By Zippy
August 31 2006

Preview of the Ponty squad to take on the competition in the Principality Welsh Premiership for the 2006/07 season, for full details read on.

By www.PontypriddRFC.co.uk - Rygbi Pontypridd - Official Website / Y Wefan Swyddogol - The Valleys' Premier Team.

On the eve of a new domestic campaign of Welsh rugby, Pontypridd RFC coaches Simon King and Paul John have now trimmed down a large pool of pre-season trialists, to a provisional senior squad ready to compete for honours in the Principality Premiership and the Konica Minolta Cup.

A degree of flexibility will be retained in the selection of players, with a number of those who featured as trialists at Sardis Road during the pre-season, let out to play for lower division clubs but with the option of returning on permit to Pontypridd.

The close links maintained between Pontypridd RFC and the Blues region will also have a bearing on club selection throughout the season. Four Blues Academy players are named in the squad - outside half Dai Flanagan, prop Nicky Eaves and back rowers Adam Powell and Rhys Shellard. Senior Blues Development players, centre Tom Riley and prop Scott Roberts will also be made available to Pontypridd when not required by the region.

The provisional Pontypridd RFC squad as currently registered by the club is as follows:

• Full Backs: Jason Pocock; Kristian Baller
• Wingers: Dan Hitchings; Chris Clayton; Gareth John
• Centres: Gavin Dacey; Laurence Price; Neil Burnett; Dafydd Lockyer; Paul Matthews
• Outside Halves: Dai Flanagan; Dylan Jones
• Scrum Halves: Gareth Jones; Tom Dickens; Ryan Harries
• Props: Nicky Eaves; Stuart Williams; Ryan Harford; Ian Poley; Rhys James; Scott Roberts; Sam Hobbs
• Hookers: Richard Emms; Leighton Davies; Aaron Fowler
• Locks: Dale McIntosh; Damien Welch; Chris Dicomidis; Grant Harrington
• Back Row: Lee Evans; Adam Powell; Nathan Strong; Rhys Shellard; Darren Jones; Justin Benfield

Senior Ponty coach Simon King has expressed his satisfaction with the pool of players gathered together at Sardis Road ready for the big league kick off on 2nd September. "This is a squad that we as coaches can work with" said King, "with a good deal of strength in depth that should see us through a difficult campaign. We are still on the look-out for new talent, and players will still be given the chance to impress, with the chance of a late call up to the Pontypridd squad".

• View profiles for current Pontypridd squad members, management and former players by clicking TeamSheet