FRIDAY RUGBY PREVIEW.
Cardiff Met provide the opposition for Newcastle Emlyn in the WRU Championship this weekend and the red and whites will be eager to avenge a narrow home defeat earlier in the season when they were just edged out.
Both teams have a different look about them with the Met in particular missing a few key personnel from that afternoon at Ddol Wiber although fly half Alex Seers remains. The talented playmaker will no doubt steer clear of heavyweight prop Gethin Davies as a collision with him last time out ended his game! The visitors are now without number ten Nico Setaro as he has long since returned to more familiar pastures but the experience of Barry Thomas will be key in this game.
Former Cardigan skipper Dylan ‘Rambo’ Davies comes into the side and he will be very useful in the line out as he has a canny knack of helping himself to the opposition throw and Marc Lloyd and co will be looking to disrupt as much of the students set piece as they can.
Emlyn were led that day by Owain Powell who is not available these days due to work commitments but club skipper Alex Williams will travel in a confident mood in the knowledge that he has a team to do a job and push his team further up the table and well away from the danger zone.
In Division One West Crymych play at Gowerton, a team boosted by a big win over Whitland last weekend and Borderers fly half Nico Setaro must have wished he was back at Ddol Wiber playing for Newcastle Emlyn as this was his team’s heaviest defeat of the season.
The Swansea side’s form has been very inconsistent with only two wins at home this season and they currently lie in ninth place in division one but their form has improved following a poor start to the season.
Crymych have been forced to make several changes from the team that were very unlucky to lose against Ceredigion rivals Aberystwyth last weekend with outstanding hooker Ifan Phillips, centre Carwyn Phillips and scrum half Mathew Roebuck unavailable and this will have come as a big blow to new coach Neil Machin who will also be without blind side Dylan Phillips, a player who does a lot of the dog work on the loose ball and he has been very consistent this season and centre Tomos Phillips who also impressed last weekend is out.
Good news for Crymych is that Jake Jenkins is back in the squad after time served for a red card and this talented footballer slots in at centre alongside Tomos Lewis whilst Gethin Gibby moves from wing to full back in place of Gavin Thomas, another missing from the squad.
So a very tough game in prospect for the Preselimen, especially without a clutch of key players and Tom Powell and his men will have their work cut out if they are to come away with a result.
Aberystwyth entertain Waunarlwydd, a team struggling near the foot of the table and the Plascrug men will be confident of making it four league wins on the bounce, and this would set them up nicely for a crack at division one leaders Kidwelly the week after.
It will be a particularly poignant time for the Aberystwyth players tomorrow as there will be a minute’s silence before kick off to remember Eifion Gwynne a former player whose life was tragically cut short recently following an accident in Spain. Eifion was a very talented number eight or flanker who also played for Llandovery and a very popular rugby man.
In Division Two Fishguard have a very important fixture against one of the teams just above them in Tycroes and they need to win this one or they will join Haverfordwest and Carmarthen Athletic in the relegation zone. Llanybydder, who currently sit in mid table are away at Pontyberem and they will be looking to end their 2016 schedule with a victory against a side that are only a point ahead of them.
In Division Three West Cardigan travel to Laugharne and they will be keen to get back on to the field after their match against Pembroke Dock Quins was cancelled last weekend with the Quins unable to raise a team.
Coach Colin Horscroft has changed his half back pairing and has brought in experienced campaigner Iestyn Crompton to pair up with scrum half Luke Rogers for this potentially tricky encounter against a side that have only lost two games to date. Last time out the Cocklemen went down to division high fliers Milford who Cardigan beat comfortably and the Cardis will be confident of winning this one.
Skipper and number eight Llyr Griffiths is unavailable so the back row trio will be made up of Kieran Hurley at open side, Gareth Clifford at six and Colin Davies at the base of the scrum. Marcus Castle comes back in to join fellow centre Emyr Harries with Alun Jenkins moving out to the wing and John Lumb at full back.
Tomos Evans, Bedwyr Davies and Ben Hughes make up a solid front row with Dean Harries and Rob Connolly in the powerhouse and this is a decent all round team that should be too strong for Laugharne.
Lampeter entertain Trimsaran, a side just below them in Division Three West B and the visitors will be keen to get back to winning ways after they threw away a game they looked like winning last Saturday through ill discipline, against Nantgaredig. The green and blacks have not won at the North Road ground for many years and the Ceredigion club will be hoping this trend continues.
