Wales centre boosts Drovers’ push
LLANDOVERY will welcome back Wales international centre Adam Warren for their home clash in the Indigo Premiership with Pontypridd today.
Head coach Euros Evans will also have Wales U20 squad full-back Cian Abrahams available for a game that gives the Drovers the chance to close the gap on Cardiff at the top of the table.
The recent home defeat to Merthyr suffered by Evans’ men did the Blue & Blacks a huge favour, but with two games in hand they know they have to make them count.
“We beat Ponty 23-12 at Sardis Road last month, but they had an excellent win at Aberavon last time out and will bring a big threat with the,” said Evans.
“We’ve talked about staying in the hunt for a top-two finish to gain a home draw in the play-offs and that means making the most of our games in hands. We want to keep the pressure on Cardiff at the top, but we also can’t afford to let anyone close the game on us from below.”
Aberavon head to bottom-of-thetable Llanelli for a game in which they will start as favourites to pick up the full five points.
They are currently in fourth place, one behind Ebbw Vale, three off second-placed Llandovery and 14 behind Cardiff.
Newport head coach Ty Morris believes every game his side plays from here to the end of the season is going “to be a cup final”.
The Black & Ambers head north to face RGC 1404 in Colwyn Bay on Saturday (2pm kick-off) knowing that defeat would put them further behind in the race for a top-four play-off place.
Currently seventh with games in hand on teams above them, they can’t afford another defeat after their disappointing loss to Bridgend last time out. RGC are level on the same number of points, 35, and are in sixth having played one more match.
“Every game we play from here on in is going to be vitally important they are all cup finals for us,” said Morris.
“We’ve got Swansea after this weekend and then we’ve got a WRU Premiership Cup semi-final to factor in as we look to hang onto that title.
“We know how good RGC can be and we really had to dig deep to beat them at Bedwas last month.
“We’ve had some great games against them in Cowlyn Bay in the past and our record against them in the past three or four seasons is 50-50.
“They are very well coached by Ceri Jones and they love to throw the ball about. I’m sure they will tighten up their defence around the maul area after our 20-10 win over them in January and we will have to be at our best to win.”
Morris is hoping Dragons scrumhalf Che Hope is released from the Wales U20 camp to get some minutes under his belt and is also expecting to have Dragons prop Josh Reynolds available.
With a number of players ruled out through injury and Wales U20 calls, they will be valuable additions to his squad.
There have been some rip-roaring contests between the two teams with the game at Parc Eirias at the end of the 2018-19 season being a classic, with the home side triumphing 43-36 in a try-fest.
“We expect them to attack from deep and we will have to be prepared for anything and everything,” added Morris.
“We can’t afford to fall any further behind in the Indigo Premiership table and we need to make amends for the defeat at Bridgend. It is going to be a big game for us.”