Having beaten Merthyr twice already this season in the Principality Premiership the north Walians are targeting the hat-trick to keep them on course for a trip to the home of Welsh rugby for ‘Finals Day’ by winning their semi-final clash at the Talbot Athletic Ground.
Ap Myrddin will follow former Wales Under 20 full back Afon Bagshaw into the ‘100 Club’ and is one of the RGC originals who, along with his brother Llywarch, the Newport full back, formed part of the RGC backline that won promotion from Division 1 East in 2013.
The two teams were playing in the National Championship last season and both earned a place in Tier 1 in the Premiership when the division split in January. RGC were 23-19 winners at The Wern just before Christmas and then overturned a 24-3 half-time deficit at home to win 25-24 last month.
“We’ve been our own worst enemy in the two defeats to RGC this season. We weren’t clinical enough at home and then our discipline let us down in Colwyn Bay,” explained Merthyr head coach Lee Jarvis.
“But we’ve been targeting the cup all season, it has been a massive focus for us, and we’ve had a good week of preparation. We’ve had to make some tough calls in selection and there is a massive amount of excitement surrounding this match for players and fans alike.”
Back row man Osian Davies has missed out on the semi-final after picking up a three week ban for his sending off against Ebbw Vale. His place in the pack goes to Matthew Rees, with the fit-again Ed Siggery coming onto the bench.
RGC will be led by former Scarlet stalwart Phil John, who was in the Llandovery team that won the cup back in 2006. Josh Leech plays in the back row after converting from centre.
It will be the fourth time that Cross Keys have locked horns with Pontypridd in the National Cup in the last six seasons when they meet at Aberavon. Key’s only victory in the previous three fixtures came in the 2012 final, when they won 32-19 at the Principality Stadium.
Ponty gained revenge in the 2014 final, winning 21-8, and then ran out 33-27 victors’ in the semi-finals the following season. Keys were also beaten 31-22 on New Year’s Eve at Sardis Road in the Premiership this season.
Greg Woods has made five changes to the Keys’ side from the team that beat Bargoed in the Tier 2 of the Premiership a fortnight ago. Mathew Powell replaces Joe Goodchild on the wing, Phil Williams takes over from Barney Nightingale at centre and James Leadbeater wears the No 9 shirt ahead of Owain Leonard at scrum half.
In the front row, Lewis Smout starts at loose head ahead of Corey Hewlett, while Adam Powell replaces Tom Lampard in the back row. Wales Under 20 prop Chris Coleman has been drafted in as a replacement from the Dragons Academy.
Some of Ponty’s Wales Under 20 contingent will also figure in the game. Cenre Cameron Lewis starts alongside Dafydd Lockyear, while lock Sean Moore is joined by scrum half Dane Blacker on the bench
WRU National Cup
Pontypridd v Cross Keys -Talbot Athletic Club, Aberavon (2.30pm kick-off)
RGC 1404 v Merthyr – Sardis Road, Ponypridd (5.00pm kick-off, live on S4C)
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Mathew Powell, Lewis Barnett, Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge; Josh Prosser, James Leadbeater; Lewis Smout, Darren Hughes, Richard Cornock, Danny Hodge, Scott Andrews, Adam Powell, Scott Matthews (captain), Ieuan Jones
Reps: Rob Jones, Corey Hewlett, Christian Coleman, Tom Lampard, Rhys Fitzgerald, Barney Nightingale, Owain Leonard, Joe Goodchild
Merthyr: Matthew Jarvis; Terri Gee, Martyn Thomas, Arran Pinches, Kyle Evans; Gareth Davies, Rhys Downes; James Howe, Rhys Williams, Gary Powell, Lou Reed, Craig Locke (capain), Tom Daley, Matthew Rees, Phil Rees
Reps: Nathan Trevett, Louis Jones, Matt Dwyer, Ben Murphy, Ed Siggery, Justin James, Gavin Dacey, Richard Carter
Pontypridd: Gary Williams; Joe Davies, Cameron Lewis, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Ceri Sweeney, Wayne Evans; Joe Popple, Liam Belcher, Mitch Auger, Lee Evans, Chris Dicomidis, Dafi Davies, Rhys Shellard, Hemi Barnes
Reps: Dane Blacker, Callum Hall, Lewis K Williams, Huw Dowden, Lewis Young, Sean Moore, Liam Bodman, Sam May
RGC 1404: Afon Bagshaw; Sam Jones, Tom Hughes, Tiaan Loots, Carwyn Ap Myrddin; Jacob Botica, Alex Schwarz; Phil John (captain), Rhys Williams, Ross Davies, Henri Williams, Andrew Williams, Will Bryan, Josh Leach, Huw Worthington
Reps: Evan Yardley, Sam Wainwright, Joe Simpson, Robin Williams, Tim Grey, Mei Parry, Efan Jones, Tom Seddon
How They Reached the Semi-Finals
Cross Keys
Rd1: Glynneath 3, Cross Keys 49; Rd2: Cross Keys 29, Neath 10; QF: Cross Keys 19, Pontypool 3
Merthyr
Rd1: Merthyr 61, Newbridge 12; Rd2: Bedwas 14, Merthyr 25; QF: Ebbw Vale 3, Merthyr 13
Pontypridd
Rd1: Cardiff Met 12, Pontypridd 43; Rd2: Pontypridd 34, Newport 29; QF: Carmarthen Quins 19, Pontypridd 24
RGC1404
Rd1: RGC 81, Dunvant 7; Rd2: Bridgend 20, RGC 31; QF: RGC 41, Llandovery 36
