You might expect a clash between the unbeaten leaders of the Indigo Premiership against the team languishing at the bottom without a win to their name to be a bit of a forgone conclusion.
If you throw in friendlies, Aberavon are 10 out of 10 this season and have taken a maximum haul of 30 points from their six league games this season. They have proved unstoppable to date but will head to Newport unsure of what is waiting for them.
The last time the two teams met, it was the Black & Ambers who came out on top in the WRU Premiership Cup final at Principality Stadium. Newport also finished second in the league, pipped at the post by Cardiff for the title.
Things haven’t gone their way this season, but last weekend’s big cup win at Swansea might just have got them back on track. Their 45–17 win at St Helen’s contained seven tries and avenged a heavy league defeat the previous weekend.
The home side will also have extra motivation to post their first league win of the season with Kyle Tayler making his 100th appearance and Elliot Frewen his 200th. The game is also being played at their traditional home, Rodney Parade.
Aberavon ended last weekend eight points clear at the top, but that could be cut to three if results go against them.
Newport: Ioan Davies; Lloyd Lewis, Cameron Lewis, Matt O’Brien (captain), Elliot Frewen; Will Reed, Luke Crane; Thomas Davies, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, Josh Skinner, Ryan Woodman, Kyle Tayler, George Young, Ben Roach
Reps: Jack Gillard, Joe Popple, Luke Yendle, Craig Hudd, Josh Reid, Dafydd Buckland, Chay Foster-Smith, Jon Morris
Aberavon: Stef Andrews; Frankie Jones, Bradley Roderick, Joe Gage, Jay Baker; Aled Thomas, Rhodri Cole; Rhys Fawcett, Ieuan Davies, Chris Davies, Shay Smallman, Sam Williams, Ashton Evans, Lloyd Evans, Andrew Waite
Reps: Rowan Jenkins, Luke Davies, Geraint James, Sam Pailor, Joe Tomalin-Reeves, Aled Rees, Chris Banfield, Jonathan Phillips
