Last season’s Championship ‘Invincibles’ have already picked up two wins at home in the top-flight and will be seeking to stretch their incredible run at the Park even further. Their last league defeat at home came 2,739 days ago at the hands of RGC.
Since then Pooler have gone 58 league games unbeaten and that record remains intact so far in the Premiership.
“The confidence is building, and we are towards the top of the table. We just want to push on and keep getting wins,” said win Ewan Rosser in the wake of their latest triumph at Aberavon.
“When we first came into the league nobody really knew what to expect but the feeling is building, and we’ve proved we deserve to be here. We’re not really fearing anyone.”
Pontypool have been benefitting from a strong relationship with the Dragons, along with the two other Indigo Prem clubs from Gwent, top of the table Ebbw Vale and fourth placed Newport
“The partnership with the region is strong, it’s as strong as it’s ever been,” explained Pooler’s head coach Leighton Jones.
“The working relationship we have is really healthy and as strong as it’s ever been. If we, as a club, can be part of the path to professional rugby for these young players, we are more than happy to do so.
“These boys come in and they buy into everything we do. We couldn’t have wished for better boys to come into the club – they are down to earth.
“They add massively to us as a playing unit but also to the unit in the week. They are great lads to have around.”
Wales U20 caps Sam Scarfe, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths and Huw Anderson continue to make big contributions at Pontypool after helping them to go through last season unbeaten. Jones also has scrum half Morgan Lloyd and wing Walker Price on attachment from the Dragons Academy this season.
Gareth Wyatt’s Ponty side will at least go into the game on the back of two much needed wins having won at The Gnoll against Neath and at home against Bridgend. The two clubs met this season in a pre-season friendly at Sardis Road, when a late Pontypool try wasn’t enough to stop the hoe side winning 28-21.
Cardiff will play hooker Joey Tomlinson in the back row at Bridgend, but will have Will Davies-King, who was named in the Wales World Cup training squad, at tight head prop as they seek to break into the play-off places.
The 2022 champions, and last season’s runners-up, picked up a full set of points against Neath last weekend to banish the memory of back-to-back defeats to Ebbw Vale and Llandovery. Bridgend will provide them with another stern test.
“Coming on the back of a five-point win at home it will be a very different challenge this weekend. We will be playing on grass, a surface we don’t train or play on too much, and the weather will make that surface a difficult one, especially against a side that is buoyant and on the up,” said Cardiff head coach Steve Law.
“There are a few changes from last week and some players playing out of position but we are excited by the challenge and looking to put in a performance that we will need to get the result we are after.”
Former Cardiff Rugby wing Jason Harries partners Luke Pollock at centre, with Joe Goodchild coming in at full back. Wales U20 outside half Harrison James partners Tom Habberfield at half-back.
Newport head to Carmarthen Quins hoping to remain in the top four, while league leaders Ebbw Vale travel to The Gnoll to face bottom of the table Neath.
