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Swansea v Aberavon MatchPack : Preview
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Swansea |
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Aberavon |
Principality Building Society Premiership, St Helen's, Saturday September
6th 2008
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Aberavon open up their Principality Building Society Premiership campaign this Saturday when they take on Swansea at St Helen's, kick off 2:30pm. |
During pre-season, the All whites, who finished in fourth place last season - two places above the Wizards, went down 26 - 10 at home to London Welsh before winning 54 - 26 at Narberth.
Head-to-head, Aberavon and Swansea have faced each other 16 times in the Welsh National League with the Whites leading the series by 10 wins to 6. Since the start of the new Premiership in 2003 results between the sides have always gone the way of the home side. The Wizards have never won in the league at St Helen's with their last win at the ground occurring in September 1990.
In last season game the Wizards found it hard to pick themselves up for another derby game having beaten Neath 29 - 22 just five days earlier. Despite leading 7 - 3 after 24 minutes, a brace of tries by David Blyth, both converted by Dan Biggar, saw the homeside lead 17 - 7 at half time. Biggar had opened the scoring with a penalty in the 14th minute before Aberavon scored the first try of the game via James Garland with the outside half also adding the extras.
Garland added a penalty on the hour to reduce Swansea's lead. However, Blyth scored his third try of the afternoon with Biggar kicking the conversion and another penalty to put the game out of reach for Aberavon. In injury time the Wizards scored a consolation try through Chris Wells with Jamie Davies converting.
The Wizards team that day was: Ricky Thomas (Rep Jamie Davies); Richard Carter, Paul Bamsey, Liam Gadd, Steve Davies; James Garland, Gavin Hooper; Mike Harris (rep Lloyd Howell), Marc Breeze (rep Chris Wells), Paul Breeze (rep Anthony Edwards), Andrew Fisher (rep Ian Moore), Chris Gittins (capt), Justin Tipuric, Darryl Thomas, Simon Peters.
The referee for Saturday’s game is Nigel Owens, aided by touch judges Colin Kirkhouse and Gerald Davies.
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