|
Aberavon v Neath MatchPack : Preview
|
|
Aberavon |
 |
v |
 |
Neath |
Principality Building Society Premiership, Talbot Athletic Ground,
Bank Holiday Monday
March 24th 2008
 |
Aberavon and Neath clash in a local derby Principality
Building Society Premiership match at the Talbot Athletic
Ground on Easter Bank Holiday Monday, kick off 2:30pm. |
The Welsh All Blacks are top of the Premiership
having won sixteen and drawing one of their twenty league games
this season. They are 19 points clear of second placed Cardiff
and are the top try scoring side in the Premiership averaging
3.7 tries a game - Aberavon are second with 2.5 tries a game.
The Gnoll side has lost just three games this season - against
Cardiff, Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd, while their draw came at home
against Llanelli. Away from home they have won nine from ten and
have won their last seven league games on the bounce.
Head-to-head, Aberavon (5th) and Neath (1st) have faced each
other 17 times in the Welsh National League with the Gnoll side
leading the series by 16 wins to 1. At the Talbot Athletic
Ground the Welsh All Blacks lead 7 to 1.
In last seasons game at the ground a big call by referee Tim
Hayes in the last minute of full time cost Aberavon a game that
fly half Jamie Davies looked to have won for them with a
17-point haul. The home pack had the upper hand over the
visitors but the Blacks had the sharper backs as their 3-1
superiority on try-count showed. With time up, Aberavon led 22 -
17 but a controversial decision by referee Hayes saw him award
Neath a scrum when it appeared as if the Wizards were going
forward. The visitors won the scrum and centre Stephen Thomas
raced over close enough for replacement Arwel Thomas to kick the
winning conversion.
The Wizards team that day was: Liam Gadd; Richard Carter, Paul
Bamsey, Darren Ryan, James Pike; Jamie Davies, Daniel Hawkins;
Mike Harris (rep Lloyd Howell), Chris Wells, James Jones, Andrew
Fisher, Chris Gittins (capt), Ian Moore, Robbie Morgan (rep
Richard Morris), Darryl Thomas.
The referee for the Easter Monday clash is Phil Fear, aided by
touch judges Neil Howells and David Todd-Jones.
|
