa. Although they are young we are confident they will quickly become key players in our squad.”
Further experience will be provided with the recruitment of former Scarlets wing, and Wales World Cup Sevens winner, Lee Williams, Wales Under 20 lock Jones and ex-Wales Under 18 hooker Ricky Guest. Williams has joined from Carmarthen Quins, Jones arrives from a spell in England and Guest has transferred from Swansea.
Jack’s a Llandovery college old boy, and he’s been capped at Wales under 16, 18 and 20. He was a member of the Scarlets squad in season 2015-16 before going to play in England last year.
LLANELLI
Nothing is likely to faze Phil Davies in his new job as head coach at Llanelli RFC, After all, the current Namibia international coach is a former skipper at the club and was also took the Scarlets to the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup during his time as head coach at the region.
He has coached at Leeds, Cardiff Blues and Worcester Warriors at the highest level, but also been involved with Cardiff, RGC 1404 and Swansea at Premiership level. Nothing should be new to him s he leads a new-look coaching group at the club which will include Dai Flanagan (defence) and Paul Fisher (attack).
“Having spent my near 15 year playing career with Llanelli RFC it’s an honour to be returning as head coach. I know how special the club is and I was immensely proud to pull on the Llanelli jersey,” said Davies.
“As well as developing a clear and aligned game plan for the immediate future ensuring that Llanelli is competitive in the new-look Principality Premiership, I also believe it’s vitally important that we create an environment that nurtures pride in the shirt.
“We have a very proud history that gives us a solid foundation to build on and develop our own legacy going forward. We have a lot of potential within the group as players, coaches and backroom staff alike and I’m looking forward to seeing the fruits of our combined labour.”
BRIDGEND
Bridgend Ravens have recruited former Cardiff Blues academy and Pontpridd back row forward Dafi Davfies.
The west Wales-born farmer grew up in Llantwit Major and learned his rugby at Millfield School. He played for Llanharan and Cardiff before joining Ponty on a permanent basis in 2015.
“Pre-season so far has been frustrating as I’m carrying an existing shoulder injury. My main focus is to get match fit at the moment and get up to speed with the rest of the boys,” said the 22-year-old Davies.
“It is a young, ambitious squad with a great work ethic. The boys have been great in welcoming me to the squad, particularly as I haven’t yet been able to fully participate in training.”
NEWPORT
Stuart Lawrence has joined the coaching team at Newport. The 40-year-old former outside half has coached at Pontypool United, Pontypool and Brymawr in the past and enjoyed a distinguished career at Glamorgan Wanderers, Caerphilly and Pontypool.
“Having recently achieved my Level 4 coaching qualification I’m keen to make an impact in the Welsh Premiership. I’m really looking forward to working with Craig Warlow and Ty Morris to develop what is a young, but very talented Newport squad,” said Lawrence.
“Craig and Ty are two quality coaches and I hope that by adding an extra pair of eyes we can develop the environment within the squad and so improve the performances on the pitch.”
CARDIFF
Joe Tomlinson has taken over from Luke Ford as captain at Cardiff for the new season. The Cardiff-born hooker has played 62 times in Blue & Black since his debut at Richmond in 2014 and has represented the Cardiff Blue Premiership XV on a regular basis. Having been brought up in Llanishen he went on to play for his home club before moving to UWIC.
“I had no hesitation in accepting the offer. To captain the capital city club is a huge honour and something that I had experience of when Luke Ford was unavailable last season,” said the 24-year-old, who scored eight tries last season.
“The squad is coming together with a mix of some of the players from last season and some experience and new talent being brought in. I am really looking forward to the new season and believe that we can do something special.”
Former Blues Academy product James Sheekey has joined the club on a full-time basis and new head coach Steve Law has replaced Khalid Jama as assistant coach with the former Aberavon outside half James Dixon.
