The 2017 WRU National Cup winners are unable to play at their regular home at Stadiwm Zip World at the weekend and so have chosen to take the game 25 miles away to the Division 1 North club. It is a move that has excited RGC head coach, Mark Jones.
“RGC can’t succeed, on and off the field, without the support from the North Wales clubs and we thank Ruthin for allowing us to play the game there. We played one of our pre-season games at Denbigh, and I know the boys enjoyed the experience, so Saturday will be another opportunity to give our supporters something to cheer about,” said Jones.
RGC will go into this season without two of their recent stalwarts, South African centre Tiaan Loots and New Zealand outside half Jacob Botica. They have both used the Premiership as a springboard to gain professional contracts at the Dragons this season.
Evan Yardley is all set to captain the side and two newcomers are Billy McBryde and Joel Ringer. They are both sons of former Welsh internationals, with McBryde being well known in north Wales as the player who kicked the winning penalty for Wales Under 20 against Scotland at Colwyn Bay in 2016.
The son of current Wales forwards coach Robin McBryde, who was born and bred in north Wales, he will fill the boots left vacant by points machine Botica. McBryde scored 307 points in 46 matches for Llanelli over the past four seasons.
Ringer, the son of former Wales flanker Paul, is a front row forward who has yet to fulfil his obvious potential who has had spells at the Blues, Dragons, Bridgend, Toulon and Vannes. There have also been a number of players from the RGC Academy who have stepped into the senior squad, Bailey Rae, Sam Rodgers, Will Sanderson, Shaun Owen and Shaun Thomas, while the Pwllheli captain of last season, scrum half Nick Butterworth, is another newcomer.
The Gogs warmed up for the season with wins over Caldy (21-12) and Dragons U23 (44-36) and will be looking for ways to improve on their fourth place finish last season.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP ROUND 1 – SATURDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER
Aberavon v Swansea
Bargoed v Llandovery
Bedwas v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Merthyr
Carmarthen Quins v Newport
Cross Keys v Bridgend
Llanelli v Ebbw Vale
RGC 1404 v Neath (at Cae Ddol, Ruthin)
