Evans has watched Pooler power their way up the table following their return to the top-flight after a decade away and hasn’t been surprised at the way they have strung together a magnificent run of seven straight wins to move to within four points of the Drovers.
“Pontypool are a team that is used to winning and they’ve brought forward the momentum they had in the Championship last season into the Premiership. They’ve done a great job so far,” said Evans.
“It’s going to be a great game and the good thing is it looks like being a dry day on Saturday. It’s an important game, but not a season defining one for either of us.
“There are still many games to play and any of the teams in the top six is capable of beating anyone else.”
The only slip up so far this season for Evans’ side came at Ebbw Vale. Other than that it has been business as usual for the side who beat Cardiff at the Arms Park in last season’s final to win the Premiership title for the first time.
It will be their 13th home game of the year at Church Bank and they have only lost twice to date – to Merthyr in January and Aberavon in March.
Hoping to make it ‘unlucky 13’ will be Scott Matthews, the Pontypool captain. He isn’t going to worry too much about the reputation of his side’s hosts this weekend as he keeps trying to steer his side back to the top.
Last season’s ‘invincibles’ at Championship level have proved more than a match for most of the teams they have met in the top tier to date and they will head to Church Bank hoping to close the four point gap on the current leaders.
“It’s going to be another tough game and I hope the army of Pooler fans who have supported us so well this season will travel in good numbers to help give us a lift,” said Matthews.
“What they have done so far as help to add extra edge to out games. When the rugby gets edgy, that’s when you see some teams making mistakes.
“We are full of confidence at the moment and that is born out of our fitness, willingness to stay in the fight and the togetherness of the playing group.
“There has been something to prove in every game we’ve played to date, and this weekend won’t be any exception. The Drovers are very well respected, they are the champions, and they have some very good players and coaches.”
Ebbw Vale are the only team to have lowered the colours of the champions to date this season, and they are three points ahead of second placed Newport. The Black & Ambers have a game in hand and will be hoping their Gwent rivals can topple the Drovers to allow them to take over at the top with a win at Cardiff Arms Park.
The latest clash of one of world rugby’s greatest derby fixtures will see Ty Morris’ men head into the game in a great position to avenge their cup defat at the same venue earlier in the season.
“We were top of the table for a day last week, but we aren’t getting ahead of ourselves. Every team in the top half of the table is capable of beating the others and we are only seven games into the season,” said Morris.
“Cardiff have only had one slip up this season and are still in the cup, so we know they will be a tough team to beat on their own patch. We won’t be making many changes in out style or personnel from last weekend and hope we can maintain our current momentum.”
Fourth place Ebbw Vale sit out this weekend, and that will allow teams below them to try to make up ground. There is a sizeable cushion between The Steelmen on 30 points in fourth and Cardiff in fifth on 18, but the Blue & Blacks have a game in hand and seventh placed Aberavon, a point further back, have two.
The Wizards will head to The Wern to meet Merthyr, while Pontypridd will be hoping to hit back after their 54-3 mauling in Newport when they host Swansea. RGC entertain Carmarthen Quins in the other game.
