19 Dec Team to face Cardiff at the Arms Park

Posted at 08:32h in 2025/2026 Website News by

Bridgend Ravens travel to the Arms Park to face Cardiff on Saturday afternoon in the first of two festive derbies with the capital city side (3:15pm).

The Ravens are looking to stop a poor run of results which has seen them winless since the start of October. Bridgend currently sit in ninth place and were comfortably beaten by league leaders Ebbw Vale last weekend (45pts to 17) at Ciner Glass Community Stadium.

Cardiff stopped a rot of their own last weekend with an impressive win at Carmarthen Park against the Quins (31pts to 26). Prior to that match, the Blue and Blacks had lost three on the bounce – including home defeats to Swansea and RGC and an away clash at Rodney Parade against Newport. The capital city side are in third place, with five wins and five defeats from their ten games to date.

Bridgend and Cardiff met four times last season, with Cardiff winning three and Bridgend the other. The most recent meeting was in the playoff quarter final in May at the Arms Park, when the home side edged a close tie 31pts to 19 with a final play try eventually allowing them to see off Baldwin’s side’s challenge.

For Saturday’s match, Baldwin rotates his squad. Joseph Gatt and Harvey Nash are changes to the backline, with Ben Burnell continuing at 10 in Luke Price’s absence. Kyle Harris and Dylan Burrows are changes to the pack, replacing Alfie Thomas, who is on Wales u19 duty, and Barnaby Waddell respectively.

William Greatbanks will hope to make his first appearance of the campaign for Bridgend on permit from the Ospreys as he features amongst the replacements.

Bridgend Ravens XV: 15. Edd Howley 14. Cameron Ellis 13. Joseph Gatt 12. Tom Florence 11. Mccauley Rowley 10. Ben Burnell 9. Harvey Nash

1. Marc Thomas 2. Tyler Olding 3. Nathan Evans 4. Evan Hill 5. Dylan Burrows 6. Kyle Harris 7. Thomas Jevons (capt) 8. Benji Williams

Replacements: 16. Corey Lewis 17. Jared Williams 18. Owen Hatherill 19. William Greatbanks 20. Harry Olding 21. Chris Williams 22. Fraser Jones 23. Rhydian Greenhall