By David Parsons
Newport head back to the ground where they were beaten in last season’s Indigo Premiership final, hoping not to suffer a similar fate in the Super Rygbi Cymru.
Llandovery ended up as Cup and Premiership winners last season and have added a shiny new all-weather playing surface to their Church Bank home since the Black & Ambers last visited.
That should ensure the game goes ahead regardless of the weather.
There are currently three points between the two clubs, with the Drovers lying in third with 44 points from 11 games and Newport in fourth, with 41 from a game less.
How Newport line up for their trip to Llandovery tomorrow in the SRC! #cotp pic.twitter.com/qsj0jMipS4
— Friends of Newport Rugby (@FoNRTrust) January 3, 2025
A home win would put clear daylight between the two title contenders.
“We’ve managed to put a few victories together and recovered from a slow start. Things have settled down for us and we are enjoying playing on our new pitch,” said Llandovery head coach Euros Evans.
“It really came into its own on the weekend before Christmas when we were able to score six tries despite the bad weather and pick up the full six points against Carmarthen Quins.
“A week later at Carmarthen Park, we struggled in the conditions and only just won.
“We want to finish this block of league games strongly to ensure we are well in the hunt for a top four finish in the play-offs.
“Having a home draw is going to be very important in the race for the title.
“Newport had a good win in Cardiff, but then lost to them at home against a team we thought was a little bit weaker. It just shows that even if you are a little bit off it in this league you can suffer.”
Gutted for Si, puts a lot of work in and deserves to be able to go everywhere.
The footwear guide for Llandovery’s pitch https://t.co/TjT4GJP3XM pic.twitter.com/brRubmQ2hU
— Robert Rees (@Rreesrugby) January 3, 2025
Newport coach Ty Morris will be hoping for a reaction to a rare home loss against arch-rivals Cardiff last weekend.
The Blue & Blacks’ 36-30 triumph avenged a 27-20 home defeat a week earlier and kept Dan Fish’s side in second place.
Matt O’Brien is back to start at No.10 for Newport and former Wales U20 captain Harri Ackerman continues his comeback outside him at centre.
Carwyn Penny takes over at full back.
Cardiff welcome Swansea to the Arms Park for a ‘top v bottom’ clash.
The All Whites paid the perfect tribute to their former captain and Wales icon Geoff Wheel with a first win of the season over Aberavon at St Helen’s last time out.
Head coach Hugh Gustafson will be hoping for more of the same in the Welsh capital.
Llandovery Coach Insists Super Rygbi Cymru Will Force Out Mercenaries
League leaders Ebbw Vale face a long trek north to face RGC in Colwyn Bay where they will be seeking to build on their 34-3 home win over Pontypool as they try to extend their four-point advantage at the top.
Jason Hyatt’s Aberavon will try to bounce back from their defeat in Swansea last weekend when they head to Bridgend.
This round of SRC fixtures will also see the introduction of four new World Rugby laws being applied:
- ( 60-second conversion limit to align with penalties and improve game pace. This will be managed by a shot clock where possible.
- 30-second setup for line-outs will match time for scrums to reduce downtime. This will be managed by the match officials.
- Play-on rule in uncontested line-outs when the throw is not straight
- Scrum-half protection during scrums, rucks, and mauls.
