A former Cardiff player and Cardiff Blues head coach, Burnell will next week take charge of the Blues Premiership Select XV in the British & Irish Cup. A number of the players in the two teams who meet this weekend are likely to be involved in that first fixture against Bristol at Sardis Road.
After a slow start, Ponty have moved into second place in the East Division. Burnell has banished the worries after losing two of his opening three games and heads to the Arms Park seeking a fourth win in a row.
“I’m loving being back here in Wales with my family and it is great being involved with Pontypridd. Having spent quite a bit of time in the English system with London Welsh and Rotherham in the Premiership and Championship, I think there is still a bit of work to be done here,” said Burnell.
“The style of game differs and what I’m trying to do at Pontypridd is build a more attacking game. I’ve been pleased with the attitude and effort of the players to date and the game at Cardiff is going to be a big one for us.”
While Pontypridd are building momentum, Cardiff have lost theirs in recent weeks with successive defeats to Ebbw Vale and Bedwas ending their four match unbeaten run. They are still in touch with the leaders, but are now in third.
Head coach Steve Law has had some good and bad news this week with the signing of Welsh rugby league international Lewis Reece a real positive for him. Not so good for the club, but great for the player, is the fact back row man James Sheekey has taken up a full-time contract at the Dragons.
He will make his final appearance against Ponty and the in-form Will Rees-Hole returns to the centre. Lewis Jones will partner Gareth Thompson at half-back.
Blues head coach Danny Wilson recalled Wales Under 20 scrum half Dane Blacker after a few weeks at the Dragons so he didn’t line-up against his side in the PRO14 derby this weekend, but he will face Cardiff in Ponty colours.
The return from injury of lock Josh Hawkins allows Sean Moore to move into the back row. Senior Blue Aled Summerhill moves in to the centre position with Alex Webber returning to take the wing berth.
Cross Keys host Newport in the Gwent derby at Pandy Park. Leon Andrews moves back to full back after a start in the centre last week, with Phil Williams partnering Barney Nightingale in the midfield for the home side.
Up front, Keys change their two props with Corey Hewlett and Nathan Buck coming in for Lewis Smout and Richard Cornock. There are also changes in the back row as Liam Davies comes in for Taine Basham and skipper Scott Matthews starts only his second game of the season after his comeback as a replacement from injury last week.
League leaders Bedwas have a second successive home game with Ebbw Vale heading to the Bridge Field, while Bargoed host reigning champions Merthyr
Principality Premiership East Division – Round 7
Bargoed v Merthyr
Bedwas v Ebbw Vale
Cardiff v Pontypridd
Cross Keys v Newport
EAST TEAMS
Bargoed v Merthyr
Bargoed: Matthew Lewis; Ashley Norton, Jordan Howells, Darren Humphries, David Evans; Iain Smerdon, James Hallett; Rhys Morgan (captain), Leigh Meades, Jack Williams, Matthew Thomas, Louis Blacker, Adam Coupe, Grant Rogers, Ieuan Jones
Reps: Matthew Bancroft, Callum Jones, Duane Dyer, Lewis Johnson, Scott Evans, Geraint Clarke, Kieron Brown
Merthyr: Mathew Jarvis; Kyle Evans, Arron Pinches, Richard Carter; Ben Jones, Rhys Downes; Nathan Trevett, Matt Dwyer, Louis Jones, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke (captain), Nick White, Ed Siggery, Tom Daley
Reps: James Howe, Richard Wilkes, Craig Davies, Ben Sier, Osian Davies or Adam Hoskins, Justin James, Ben Jones, Harri Millard
Bedwas v Ebbw Vale
Bedwas: Mike Hathaway; Oli Holford, Ross Wardle, Mike Callow, Matthew John; Lewis Evans, Tom Rowlands; Bryn Toms, Dale Rogers, Chris Budgeon, James Richards, Andrew Waite, David McGuigan, George Lee (captain), Morgan Allen
Reps: Dan Preece, Alun Rees, Lloyd Bridges, Geraint Edmunds, Nathan Hudd, Nicky Griffiths, Steffan Jones, Aaron Bramwell
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Garyn Payne, James Lewis, Dai Langdon, Srdan Majkic; Callum Hall, Carl Lewis; Ross Jones, Rhys Francis, Rob Sevenoaks, Jon Davies, Lance Randall, Kristian Parker, Ronny Kynes (Capt), Cameron Regan
Reps: Mathew Williams, Joel Harries, Josh James, Joe Franchi, Owen Jones, Dai Jones, Dominic Franchi, Toby Fricker
Cardiff v Pontypridd
Cardiff: Dan Fish; Llywarch Ap Myrddin, Owen Lane, Will Rees-Hole, Pat Lewis; Gareth Thompson, Lewis Jones; Rhys Carre, Joe Tomlinson (captain), Ian Jenkins, Miles Normandale, Ben White, Reuben Tucker, Luke Crocker, James Sheekey
Reps: James Greenfield, Ryan Spriggs, Peter Lloyd, James Murphy, Sion Bennett, Rhodri Cole, Ben Thomas, Dafydd Smith
Pontypridd: Lloyd Rowlands; Alex Webber, Aled Summerhill, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Diggy Bird, Dane Blacker; Chris Phillips, Huw Dowden, Will Davies-King, Josh Hawkins, Chris Dicomidis, Sean Moore., Rhys Shellard, Morgan Sieniawski
Reps: Wayne Evans, Ceri Sweeney, Geraint Walsh, Joe Page, Hemi Barnes, Lee Evans, Huw Owen, Jon Elley
Cross Keys v Newport
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Mathew Powell, Barney Nightingale, Phil Williams, Lloyd Lewis; Josh Prosser, James Leadbeater; Corey Hewlett, Rob Jones, Nathan Buck, Tom Lampard, Josh Skinner, Liam Davies, Scott Matthews (captain), Adam Powell
Reps: Gary Carpenter, Lewis Smout, Richard Cornock, Dan Mock, Joe Thomas, Nathan Trowbridge, Ross Pritchard, Ben Snell
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Corey Howells, Chay Smith, Tom Pascoe, Haydn Palmer; Haydn Simons, Owen Davies; John Lavender, Will Evans, Garin Harris, Joe Bartlett, Morgan Burgess, Rhys Jenkins (captain), Kyle Tayler, Josh Reid
Reps: Henry Palmer, Matt Prosser, Tom Piper, Rhys Cresswell, Joe Cullimore, Alex Everett, Ryan James, Matt O’Brien, Adam Sabri
