Former Llanelli stalwarts Chris Long and Nathan Hart are among the new recruits for the Drovers, who will start with 11 of the side that beat Cardiff at the Arms Park to secure the title for the first time in May.
Pontypridd will have a much-revised back line for their home clash with Cardiff at Sardis Road. Full back Liam Lloyd has joined from Treorchy, Garyn Smith has returned to Wales from Cornish Pirates and will join another former Cardiff Rugby centre Ryan Wilkins in the midfield.
The No 10 jersey goes to Llanelli’s former Wales U20 pivot Josh Phillips and Macauley Rowley has joined from Ystrad Rhondda to take up the right-wing spot. Another returnee to Welsh rugby will be lock Macauley Cook, who has come home from Jersey Reds.
Cardiff will have the Hudd twins, Nathan and Craig, flanking skipper Morgan Allen in the back row and have ex-Wales U20 prop Theo Bevacqua at loose head prop. They also have one of last season’s U20 outside halves, Harrison James at No 10.
Swansea have recruited well in the summer and brought in Rhys Jones, Lloyd Evans, Joe Thomas from Aberavon, lock Lloyd Ashley from Merthyr and have a host of former Osprey players, such as Matthew Aubrey and Osian Knott, as well as a number of younger regional stars at their disposal.
They host Bridgend and will have Wales U20 prop Kian Hire on the bench sitting alongside Ashley and Aubrey. Knott starts at centre and Jones is at No 10.
It will be the first time since 2019 that Aberavon and Neath have met and the Wizards have cleverly moved their kick-off time to allow their local clubs to play their games and then hopefully come along to watch. It is a 5.00pm kick-off at the Talbot Athletic Ground for the visit of one of last season’s promoted clubs from the Championship.
There are two games on Sunday, with last season’s invincible title winners Pontypool heading to Rodney Parade for their first Gwent derby against Newport in eight seasons. A crowd of 2-3,000 is predicted for the pick of the weekend fixtures.
Merthyr will have ex-Dragons back row man Ben Fry in their side for the visit of Ebbw Vale.
Carmarthen Quins v Llandovery – Carmarthen Park, 2.30pm
Carmarthen Quins: Jac Wilson; Dylan Richards, Iestyn Gwilliam, Josh Batcup, Corum Nott; Harri Williams, Rhodri Davies; James Newnian, Torin Myhill, Connor Allen. Lee Taylor, Josh Helps, Tom Phillips (captain), Gethin Davies, Lewys Millin
Reps: Sam O’Connor, Sion Jones, Ben Leung, Ryan Bean, Caleb Salmon, Will Icke, Lucca Setaro, Charlie Titcombe
Llandovery: Jack Maynard; Harri Doel, Adam Warren, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Ioan Hughes, Lee Rees (captain); Jamie Hughes, Craig Thomas, Berian Watkins, Chris Long, Joe Powell, Osian Davies, Stuart Worrell, Jordan Evans
Reps: Harry Thomas, Dino Dallavalle, Guto Jones, Tom Poole, Nathan Hart, Macs Page, Jac Davies, Dafydd Land
Pontypridd v Cardiff – Sardis Road, 2.30pm
Pontypridd: Liam Lloyd; McCauley Rowley, Garyn Smith, Ryan Wilkins, Dale Stuckey; Josh Phillips, Joel Raikes; Ben Stephens, Rob Jones, Tom Harper, Kris Parker (captain), Macauley Cook, Aled Ward, Cai James, Joe Miles
Reps: Curtis Greenslade, Tom Devine, Garyn Daniel, Chris Dicomidis, Sion Parry, Harvey Nash, Joe Scrivens, Will Keep
