Cardiff RFC welcome St Albans RFC to the Cardiff Arms Park as the Blue and Blacks begin their 150th season celebrations, while continuing their preparations for the upcoming Super Rygbi Cymru campaign, which gets underway with a trip to Carmarthen Park to face Carmarthen Quins.
Head coach Dan Fish will face familiar opposition on Saturday afternoon (KO: 14:30), taking on The Buns, a club he played for extensively during his childhood and has represented since retiring from playing.
With the new Super Rygbi Cymru season on the horizon, Saturday’s fixture against St Albans will provide Fish with a valuable examination of where his side currently stands, while also offering the opportunity for a number of exciting young players to make their Cardiff RFC debuts.
Cardiff RFC Team News vs St Albans RFC:
- Harry Fry
- Will Bennett
- Louis Fletcher
- Gabe Williams
- Sonny McCabe
- Sean Moore (C)
- Charlie Probert
- Aled Ward
- Charlie Rainbird
- Ben Coomer
- Dewi Cross
- Jason Harries
- Ioan Leyshon
- Harry Turner
- Sonny Greeman
Replacements:
- Vinnay Cleak
- Tom Harper
- Craig Hudd
- Kian Lloyd
- George Thomas
- Isaac Manning-Burke
- Owen Lewis
- Calen Edwards
- Harvey Bryant
Pre-Match Thoughts:
Speaking ahead of the fixture, head coach Fish added: “We are ready to kick off the 150th year of Cardiff Rugby.
“Looking forward to the game on the weekend, plenty of new faces from our pathway taking the next step on their playing journey.
“We have worked hard over pre-season and want the game to look like we have trained.
“I’m sure there will be plenty of running rugby on show, and it will be a great day.
“St Albans will offer us a tough physical battle and will battle hard throughout the 80 minutes.
“They will travel in numbers, and I’m sure they will make the most of the occasion of playing Cardiff at the Arms Park.”
Remember the last meeting?
The pair met last at Tremorfa Park last August; it was the first-ever fixture between the two sides. On a sweltering afternoon, in front of a large crowd, the Blue and Blacks claimed a 66-0 victory against The Buns.
Fish’s side scored 10 tries throughout their opening pre-season fixture last year, with four being scored in the first 40 minutes. Rhodri Morgan opened the scoring, with Ethan Phillips, Gruff John-Morris, and captain that day Ethan Lloyd all crossing the whitewash.
Wales U20s star Lloyd Lucas added six points from the tee, which saw a half-time lead of 26 points. The second-half saw six more tries scored.
Phillips, who has left the Blue and Blacks for Newport RFC over the summer, claimed his brace, as did winger Dewi Cross. They were accompanied by Christian Brooke, Ioan Penry, and Ioan Leyshon, who all scored as Cardiff claimed the spoils 66-0.
Cardiff RFC chairman, Chris Collins, commemorated the historic occasion between the two sides by presenting a plaque on the day of the inaugural meeting.
For those unable to make it to the Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday afternoon, make sure to follow Cardiff RFC’s social media channels (X, Facebook, and Instagram) for the latest updates.