The Bridgend head coach will be taking his side back to one of his old stamping grounds at Pontypool Park for a WRU National Cup tie that will stir the memories as well as present him with a massie challenge to keep the Rvens on course for a semi-final place.
Go back 30 years and the fresh-faced kid from Tremorfa was taking everything in his stride as he transitioned from Youth to senior rugby. It was obvious he had a big future in the game and Pontypool were the first to snap him up.
Silva was good enough as a teenager to play for Wales Youth as a full back, yet Pontypool decided to use him as an outside half to face the mighty All Blacks in 1989. He was only 18 back in 1989 and was asked to plot the downfall of the reigning world champions who boasted a side containing the likes of Inga Tuigamala, Sean Fitzpatrick, Gary Whetton and Zinzan Brooke, and had a certain Warren Gatland among their replacements.
His return this weekend will be equally daunting as awaiting his Ravens side will be the unbeaten WRU National Championship leaders Pontypool, who’s reward for their latest giant-killing act in the WRU National Cup is a home quarter-final against Bridgend.
“Pontypool are a club that is very close to my heart and when I was there they really looked after me. There were more than 20,000 people on the bank for a televised midweek afternoon game when we faced the All Blacks,” recalled Silva.
“It was an amazing experience because they’d just won the first World Cup. Frano Botica was my opposite number and Graeme Bachop was at scrum half. They had a young Zinzan Brooke playing in the bakc row and Warren Gatland came off the bench to replace Sean Fitzpatrick.
“It was my first game at that level as an outside half because I’d only played full back up to that point. They selected me because I had a big boot and they wanted to play a territory game against the All Blacks. As it transpired I missed touch twice and Inga Tuigamala scored two tries, but it was a brilliant occasion.”
Pontypool have won their last 41 league games and are sitting top of the Championship whereas Bridgend are battling to stave off relegation from the Principality Premiership. But Silva insists his old side will have to go up a few gears if they are to compete with a Bridgend that have won three of their last four league outings.
“Their form doesn’t mean much to us because we’ve become really battle hardened over the last few months. This squad we’ve got is desperate to be successful and it’s showing in our performances, he added.
“Pontypool have won a lot of their games comfortably and even though they’re a good side it will be interesting to see how they front-up on what is more of a level playing field for them. For me, the Pontypool game is about keeping our winning mentality going. It’s easier said than done but being in a quarter-final if we win our next three Welsh Cup games then we will win some silverware which is a big incentive.”
Rampant Pooler beat Principality Premiership outfit Cross Keys at Pandy Park in the last round to march into the last eight and will have another top-flight club in their sights in March. But there is far more than just another top-flight scalp riding on this cup tie for Pooler with the Gwent club currently in pole position to play an end of season play-off for a place in next season’s Principality Premiership.
And there is a reasonable chance they could play Bridgend again. Pontypool’s cup run is further evidence of their potential and it has long been their stated ambition to return to the top-flight.
Player coach Matthew Jones will be key to Pontypool’s hopes with the former Ospreys outside half, who won a senior Wales cap in 2005, combining his role at the Championship leaders with his position as Head of Rugby at Cross Keys College.
“We know our all-round game has to be on the money if we’re to get a result. Historically, Pontypool’s strength has always been our strength up-front. We’ve still got that strength but we’ve developed an all-round game,” said Jones.
“We’re expecting a battle around the park. As Warren Gatland mentioned last weekend Wales have forgotten how to lose and it’s a similar situation with us. We’re winning but it hasn’t all been plain sailing as our results might suggest.
“Outsiders might look at us and think Pontypool are walking that league but we do get tough games and there are times where we’re tested. We know how to win tight games. We’ve beaten some big sides in the Cup over the last few seasons like Llanelli, Carmarthen Quins and Cardiff.
“It is a good test for us to get us ready for the play-offs as we could be playing Bridgend so it’s a big test for us for so many reasons.”
Elsewhere, on quarter-finals weekend the Premiership leaders Merthyr will host Pontypridd at The Wern on Friday night, while Llandovery welcome Swansea to Church Bank. Steve Law’s Cardiff will host Bedwas at the Arms Park.
