You have to go back to 16 September at Sardis Road for the last time the Ironmen were beaten in the Premiership. Since then they have won 16 games in a row and currently sit three points clear of Carmarthen Quins.
They haven’t lost at home since 9 September, when Bedwas won 37-24 at The Wern, and have only been beaten three times this season. Ponty’s 42-29 success at home was turned on its head in the return match in the first phase of the competition when they were beaten 50-21 in November.
Pontypridd welcome back skipper Dafydd Lockyer which allows Ceri Sweeney to revert to the No 10 jersey. The highly promising Alun Lawrence steps in at No8 as Hemi Barnes is rested with a recurring shoulder problem, while flanker Jake Thomas is ready to make his first appearance of the season off the bench after recovering from a long term injury.
Cardiff Blues and Wales Under 20 props Corey Domachowski and Kieran Assiratti start in the Ponty front row and their scrum battle with the experienced duo of Nathan Trevett and Joe Rees could be critical in the outcome of the game.
Carmarthen Quins were the last team to beat Premiership West winners RGC 1404, 25-22 on 1 December, but will have to try to do it without home advantage this weekend if they are to hold onto second spot. The Gogs have won their two games to date in the second phase and are unbeaten at home in the Premiership this season.
Cardiff travel to Llandovery hoping to carry the form of the second half of last week’s game into the clash at Church Bank. Steve Law’s side won the second half of their 25-20 home defeat to Merthyr 17-3 to grab a losing bonus point.
The Drovers are unbeaten on home soil this season and will present a tough challenge for the Blue & Blacks, who Dan Fish, Will Rees-Hole and Lewis Jones starting in their back line. Former Scarlets No 8 Rory Pitman will get his first start in the back row and Blues lock James Down is set for his 102nd appearance for the club.
Neath will be hoping to give new coaching consultant Lyn Jones something positive to talk about when he returns to The Gnoll to start work on Monday after returning from Namibia. Beaten 66-3 in North Wales by RGC 1404 in their last outing, the Welsh All Blacks will have Alec Jenkins, Gavin Evans and Scott Gibson back in harness behind the scrum for their home clash with Bedwas.
Ebbw Vale head to the Brewery Field for the second time this week when they attempt to notch a quickfire double over Bridgend having beaten them 33-12 in their re-arranged WRU National Cup tie on Tuesday night.
Having lost to RGC 1404 and Cardiff in their two games to date in the second half of the Premiership campaign, the Ravens will be hoping it is third time lucky against the Steelmen, who have already beaten Pontypridd and Llanelli.
The action gets underway on Friday night with Newport hosting Llanelli at Rodney Parade. Bargoed entertain Aberavon and Swansea welcome Cross Keys to St Helen’s to complete the programme.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP TEAMS – 17 FEBRUARY
Bargoed v Aberavon
Bargoed: Matthew Lewis; Ashley Norton, Jordan Howells, Lewis Bowden, David Evans; Calum Jones, James Pizey; Rhys Morgan (captain), Leigh Meades, Alex Gardner-Key, James Locke, Louis Blacker, Adam Coupe, Jon Armitage, Ieuan Jones
Reps: Matthew Bancroft, Duane Dyer, Luke Smalley, Matthew Thomas, Geraint Clarke, Lewis Weyman, Kyle Griffiths, Keagan Bale
Aberavon: Chris Banfield; Jay Baker, Joe Thomas, Will Price, Shaun Pearce; James Garland (captain), David Pritchard; Rowan Jenkins, Ieuan Davies, Jon Thomas, Ben Thomas, Jacob Blackmore, Lee Purnell, Luke Joseph, Joe Tomalin-Reeves
Reps: Jacob Flynn, Liam Popham, Callum Morris, Ben Jones, Rob Dudley-Jones, Jordan Walters, Rhys Forse, Marc Breeze
Bridgend v Ebbw Vale
Bridgend: Jonny Phillips; Ryan Griffiths, Nathan Edwards, Jamie Murphy, Joe Gatt; Ryan Evans, Chris Williams; Rhodri Apsee, Gareth Harvey, Cai Lewis, Chris John, Kieran Martin, Adam O’Driscoll (captain), Dafi Davies, Matthew John
Reps: Dewi Lake, Ollie Evans, Neil Elworthy, Ashton Evans, Tom Morgan, Zac O’Driscoll, Will Baird, Garin Lougher
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Stefan Thomas, James Lewis, Dominic Franchi, Toby Fricker; Callum Hall, Dai Jones; Ross Jones, Joe Franchi, Rob Sevenoaks, Kristian Parker, Lance Randall, Rhys Clarke, Cameron Regan, Ronny Kynes (captain)
