By Gareth James
Three weeks ago, Dan Fish and Matt O’Brien fought out a compelling tactical and technical battle as Cardiff beat Newport 13-10 in the WRU Premiership Cup final at the Principality Stadium.
When both teams qualified to meet again in the semi-finals of the Indigo Premiership, everyone thought there would be another shoot-out between the two No 10s on Sunday.
But neither will be at the Arms Park, for different reasons.
Fish, who was hoping to finally hang up his playing boots on a high by completing a league and cup double, has a broken bone in his wrist from last weekend, while Newport skipper O’Brien is away on holiday.
In the absence of the grand masters of outside-half play in the Premiership, two young players will get their chance to shine – Wales U20 cap Harrison James in Blue & Black and Matt Bancroft for the Black & Ambers.
It's game day.
Our matchday programme for today's game against @NewportRFC is now available online.https://t.co/ka55GA88DL pic.twitter.com/vBts8wh8DI
— Cardiffrfc (@Cardiff_RFC) May 14, 2023
Last season, Newport completed a full house of four wins in a row in the same season against their arch-rivals for the first time since 1879.
They backed that up with a last-gasp, 18-17 triumph in the Welsh capital thanks to an O’Brien drop goal.
A Fish-inspired Cardiff just managed to overhaul Newport to win the cup final with a wonder try from Joe Goodchild and all the signs are that the re-match at the Arms Park (kick-off 5.15pm – the game is not on TV) will be just as close.
“It is very much a 50-50 game, and we know exactly what Newport will be bringing, with or without Matt O’Brien. Every game against Newport has been close this season,” said Cardiff head coach Steve Law.
“They have been in great form of late, as have we. We’ve proved to be a difficult side to beat and the players are eager to end their season on a high.
“We won the title in our last game last season against Merthyr and now we have the possibility to go one better by making it a league and cup double this time around.
“A number of young players have developed over the course of the season and worked their way into the side, and this will be a huge opportunity for Harrison James to show what he can do.
“We won’t have either Efan Daniel or Alex Mann available to us for this week and next, if we get to the final, which is disappointing, but we have a pretty settled side.”
https://twitter.com/NewportRFC/status/1657038008674144261?s=20
Having won on their last two visits to the Arms Park, an O’Brien drop goal earning his side an epic 18-17 triumph earlier this season, the Black & Ambers will take some stopping in pursuit of revenge for their cup final upset.
They have won their last eight league games and were granted a bonus-point win for their game against Llanelli. That enabled them to hold off both Aberavon and Ebbw Vale in the battle for the fourth play-off place.
Llandovery host Merthyr in the other semi-final, with Drovers head coach Euros Evans hoping to take his team into their first play-off final.
“We’ve been to the cup final twice, but to win a league title would be the biggest achievement in our history. We earned the right to play at home and now we’ve got to use that to our advantage,” said Evans.
“It’s difficult to pick a winner in either game. We are just praying it doesn’t rain and that we can play on a dry, fast track.”
https://twitter.com/llandoveryrfc/status/1657698102902501376?s=20
Merthyr head coach Rowland Phillips won four league titles when he was in charge at Neath and is pleased to have influential outside half Gareth Thompson fully fit again.
He will be without three key forwards, however in props Rhys and Callum Lewis, as well as back row man Paddy McBride.
https://twitter.com/RFCMerthyr/status/1656786901762703364?s=20
