24 Mar Team to face Merthyr

There’s more Friday night action for Bridgend Ravens this week when they travel to The Wern to face Merthyr in a re-arranged Indigo Premiership match (7:30pm). 

The Ravens come into the game on a high following a fifth consecutive home success, this time against Carmarthen Quins last weekend. Bridgend left it late, but a Luke Price try and penalty gave them a deserved win and the double over the West Walians.

Merthyr are arguably the Indigo Premiership’s form side and are on a six match winning run. They have beaten Llandovery, Swansea, Aberavon, Pontypridd, Carmarthen and most recently Ebbw Vale to push them up to 3rd place in the league standings. They’ve won 12 of their 16 games so far, including victory over Bridgend earlier in the season at Dunraven Brewery Field by 34pts to 10.

Bridgend have yet to win at the Wern in competitive action in the semi professional era, but do have a pre-season victory to their name last summer when Stuart Floyd Ellis scored a last minute try to take a 26pts to 24 win.

Tom Smith shuffles his matchday squad again as his side go in search of another victory. Cameron Ellis, Nathan Edwards and Connor Tantum all earn starts, with Stuart Floyd Ellis moving from wing to centre.

In the pack. Gareth Harvey, Liam Tobias and Reuben Tucker all get a start. With regular skipper Zac O’Driscoll amongst the replacements, Nathan Edwards wears the armband.

Bridgend Ravens XV: 15.Edd Howley 14. Cameron Ellis 13. Stuart Floyd Ellis 12. Nathan Edwards (capt) 11. Mike Powell 10. Luke Price 9. Connor Tantum

1. Owen Jordan 2. Gareth Harvey 3. Liam Tobias 4. Ben Thomas 5. Jack Pope 6. Dafi Davies 7. Iestyn Merriman 8. Reuben Tucker

Replacements: 16. Evan Yardley 17. Harry Olding 18. Ben Uphill 19. Jordan Collier 20. Aled Evans 21. Zac O’Driscoll 22. Chris Williams 23. Rhys Williams