Reps: Rhys Francis, Joel Harries, Jordan Rogers, Lewis Young, Jonathan Davies, Sam Ireland, Dorian Jones, Srdan Majkic
Llandovery v Cardiff
Llandovery: TBC
Cardiff: Dan Fish; James Beal, Will Rees-Hole, Adam Jones, Llywarch Ap Myrddin; Gareth Thompson, Lewis Jones; Fraser Young, Corrie Tarrant, Peter Lloyd, James Down, James Murphy, Ben White, Luke Crocker (captain), Rory Pitman
Reps: Kieron Brown, Ian Jenkins, Adam Court, Callum Bradbury, Tom Daley, Joe Miles, Nicky Griffiths, Dafydd Smith
Merthyr v Pontypridd
Merthyr: Matt Jarvis; Richard Carter, Josh Martin, Arron Pinches, Alex Howman; Gareth Davies, Justin James; Nathan Trevett, Rhys Williams, Joe Rees, Ben Sier, Craig Locke (captain), Nick White, Ed Siggery, Phil Rees
Reps: Louis Jones, Richard Wilkes, Szabolcs Pocskai, Jarryd-Lee Davies, Lee Evans, Adam Hoskins, Richard Powell, Matthew Trowbridge
Pontypridd: Dale Stuckey; Lewis Williams, Geraint Walsh, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Alex Webber; Ceri Sweeney, Wayne Evans; Corey Domachowski, Huw Dowden, Kieran Assiratti, Josh Hawkins, Chris Dicomidis, Sean Moore, Rhys Shellard, Alun Lawrence
Reps: Joel Raikes, Diggy Bird, Matthew Billett, Joe Page, Morgan Sieniawski, Jake Thomas, Ian George, Tom Mabley
Neath v Bedwas
Neath: Ed Howley; James Roberts, Matthew Pearce, Gavin Evans (captain), Alec Jenkins; Iwan Evans, Scott Gibson; Ben Uphill, Sion Crocker, Geraint James, Matthew Davies, Jon Barley, Rhys Jones, Aled Morris, Elis Hopkins
Reps: Liam Tobias, Garin Lloyd, Ryan Thomas, Ryan Bean, Ceri White, Dalton Brown, Ryan Pugh, Chris Morgans
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; Pat Lewis, Connor Edwards, Mike Callow, Pat Howard; Steffan Jones, Tom Rowlands; Bryn Toms, Alun Rees (captain), Dan Suter, Craig Hudd, Geraint Edmunds, James Richards, David McGuigan, Andrew Waite
Reps: Rhys Hutcherson, Dale Rogers, Tom Devine, Gareth Allen, Ben Thompson, Luke Crane, Lewis Evans, Adam Williams
Newport v Llanelli
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Harri Lang, Tom Pascoe, Chay Smith, Jon Morris; Haydn Simons, Ryan James; Nicky Boyce, Will Evans, Garin Harris, Joe Bartlett, Dan Partridge, Rhys Cresswell, Josh Reid, Alex Everett
Reps: Henry Palmer, John Lavender, Tom Piper, Andrew Mann, Morgan Burgess, Owen Davies, Matt O’Brien, Adam Sabri.
Llanelli: Leon Randell; Ashley Evans, Ben Atkins, Oliver Reyland, Matthew Jenkins; Ioan Hughes, Gareth George; Rhys Thomas, Craig Thomas, Richard Bassett, Ashleigh Hyndman, Bryce Morgan, Ellis Thomas, Lloyd Pike, Nathan Hart (captain)
Reps: Callum Jenkins, Ben Edwards, Ben Leung, Elliot Rees, Lee Thomas, Matthew Flanagan, Kieran Griffiths, Kalum Evans
RGC1404 v Carmarthen Quins
RGC: Dion Jones; Iolo Evans, Tom Hughes, Tiaan Loots, Harri Evans; Jacob Botica, Alex Schwarz; Curtis Reynolds, Evan Yardley, Charlie Connolly, Maredydd Francis (captain), Robin Williams, Andrew Williams, Dan Owen, Tim Grey
Reps: George Roberts, Joe Simpson, Jordan Scott, Rhys Williams, Calum Donnelly, Efan Jones, Danny Cross, Rhys Williams
Quins: Aled Thomas; Dale Ford, Jack Price, Josh Batcup, Dylan Morgans; Steff Marshall, Aled James; Gethin Robinson, Torin Myhill, Javan Sebastian, Josh Helps, Haydn Pugh (captain), Shaun Jones, Lewys Millin, Richard Bloomfield
Reps: Steff Phillips, Rhodri Clancy, Steff Thomas, Lee Taylor, Lawrence Reynolds, Ifan Beynon-Thomas, Scott Lloyd, Morgan Griffiths
Swansea v Cross Keys
Swansea: Richard Fussell; Andrew Claypole, Rhys Williams, John Rhys Williams, Daniel Howells; Gareth Walters, Matthew Aubrey; Tom Sloane (captain), Paul John, Mitchell Walsh, Sam Kiley, Jamie Williams, Jon Vaughan, Ben Davies, Jonathan Fox
Reps: Thomas Ball, Jack Powell, Richard Murphy, Steffan Jones, Jordan Sherman, Josh Guy, James Davies, Owen Howe
Cross Keys: Josh Prosser; Mathew Powell, Lewis Barnett, Jarryd Sage, Barney Nightingale; Corey Shephard, James Leadbeater; Corey Hewlett, Darren Hughes, Richard Cornock, Tom Lampard, Scott Andrews, Josh Skinner, Scott Matthews, Adam Powell
Reps: Gary Carpenter, Luke Garrett, Scott Evans, Harvey Reader, Ashley Gibson, Joe Thomas, Owain Leonard, Ben Snell
