Cardiff RFC conclude their pre-season this Saturday afternoon when they host Cambridge Rugby at the Cardiff Arms Park (2pm)

The Blue and Blacks will be looking to take the positives from last Saturday’s defeat as they entertain the ‘Blood and Sand’ for the very first encounter between the two, before the start of the Super Rygbi Cymru season which starts with an away trip to RGC (14/09/2024).

However, our 43-28 loss to Pontypridd had more to offer as it showcased a lot more of what the future has got to offer as 17-year-old’s Josseff Jones and Lloyd Lucas made their debuts. Also, making their Cardiff RFC debuts were both 18-year-old’s Sion Davies and Osian Darwin-Lewis.

Darwin-Lewis was one of four try scorers who was also 100% from the kicking-tee joining Ethan Phillips, Dewi Cross and Luke Pollock who all also crossed the whitewash.

Team News: 

1. Marc Thomas
2. Alun Rees
3. Tomos Harper
4. Evan Rees
5. Craig Hudd
6. Aled Ward
7. Nathan Hudd
8. Benji Williams
9. Sion Davies
10. Harri Wilde
11. Dewi Cross
12. Jason Harries (Capt)
13. Luke Pollock
14. Kodie Stone
15. Joe Goodchild
16. Gavin Parry
17. Jarredd Williams
18. Joe Cowell
19. Will Jameson
20. Harper Chamberlain
21. Tom Rice
22. Spenser Robinson
23. Lloyd Lucas
24. Osian Darwin-Lewis
25. Elijah Evans
26. Joseff Jones

 

Pre Match thoughts: 

Speaking ahead of the fixture, Head Coach Dan Fish stated: “We were pleased with the game last week, we had a lot of youngsters out there and I know we had a few experienced boys out there as well but what we got out of the game is exactly what we wanted from our point of view of where we are in pre-season.

“The boys have had a tough pre-season, numbers have been up and down but to take stuff from what we’ve trained and put into practice as a team who didn’t know what was coming was good and we had some real positives out of all of that.

“There was good stuff that we can take out of it going into the new season and some things we need to tidy up on but it was a really good exercise for us,” he added.

On the visit of Cambridge Rugby to the Cardiff Arms Park, Fish stated: “We know they are going to be a good team, you know they are a English Championship team so we know it’s going to be another tough test, another challenge that we are looking forward to. 

“We’ve got a more experienced team out this week with the season starting soon, this is going to be the last hit out before the RGC game so we are going to expect a tough 80 minutes.”

“To be honest we are really looking forward to it with the stuff we wanted to put right from last week and a few bits of detail that we added onto the team to put out onto the pitch on Saturday,” he concluded.

Closer look at our opposition: 

Cambridge Rugby club was formed in 1923 and competes in the RFU Championship following promotion from the National League 1 in 2022-23 which makes them the leading club in the East of England.

They kicked off their pre-season campaign last weekend at home where they play at Granchester Road ground also known as Ellgia Fields. The club has three senior men’s team, which include The 1923’s and The Exiles along with the 1st XV.

The nickname ‘Blood and Sand’ is derived from their distinctive red and yellow strip and is a nod to the number of players from the Armed Forces who participated in the early years. (Credit Steve Jackson).

On last seasons campaign in the Championship, the ‘Blood and Sand’ finished bottom having only won two games against London Scottish (28-26) and Caldy RFC (33-14). Like The Blue and Blacks, they have also only played one pre-season game where they lost to National League 1 side Bishop Stortford RFC 21-19.

They kick-off their 2024/25 RFU Championship campaign by hosting Oxfordshire side Chinnor RFC.