20 Feb Team to face Swansea at Broadacre

Bridgend Ravens head to Broadacre this Friday evening to face Swansea in their final Pool B Super Rygbi Cymru Cup match (7:30pm).

Both sides have booked their place in the plate semi finals to be held next weekend, with the winner of this match cementing third place in the group with the reward of a home semi final.

Bridgend battled hard against SRC table toppers Ebbw Vale on Saturday and will be ruing a missed opportunity to pick up a rare win over the Steelmen. Despite dominating for large swathes of the game, the Ravens had to settle for a losing bonus point in a 21pts to 28 defeat with Tom Morgan’s last gasp try rescuing that point for the home side.

Swansea left it late last weekend at Talbot Athletic Ground before defeating Aberavon for a third time this season. This followed a defeat to Llandovery at Church Bank and after their game with Ebbw Vale was postponed, they were awarded a 0-0 draw with the Steelmen with no time left in the campaign to rearrange the fixture. Joe Thomas’s side has improved significantly this campaign following a dismal season last year.

The sides have met once so far this season, and Swansea’s powers of recovery saw them come back from 12 points down with little time left to draw 29pts a piece. Despite the game ending level, the performance was one of Bridgend’s better showings this season and they’ll need more of the same on Friday if they’re to pick up victory.

For Friday’s match, Baldwin makes a handful of changes as his side go in search of a home semi final. Joseph Gatt replaces Tom Florence in midfield and Mccauley Rowley takes Gabe Lacey’s place in the only changes in the backline. Harvey Nash, fresh from scoring last weekend, makes his 50th appearance in Bridgend colours.

Corey Lewis returns from his short loan at Worcester Warriors and goes straight into the starting lineup. The pack shows a number of changes – including a change of position for Alfie Thomas who moves from 7 into the second row. Tom Jevons captains the side with Kyle Harris and Benji Williams alongside him in the back row.

The latest product of the Bridgend rugby pathway is set to make his debut from the bench, second row Cody – Ray David.

Bridgend Ravens XV: 15. Fraser Jones 14. Jake Thomas 13. Joseph Gatt 12. Ben Burnell 11. Mccauley Rowley 10. Lloyd Wilkins 9. Harvey Nash

1. Harry Olding 2. Corey Lewis 3. Nathan Evans 4. Alfie Thomas 5. Barnaby Waddell 6. Kyle Harris 7. Thomas Jevons (capt) 8. Benji Williams

Replacements: 16. Scott Baldwin 17. Alex George 18. Matholwch Iorwerth Scott 19. Cody Ray David 20. Ethan Evans 21. Dan Roderick 22. Ryan Wilkins 23. Edd Howley