Cardiff: Jacob Lloyd; Joe Goodchild, Luke Pollock, Arron Pinches, Dewi Cross; Harrison James, Tom Habberfield; Theo Bevacqua, Alun Rees, Freddie Barnes, Ethan Phillips, Sean Moore, Craig Hudd, Nathan Hudd, Morgan Allen (captain)
Reps: Joey Tomlinson, Cameron Tyler-Grocott, Adam Williams, Shaun O’Rourke, Harry Oliver, Joseff Williams, Tyler Williams, James Beal
Swansea v Bridgend – St Helen’s, 2.30pm
Swansea: Brandon Wood; Gareth O Rees, Osian Knott, Craig Woodall, Will Mahoney; Rhys Jones, Gareth J Rees Ed Thompson, Jamie Cox, Scott Jenkins, Jake Baker, Matt Dodd, Dai Francis, Callum Bowden (captain), Joe Greaves
Reps: Owen Thomas, Freddie Chapman, Kian Hire, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Richards, Ben Ley, Matthew Aubrey, Marcus Brown, Harvey James
Bridgend: Edd Howley; Caine Woolerton, Stuart Floyd Ellis, Rhys Williams, Mike Powell; Luke Price, Chris Williams; Phil Price, Gareth Harvey, Matholwch Iorwerth-Scott, Ben Thomas, Jack Pope, Alfie Llewellyn, Zac O’Driscoll (captain), Reuben Tucker
Reps: Connah Vaughan, Harry Olding, Liam Tobias, Dylan Burrows, Jordan Collier, Connor Tantum, Joseph Gatt, Tom Morgan
Aberavon v Neath – Talbot Athletic Ground, 5.00pm
Aberavon: Scott Delnevo; Stefan Andrews, Bradley Roderick, Joe Gage (captain), Frankie Jones; James Davies, Rhodri Cole; Rowan Jenkins, Luke Davies, Geraint James, Shay Smallman, Rhodri Hughes, Ben Gregory, Casey Williams, Rhys Thomas
Reps: Aron Hemmings, Jay Baker, Sam Jardine, Cam Lewis, Cerith Davies, Sam Pailor, Jordan Walters, Rhys Fawcett
Neath: Lewis Evans; Dafydd Howells, Ryan Evans (captain), Kieran Charles, Ryan Griffiths; Kristian Jones, Elis Horgan; Jack Powell, Sion Crocker, Gareth Lloyd, Cai Arnold, Jacob Blackmore, Ben Williams, Fergus Kneath, Morgan Kneath
Reps: Elis Hopkins, Evan Kneath, A.N. Other, Ioan Jones, Carwyn Sion, Gethin Tremlett, Gruff Williams, Joe Hutchings
Sunday, 3 September
Merthyr v Ebbw Vale – The Wern, 2.30pm
Merthyr: Ben Jones; Terri Gee, Morgan Sieniawski, Rhys Davies, Adam Hoskins; Gareth Thompson, James Soanes; Callum Lewis, Liam Wiggins, Dave Whiting, Craig Locke, Callum Bradbury, Paddy McBride (captain), Jack Perkins, Ben Fry
Reps: Dan Wall, Louis Jones, Rhys Lewis, Sam Evans, Tom Daley, Ethan Lloyd, Josh Lewis, Dafydd Thomas
Ebbw Vale: Evan Lloyd; Harry Rees-Weldon, Ethan Phillips, Dom Franchi, Ewan Bowden; Kieran Meek, Jon Evans; Luke Garrett, Joe Franchi (captain), Morgan Davies, Dylan Bartlett, Curtis Gregory, Chad Thomas, Gethin Williams, Ryan Jenkins
Reps: Rhys Francis, Charley Kearns, Harry Drane, Jakub Malecki, Cameron Regan, Rory Harries, Amir Jiwa-Walji, Morgan Richards
Newport v Pontypool – Rondey Parade, 5.15pm
Newport: Ioan Davies; Lloyd Lewis, Joe Westwood, Matt O’Brien, Elliot Frewen; Carwyn Penny, Dafydd Buckland; Thomas Davies, Henry Palmer, Nathan Evans, Elliott Ferriman, Barny Langton-Cryer, Rhys Jenkins, Josh Reid, Ben Roach (captain)
Reps: Tyler Olding, Aaron Dowse, Garin Harris, Jonathan Verrier, Kyle Tayler, Che Hope, Jacob Lloyd, Iestyn Galton
Pontypool: Matt Bancroft; Ewan Rosser, Deon Smith, Joel Mahoney, Huw Anderson; Matthew Jarvis, Morgan Lloyd; Kyan Best, Sam Scarfe, Kelvyn Williams, Lance Randall, Ashley Sweet (captain), Ben Moa, Callum Davies, Ieuan Jones
Reps: TBC
