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News
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10.01.2012 - Preview: Aberavon v Swansea
Second placed Aberavon welcome twelfth placed Swansea to the Talbot
Athletic Ground in the Principality Premiership this coming Saturday - kick
off 2:30pm.
Swansea, who are coached by former Wizard Jason Hyatt, have had a tough
season winning five and drawing one of their fifteen games this season
and find themselves 18 points adrift of the Wizards. The St. Helen's
outfit won one of their first five league games of the season as they
beat Bedwas 47 - 33 at home, but lost to Carmarthen, Bridgend,
Aberavon and Cardiff. The Whites then
won back-to-back games against Cross Keys (27 - 10) and Pontypool (29 -
26) before losing against Llandovery and at Bedwas. On November 5th they
drew 33 - 33 with Neath and beat Newport 21 - 16, both at home, before
losing at the Gnoll. After Christmas Llanelli won 52 - 18 at St.
Helen's before the Whites defeated Carmarthen 29 - 12. Last weekend they
lost 8 - 35 at Cardiff.
After the defeat at Cardiff, Hyatt said, "Cardiff were stinging and keen
to make amends for a poor performance (against Newport), but we were
outmuscled at the contact area where they looked more hungry, and we
were soft in that area. We didn't ask any questions of Cardiff's defence
and that's really disappointing. Cardiff looked as if they wanted it
more and that is unacceptable. Commitment and attitude should never
waiver and I thought we saw a lack of character, especially when we
turned round 18-8 down. It's places like this where you expect your
leaders to stand up and that did not happen, although we were not helped
that we lost skipper Sam Kiley after only 11 minutes. In the past we
have blamed inconsistency. This week we selected the same pack and only
had one change behind, so it's bitterly disappointing. We have senior
and younger players who aren't showing the talent they possess and we
have to ask ourselves why we can't back up wins like we had against
Carmarthen."
In the British & Irish Cup Swansea lost at home to Rotherham, away to
Pontypridd, at home to Currie, but won at Doncaster.
In "attack", Swansea have scored 329 points this season (2nd
lowest in the Premiership) and 41 tries (joint 7th highest). In
"defence" they have conceded 386 points (6th highest) and 47 tries
(joint 5th highest). Aberavon have scored 349 points (4th lowest) and 39
tries (joint 4th lowest), and have conceded 233 points (2nd lowest) and
22 tries (2nd lowest).
At home this season the Wizards have won 6 from 7, whilst Swansea
have won 1 from 6 games away from St Helen's.
Top points scorer for Swansea is Sam Davies with 87 points. For the
Wizards the top points scorer is Jamie Davies with 141 points. Top try
for the All Whites is Nicky Thomas with 7 tries. For Aberavon it is Richard Carter with 10 tries.
Head-to-head, Aberavon and Swansea have met each other 23 times in
the Welsh National League with the All Whites leading the series by by 12
wins to 10 with 1 game drawn. At the Talbot Athletic Ground the Wizards
lead 8 - 3.
Five seasons ago Aberavon won the fixture 33 - 12. The evening game saw
the homeside take a 13 - 5 lead at half time as Jamie Davies scored a
try, conversion and two penalties to a try by Ben Lewis. The Whites
reduced the Wizards lead early in the second half thanks to a try by
David Watts, converted by Nicky Thomas. However, a third successive
penalty by Davies was followed by three Aberavon tries in the last
quarter as Richard Carter, Simon Peters and Darren Ryan all touched
down. Davies added a conversion for a personal match tally of 18 points.
The Wizards team that day was: Liam Gadd; Richard Carter, Paul Bamsey
(rep Gareth Knox), Darren Ryan, Daran Griffiths (rep Richard Thomas);
Jamie Davies, Dan Hawkins; Mike Harris (rep Neil White), Chris Wells,
Anthony Edwards (rep James Jones), Andrew Fisher, Chris Gittins (capt)
(rep Ian Moore), Darryl Thomas, Robbie Morgan, Simon Peters.
The referee for Saturday’s game is Simon Rees, aided by touch judges Steve
Curtis and Huw F Lewis.
The other Premiership games taking place this weekend are:
- Bridgend (6th) v Pontypridd (4th)
- Cardiff (9th) v Bedwas (10th) (Bedwas won the corresponding fixture
last season 22 - 21)
- Cross Keys (5th) v Carmarthen Quins (7th) (Carmarthen won last
season 16 - 11)
- Neath (3rd) v Llandovery (1st) (Neath won last season 26 - 25)
- Pontypool (11th) v Llanelli (8th) (Pontypool won last season 46 -
40)
- Tonmawr (14th) v Newport (13th) (Tonmawr won last season 19 - 12)
Update (13.01.2012) - Team Announcement
Aberavon Starting XV: Ricky Thomas; Richard Carter,
Will Price, Craig Evans, Chris Lewis; Jamie Davies, Dan Davies; Lloyd
Howell, Gareth Harvey, Will Taylor, Rhydian Gierat, Ian Moore, Nathan
Strong, Richard Morris, Nathan Brown.
Replacements: David Pritchard, Howard Thomas, Rowan
Jenkins, Sam Williams, Darryl Harvey, Gavin Ronan, Chris John.
Swansea Starting XV: Tom Prydie; Jonny Morgan, Nicky Harwood,
Stefan Watermeyer, Eli Walker; James Dixon, Rhodri Wells; Matthew
Norman, Paul John, Andrew Clatworthy, Jack Jones, Richard Kelly (capt),
James Bija, Dan Baker, Joe Tomblin-Reeves.
Replacements: Tomas Owen, Craig Cross, Rhodri Hughes,
Steffan Jones, Matthew Torrance, Sam Davies, Liam Price.
(Click here for earlier news)
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