FRIDAY RUGBY PREVIEW.
WRU CHAMPIONSHIP: Beddau v Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn travel to Beddau tomorrow in search of a confidence boosting win after a disappointing performance against Narberth but this latest challenge promises to be the toughest one yet.
The green and golds who have yet to register a win, missed out narrowly in their three opening games against division high fliers Tata Steel, title favourites Pontypool and Bedlinog despite taking early leads and will be gunning for the red and whites at Mount Pleasant Park.
Coach Marc Lloyd has had to make a few changes to his line with charismatic full back Shaun Leonard out and he is replaced by Dan Davies with Crymych centre Carwyn Phillips back in alongside try scoring debutant of last week Rhys Schivone. Scrum half Mike Jones is on the bench with Dafydd Evans starting and Nico Setaro is at ten. John Lumb who looked very sharp on the few occasions he had the ball last week will be looking to add to his try tally at his new club and Llyr Jones lines up on the opposite touchline.
Joel James gets the nod at number eight after some impressive showings against Narberth and alongside him is former Cardigan back rower Gethin ‘Pantgwyn’ Davies and Bedwyr Davies. Ryan Morgan and Bleddyn Davies are in the powerhouse and Dai Jones leads the team from the front alongside hooker Tom Curry and tight head Neil Elsworthy. Making a welcome return to the bench after injury is skipper Alex Williams.
Beddau may have lost three on the trot but they are a more than decent all round team with some dangerous runners in Cody Baker, Lewis Egal in midfield and wingers Joe Casella and Morgan Williams and upfront they have a talented number eight in Christian Francis and a reliable middle jumper in Leon Rogers but they have had a few injuries in the front row and struggled in the opener against Tata and had to revert to passive scrums although they have players coming back.
Last season Beddau came out 48-15 winners against Emlyn at Mount Pleasant Park although Lloyd and co got their own back at Ddol Wiber in the return fixture at the end of last season and ran out victors by 23-19.
The green and golds whose ground is only a couple of miles from the Royal Mint grabbed their first point of the season last Saturday when they picked up a losing bonus point in the 22-17 defeat to Bedlinog and they will no doubt fancy their chances of securing the money tomorrow but they will be fully aware that the West Wales side put one over Glamorgan Wanderers at the Memorial Ground just a few weeks ago and they are quite capable of repeating this feat.
