PONTYPOOL will be crowned as Championship winners if they avoid history repeating at Cardiff Met today, writes Chris Kirwan.
After emerging with credit in defeat from a quarter-final tussle with Premiership champions Merthyr in midweek, Pooler turn their attention to going through their league campaign with a perfect record.
They were denied that achievement last season after slipping up just once – in Cyncoed.
Leighton Jones’ side have won 16 from 16 in the league and need just one more to move to a points tally that cannot be matched by Narberth.
They will hope to do that this afternoon by beating the students, who are more dangerous than their mid-table position suggests.
The Pooler players will also be mindful of their trip to Cyncoed on March 25 last year when they were beaten 30-22.
The meeting between the sides at Pontypool Park in October was a 74-14 romp for the champions-elect - hooker Jamie Jeune scoring a hat-trick in the 12-try drubbing - but it promises to be more tense today.
After the nervy last-day escape from relegation in 2017, Newbridge are enjoying a strong season and head to fourth-placed Trebanos hunting a third win on the spin.
’Bridge sit in fifth but a triumph on the road would put them in the mix for a podium finish, with three of their five remaining games being against teams at the wrong end of the table.
They are also looking to avenge a 10-3 loss when the sides met in Gwent in October.
Meanwhile, former ’Bridge players are invited to a reunion before next Saturday’s derby clash with Pooler at the Welfare Ground.
Newbridge: L Hudd, R Evans, P King, S Veal, R Budina, E Reese, O Clemett, G Young, J Tucker, S Norton-Hoskins, A Symons, JS Duffy, R Cornwell, A Hughes, C Francis. Replacements: S Vokes, J Edwards, L Morgan, J Jacas, S Williams, A Isgrove.
Fixtures: Cardiff Met v Pontypool, Glynneath v Narberth, Newcastle Emlyn v Bedlinog, Rhydyfelin v Beddau, Tata Steel v Skewen, Trebanos v Newbridge.
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