Ponty’s back division has been enhanced with the addition of four new players – wingers Owen Williams and Lewis Williams, centre Mike Davies and scrum half Gavin Morris
Owen Williams joins up from Blackwood RFC, having already played a number of games on permit for Ponty towards the end of last season, including a start in the Konica Minolta Cup final. Another young winger who makes the move to Sardis Road is Lewis Williams from Merthyr RFC, who has impressed with his pace and try scoring prowess for the Ironmen in their Division One West campaign last year.
Inside centre Mike Davies joins Pontypridd from Maesteg RFC, having formerly played for Pertemps Bees in the English leagues, and will offer a physical presence in midfield whilst Gavin Morris is an abrasive young scrum half from Tylorstown RFC who has won representative honours with Glamorgan County.
All four new backs are deemed to have the potential to make the grade with Pontypridd in the Premiership, and are welcome additions to the club’s 2008 – 2009 squad.
Pontypridd have also signed up two highly promising young forwards to bolster the squad for the coming season, in hooker Huw Dowden and flanker Kristian Dacey – both just nineteen years of age.
Gilfach product Huw Dowden has previously represented both his local club and Beddau, before being allocated to Glamorgan Wanderers last season from the Blues Academy. Having gained representative honours at regional and national levels with the Blues U20 and Wales U19 teams, Dowden will offer Ponty a combination of youthful enthusiasm, and standing at 6ft and weighing in at 16 st, a physical presence in the front row.
Merthyr boy Kristian Dacey transfers to Ponty from his home town club, and joins up with elder brother, centre Gavin Dacey. A Blues regional representative at U16, U18 and U20 level, and a Wales U18 cap, Dacey junior can cover the blindside, openside and No.8 positions. His utility and his dynamism in the back row have marked the 6ft 2in, 17st 6lbs Dacey as one of the most highly rated up and coming talents in Welsh rugby.
