In a perfect world it would have been a battle between two unbeaten teams, but Cross Keys and Ebbw Vale threw a spanner in the works last weekend by lowering the colours of the top two. Cardiff will be looking to bounce back from a home defeat to the Steelmen, while Bedwas went down at Pandy Park.
The Bedwas team sees a return for George Gasson on the wing following Dragons duty last week, while Ross Wardle, who was unavailable for the trip to Cross Keys, also returns behind the scrum. In the pack, Morgan Allen returns after injury and lock Joe Davies comes back into the boiler house after doing Dragons duty.
Cardiff have lost centre Jack Roberts to the Blues for this weekend and switch Wales Under 20 cap Owen Lane from wing to centre. Up front, Ian Jenkins starts at hooker following his debut off the bench last weekend, while James Sheekey moves up a row to partner Ben White and allow Sion Bennett to make his first start for the club at No8.
Cross Keys No 8 Adam Powell will have the honour of leading his side at Sardis Road as he marks his 150th appearance for the club. He will have 17-year-old Taine Bahsam alongside him in the back row as Keys try to back up their 25-22 home win over Bedwas last weekend with another good result at Pontypridd.
The home side have made a couple of changes to the side that won 29-10 at Bargoed . Full back Geraint Walsh and No8 Hemi Barnes make their first competitive starts of the season, while Aled Summerhill is drafted in on the wing from the Blues senior squad.
Ebbw Vale host Merthyr at Eugene Cross Park, while Newport entertain Bargoed at Rodney Parade on Sunday.
Principality Premiership East Division
Saturday, 30 September
Bedwas v Cardiff
Ebbw Vale v Merthyr
Pontypridd v Cross Keys
Sunday, 1 October
Newport v Bargoed
EAST TEAMS
Bedwas v Cardiff
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; George Gasson, Ross Wardle, Adam Williams, Matthew John; Steffan Jones, Tom Rowlands; Bryn Toms, Dale Rogers, Rhys Hutcherson, James Richards, Joe Davies, Nathan Hudd, George Lee (captain), Morgan Allen,
Reps: Dan Preece, Alun Rees, Chris Budgen, Geraint Edmunds, A. N. Other, Nicky Griffiths, Lewis Evans, Mike Hathaway
Cardiff: Llywarch Ap Myrddin; Ceri Young, Owen Lane, Will Rees-Hole, Pat Lewis; Ben Thomas, Rhodri Cole; Rhys Carre, Ian Jenkins, Tom Mably, Ben White, James Sheekey, Reuben Tucker, Luke Crocker, Sion Bennett
Reps: Rob Lewis, Ryan Spriggs, Ken Dowding, James Murphy, Corey Tucker, Mike Hale, Gareth Thompson, Jack Phillips
Ebbw Vale v Merthyr
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Srdan Majkic, Dom Franchi, Dai Langdon, Toby Fricker; Lewis Dennet, Carl Lewis; Ross Jones, Rhys Francis, Rob Sevenoaks, Kristian Parker, Lance Randall, Rhys Clarke, Ronny Kynes (captain), Cameron Regan
Reps: Matthew Williams, Joel Harries, Joe Franchi, Josh James, Owen Jones, Dai Jones, Callum Hall, Garyn Payne
Merthyr: Mathew Jarvis; Kyle Evans, Harri Millard, Arron Pinches, Richard Carter; Ben Jones, Rhys Downes; James Howe, Matt Dwyer, Louis Jones, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke (captain), Ed Siggery, Osian Davies, Joe Bearman
Reps: Nathan Trevett, Richard Wilkes, Craig Davies, Ben Sier, Nick White, Adam Hoskins, Josh Martin, Tom Riley
Pontypridd v Cross Keys
Pontypridd: Geraint Walsh; Aled Summerhill, Garyn Smith, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Diggy Bird, Joel Raikes; Chris Phillips, Huw Dowden, Will Davies-King, Sean Moore, Chris Dicomidis, Rhys Shellard, Morgan Sieniawski, Hemi Barnes
Reps: Wayne Evans, Ceri Sweeney, Lloyd Rowlands, Joe Page, Alun Lawrence, Lee Evans, Huw Owen, Jonathan Elley
Cross Keys: Josh Prosser; Mathew Powell, Leon Andrews, Barney Nightingale, Lloyd Lewis; Goodchild; Corey Shephard, James Leadbeater; Lewis Smout, Rob Jones, Richard Cornock, Tom Lampard, Josh Skinner, Taine Basham, Joe Thomas, Adam Powell (captain)
Reps: Will Griffiths, Corey Hewlett, Gary Carpenter, Liam Davies, Scott Matthews, Phil Williams, Owen Leonard, Nathan Trowbridge
Newport v Bargoed
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Curtis Ayling, Chay Smith, Tom Pascoe, Jon Morris; Matt O’Brien, Owen Davies; John Lavender, Evan Whitson, Garin Harris, Gavin Bilton, Adam Brown, Joe Bartlett, Morgan Burgess, Kyle Tayler, Rhys Jenkins
Reps: Henry Palmer, Matt Prosser, Tom Piper, Alex Everett, Ryan James, Adam Sabri, Corey Howells
Bargoed: Matthew Lewis; Ashley Norton, Jordan Howells, Darren Humphries, David Evans; Iain Smerdon, James Pizzey; Rhys Morgan (captain), Lewys Lippiatt, Jack Williams, Matthew Thomas, Louis Blacker, Grant Rogers, Alex Herbert, Ieuan Jones
Reps: Craig Wilson, Callum Jones, Duane Dyer, Leigh Meades, Lewis Weyman, James Locke, Aled Gardner-Key, Phil Price
