The pair of Principality Premiership title hopefuls clash in the third encounter of finals day at the Millennium Stadium (kick-off 5.25pm) on Sunday.
On playing at the Millennium Stadium Cross Keys head coach Greg Woods commented, “This is a huge event for us at the Millennium Stadium it’s such a prestige to play on the national stadium. We have a lot of good memories there from our win at the 2012 final.
It’s about making sure that we win down there now, all we know is winning there and that’s the big driving force for us.”
Cross Keys and Pontypridd have faced each other twice this season, both of them winning one game apiece, so it’s all to play for at the national Stadium. “It will be a big challenge for us against Pontypridd,” said Woods. He continued, “We have played against one another twice and have won one game each so this is the decider really. There may also be a chance of us playing against each other in the league final but this weekend it’s all about the Swalec Cup Final.”
Keys are also set to be bolstered by three Dragons in fly-half/full-back Steffan Jones and back row forwards Jevon Groves and Ieuan Jones. “Steff (Jones), Jev (Groves), Ieuan (Jones) have played a lot of club rugby for us this season. We do certainly see them as part of the team and squad here at Cross Keys, said Woods. He went on to explain, “What I expect off them is become leaders out there.
“As regional players they should have experience with these big games so they should lead the team with that experience. Both Steffan and Jevon are big leaders for us here anyway so I look forward to seeing them play for us.”
Cross Keys team:
Steffan Jones, Elliott Jones, Leon Andrews (C), Aled James, James Cordy-Redden,
Dorian Jones, Rhys Dyer; Richard Cornock, Darren Hughes, Craig Gould, Jevon
Groves, Dan Hodge, Reuben Tucker, Scott Matthews, Adam Powell.
Replacements
Henry Palmer, Luke Garrett, Anthony Lott, Tom Lampard, Ieuan Jones, Nathan Trowbridge, Phil Williams, Ryan James.
Pontypridd
team:
Geraint Walsh, Lewis I Williams, Gavin Dacey, Dafydd Lockyer (C), Matthew
Nuthall, Simon Humberstone, Joel Raikes; James Howe, Aled Morris, Keiron Jenkins,
Craig Locke, Chris Dicomidis, Jordan Sieniawski, Wayne O’Connor, Dan Godfrey.
Replacements
Lloyd Williams, Dai Flanagan, Aled Summerhill, Liam Belcher, Luke Crocker, Owen Sheppeard, Huw Dowden, Joe Jones.
