By Webmaster
November 28 2002

Pontypridd will be looking to maintain their unbeaten run since August when they welcome Neath to Sardis Road for Friday night's Celtic League Quarter Final. For a full match preview read on.

Celtic League - The Knockout stages

Pontypridd RFC vs. Neath RFC

Friday 29th November - Kick off 19.05

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        Pontypridd go into this match with a number of injury worries including Jonny Bryant, Dale Macintosh, Sonny Parker and Neil Hennessey. It is expected that either Bryant or Parker will be named in the starting line up along with Jason Lewis in the midfield and that Neil Jenkins will start at outside half.

        In last seasons match between the two teams at Sardis Road, Pontypridd won 17 - 12 with Mefin Davies scoring the only try of the game against his former club. This game however has a lot more than three points at stake as the winner will get a home draw against wither Edinburgh or Cardiff in the Semi Finals of the Celtic League and will maintain their interest in this seasons competition.

        Ticketing rows have taken place this week with Neath supporters unhappy that their club declined the offer of selling tickets for the match. As a result, they may have difficulty getting into the ground on Friday night as Pontypridd supporters have been quick to snap up most of the 8000 tickets on offer and there are not many left. If supporters do want to take a risk and arrive without a ticket then they are advised to arrive early to avoid large queues which could cause the kick off to be delayed.

        Neither side have named their teams for this important encounter however Neath have named their squad that will be used to select the starting fifteen. The squad contains international second row Gareth Llewellyn as well as the former Pontypridd outiside half Lee Jarvis, who wasn't welcomed to the House Of Pain when he played there against Pontypridd last season after the way in which he left the club the year before.

The full Neath Squad reads:

Adrian Durston, Allan Bateman, Dave Tiueti, Gareth Morris, Shane Williams, James Storey, Lee Jarvis, Shaun Connor, Andy Moore, Patrick Horgan, Steve Tandy, Nathan Bonner-Evans, Brett Sinkinson, Alfie Mocelutu, Hywel Jenkins, Lyndon Bateman, Andy Newman, Gareth Llewellyn (c), Andrew Millward, Adam Jones, Barry Williams, Steve Jones, Duncan Jones.

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