24 Apr TEAM TO FACE EBBW VALE IN SRC QUARTER FINAL

Bridgend Ravens head to Ciner Glass Community Stadium on Saturday for a Super Rygbi Cymru Quarter Final with Ebbw Vale (2:30pm).

The Ravens booked their place in the knockouts with a hard fought 13pts to 10 win against Aberavon at Talbot Athletic Ground last week, earning themselves a tie with Jason Strange’s second placed Ebbw Vale.

The Steelmen have had another fantastic campaign and will be disappointed not to have finished the regular season on top of the league. They lost three of their final four league matches – against RGC, Carmarthen Quins and Newport – surrendering the highest ranked seeding place to Cardiff. Their defeat to Newport also handed the Black and Ambers the Challenger Shield, a title Ebbw Vale had held since the start of the previous campaign.

Ebbw Vale have dominated this fixture in recent years, the Steelmen completed the league double over Baldwin’s men this season, alongside a narrow cup win at the Electric Brewery Field. Ebbw’s forward power proved too much for the Ravens in both league ties, and Bridgend will be prepared for another hugely tough assignment on Saturday afternoon.

Baldwin largely sticks with the side which earned Bridgend a place in the knockouts last week. The most change is in the back line, with Fraser Jones moving from 12 to 15, joined in the back three with McCauley Rowley and debutant Ryan Conbeer. Gethin O’Callaghan is back from injury at 13, paired with last week’s man of the match Tom Florence. Lloyd Wilkins replaces Ben Burnell at 10, with Harvey Nash at 9.

Bridgend’s pack is unchanged from last week, and there’s some welcome news amongst the replacements with the return of Tyler Olding from injury.

Bridgend Ravens XV: 15. Fraser Jones 14. McCauley Rowley 13. Gethin O’Callaghan 12. Tom Florence 11. Ryan Conbeer 10. Lloyd Wilkins 9. Harvey Nash

1. Harry Olding 2. Corey Lewis 3. Nathan Evans 4. Evan Hill 5. Barnaby Waddell 6. Alfie Thomas 7. Zac O’Driscoll (capt) 8. Tom Jevons

Replacements: 16. Tyler Olding 17. Alex George 18. Callum Donoghue Proud 19. Kyle Harris 20. Morgan Boobyer 21. Dan Roderick 22. Joseph Gatt 23. Cameron Ellis