It will be the first time in four years The Gnoll has staged a premiership fixture, while it is 11 since Pontypool Park hosted a top-flight fixture.
Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Neath were the most feared team in Wales, but they slipped into the third tier – the WRU Championship – in 2019.
After a hard road back, Pat Horgan’s men clinched promotion last season and although they lost a nice-to-see-you-again derby at Aberavon in their opening Premiership fixture last week, 27-14, they will be confident of opening their account in front of their own fans.
Former Wales wing Dafydd Howells is back with the club and a was a tryscorer last week. The 28-year-old was approached to return to his former club by head coach Horgan.
“The offer was to go back after I’d played a season with my home club Abercrave and I thought, ‘why not?’ Let’s see if I’ve still got it in the legs,” said Howells.
“The young boys here will do well in the Premiership. They want to learn, they want to listen, and I think that can only serve Neath well in the Premiership this year.”
Carmarthen Quins will arrive at Neath also having suffered a defeat on the opening weekend.
Reigning champions Llandovery hammered out an eight try warning to their rivals that they are in no mood to relinquish their title as they went to the Quins and won 54-31.
If there was a sting in the tale from the home side, who picked up two late tries to turn a 36-point deficit at 54-17 into a 23-point defeat in the end, it was small consolation for going under to their bitterest rivals.
Llandovery entertain Merthyr in round two, the Ironmen coming off the back of a fine victory, 24-17, at home to the Steelmen of Ebbw Vale. Adam Hoskins, Wales sevens cap Morgan Sieniawski and a penalty try gave Merthyr a 21-0 interval lead before the Steelmen hit back after the break.
Ebbw Vale will be at home against Pontypridd this weekend. Jason Strange will have had mixed feelings about the opening day defeat at Merthyr, although the second half revival did at least allow the Steelmen to pinch a point at The Wern.
Pontypridd, meanwhile, ended up drawing 19-19 at Sardis Road in their opening game against Cardiff thanks to a try in the last play from centre Will Keep.
They are much improved on last season having brought in former Cardiff Blues stalwarts Garyn Smith at centre and Macauley Cook in the second row. They made a major impact and will be key men once again at Eugene Cross Park.
You have to go all the way back to 23 April 2016 for the last time Pontypool lost a home league match – 20-17 to RGC in the then SSE Swalec Championship. After losing their first game back in the top-tier of Welsh rugby at Rodney Parade on Sunday, 36-27, Leighton Jones will be hoping his side can get back to winning ways on home turf this weekend.
“Last year we were used to being in front coming into the last 15-20 minutes. That didn’t happen against Newport and the boys are going to have to adapt to that,” said Jones.
“We’re going to have to look at who we have playing in that period. Keeping the ball and holding onto territory is going to be important.”
If there were lessons to be learned by the newly promoted team at Rodney Parade, there were also plenty of positives to take out of a wonderful, passion-packed Gwent derby. Newport’s greater experience carried them through to a bonus-point victory, but if Pooler play like that every week they are going to upset a number of teams.
“There were a few errors just before half-time, but we are only gong to get better from experiences like that. Nobody likes losing, but it wasn’t a bad start,” added Jones.
Swansea had victory snatched from their grasp with a seventh penalty from Luke Price against Bridgend at St Helen’s last weekend. The Whites will need to brush up on their discipline at Pontypool Park if they are to stand any chance of ended their hosts’ seven-year unbeaten run on home turf.
Skipper Scott Matthews should be fit enough to start against Swansea having come on at Newport after being used off the bench following a finger injury.
Cardiff will bid to get their first win at the Arms Park against RGC, who head south for their first match of the season. Bridgend now host Aberavon, with both teams going into the game on the back of opening day victories.
Newport are the team that sit things out.
