Aberavon: Jonathan Phillips; Chris Banfield, Joe Thomas, Will Price, Stef Andrews; Aled Thomas, Rhodri Cole; Rowan Jenkins, Ieuan Davies, Geraint James, Shay Smallman, Sam Williams, Ashton Evans, Andrew Waite, Joe Tomalin-Reeves (capt)
Reps: Iwan Temblett, Dan Edwards, Joe Gage, Lloyd Evans, Luke Davies, Rhodri Hughes, Rhys Fawcett, Chris Davies
Newport: David Richards; Jon Morris, Cameron Lewis, Matt O’Brien (captain), Elliot Frewen; Will Reed, Luke Crane; Louis Jones, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, George Young, Josh Skinner, Rhys Jenkins, Lennon Greggains, Ben Roach
Reps: Jamie Jeune, Lewis Smout, Dan Suter, Andrew Mann, Josh Reid, Che Hope, Will Talbot-Davies, Dafydd Smith
ABERAVON
They say a bad dress rehearsal means it will be alright on the night, so maybe the Wizards’ 19-12 defeat at Bridgend last weekend was an omen for better things to come. If that was an uncharacteristic slip-up by one of the Premiership’s most consistent teams in recent years, head coach Jason Hyatt won’t want another today.
At their best they are a match for any team in the Premiership, as they have proven season after season, and Newport will know their first priority is to get to grips with a scrum that is among the most feared in Wales.
Aberavon have been to three WRU Challenge Cup finals before and come up short every time. Hyatt is hoping that his preparations have been precise enough to enable his side to break the hoodoo.
“Playing in big cup finals at the Principality Stadium is what it is all about. Many of our players won’t have played here before, and some won’t get an opportunity to play here again, so we need to make the most of it,” said Hyatt.
“Newport were top of the league for so long for a reason. Yes, they’ve had some disappointing results over the last couple of weeks, but they haven’t become a bad side overnight.
“They are a strong side. I think we’ve had a good season, and if a few tight results had gone our way it could have been even better. We see this as a massive opportunity to win silverware, and I’m very confident we will give a good account of ourselves.”
Outside half Aled Thomas may be 37, but he knows all about playing on the big stage having helped Wales win the 2009 World Cup Sevens title in Dubai. Hyatt also has the luxury of having current Wales U20 outside half Dan Edwards on his bench to relieve Thomas later in the game.
When the two teams clashed in the Premiership in December, Newport came out on top 30-25 at the Talbot Athletic Ground. It is likely to be another tight contest, but you can expect plenty of tries from two of the most creative teams in the league.
The agonies of 1974, 1975 and 2011 still live with the Wizards and their supporters. Perhaps today will be their day to finally carry home the cup!
NEWPORT
Last month you would probably have considered it a pretty safe investment in putting your house on Newport winning the Indigo Group Premiership. And if you were feeling a bit sporty, a league and cup double would have been worth a punt as well.
But back-to-back home defeats in the league to RGC and Merthyr cost the Black & Ambers any chance of an unbeaten season after nine wins in a row. Now they are left hoping Merthyr can do them a favour against Cardiff later this week to stop their biggest rivals stealing the prize from right under their noses.
It is the first season in 143 years of trying that Newport have managed to beat Cardiff four times – a treasured milestone in the club’s illustrious history – but that merely brings bragging rights. What team manager Mark Workman and his players really want is silverware.
“The league title is out of our hands now and we just have to hope Merthyr can rise to the occasion and beat Cardiff again in what will be an emotional game for them given it will be Dale McIntosh’ last game in charge,” said Workman.
“They play on the Friday night and we finish up in Carmarthen later that weekend. We’ve got two games to go this season and we have to win both of them to try to get our hands of some silverware.
“We’ve had a week off, we’re refreshed and ready for a big game against Aberavon at the Principality Stadium. We’ve regrouped since those two league defeats and everyone is focussed on winning something.”
What should help their cause after an awful spate of injuries is the return to the No 10 role of young Will Reed, whose midfield partnership with skipper Matt O’Brien has been crucial to their success this season.
Also on the mend are Elliot Frewen and Josh Skinner, giving the side a more familiar look just at the right time. Reed was taken up into the Dragons squad for the two recent defeats, while Frewen has only just returned after fracturing his draw in the semi-final win over Cardiff.
Newport have been the most attractive and dangerous side in the top flight of Welsh rugby this season and O’Brien, who has been doubling as the Wales U18 head coach of late, has been the catalyst.
With Reed, Frewen and Skinner back, and Dragons back row man Lennon Greggains in the pack, then they might just light up the Principality Stadium today and pick up the prize they so desperately want.
