Cardiff RFC travel to the Dunraven Brewery Field on Saturday afternoon as they face Bridgend Ravens in Super Rygbi Cymru (KO: 2:30pm).
The Blue and Blacks will be looking to make it their fourth consecutive victory in the SRC after they regained top position with a 44-22 win over Aberavon last timeout.
Tries from Joe Williams and Nathan Hudd were accompanied by braces from Matty Young and Joe Goodchild and an early penalty try guided the Blue and Blacks to an impressive win at the Talbot Athletic Ground. The hosts for Saturday’s encounter come into the match on the back of an away defeat to Ebbw Vale last Thursday, where it finished 48-17.
Team News:
1. Marc Thomas
2. Gavin Parry
3. Tom Harper
4. Mackenzie Martin
5. Sean Moore- C
6. Lucas de la Rua
7. Nathan Hudd
8. Benji Williams
9. Ethan Lloyd
10. Harri Wilde
11. Tom Bowen
12. Steffan Emanuel
13. Elijah Evans
14. Joe Goodchild
15. Matty Young
Replacements:
16. Charlie Manship
17. Jared Williams
18. Christian Brooke
19. Ethan Phillips
20. Aled Ward
21. Evan Rees
22. Joe Williams
23. Jason Harries
Pre-Match Thoughts:
Speaking ahead of the match, captain Sean Moore looked back at the away win against Aberavon and said: “We probably showed the best and worst of our play during that game.
“First half we were really clinical and took our chances well. We talked about it at half time about going out and staying on top but some poor discipline and not enough urgency allowed them three tries we could have kept out. Which as a team is very frustrating for us.
“He (Dan Fish) was straight to the point that we played some very good rugby in that first half and second half we dropped off massively. If we want to get that top spot and push to win we can’t afford to let off at any point in a game. We’ve got three tough games coming up which we will need full 80 minute performances from the boys.”
Cardiff currently sit in pole position in Super Rygbi Cymru on 68 points, five points clear of Ebbw Vale who occupy second. On this, Moore added: “It’s a great thing to get where we have so far with 3 games left but we are going to be aiming for that top spot in the league.”
On facing Scott Baldwin’s Bridgend side on Saturday afternoon, Moore continued: “The Brewery Field is a tough place to go and it always has been.
“We’ve played one Cup match down there this year and come off on the losing side with them scoring in the last play of the game. So we’ve got a few wrongs to right come Saturday. They will always keep pushing you for the full 80 so we can’t afford to switch off during the game and allow them easy points.
“As a squad we are excited for these last few games so push ourselves and see what we can achieve as a group. It’s been a great squad effort to be sat at the top at the moment but we still want that top spot come the playoffs with three big games left which aren’t going to be easy.”
Remember the last meeting in the SRC?
The last time the pair met in the league was back in October last year at the Arms Park, where the Blue and Blacks won 47-14. That day winger, Dewi Cross scored a brace and this was accompanied by scores from Elijah Evans, Alun Rees, Aled Ward, Jason Harries and Benji Williams.
For those unable to make it to the Dunraven Brewery Field on Saturday can stay updated via social media channels (X, Facebook, Instagram).