Pontypridd vs. Leeds - Match Preview

By Webmaster
December 5 2002

After a dissapointing showing against Neath last Friday, Pontypridd will this weekend turn their attention to the Paerk Pen Cup where they face Leeds Tykes at Sardis Road. For a preview read on.

Pontypridd vs. Leeds

Parker Pen Challenge Cup

Round Two - Leg One

This weekend Pontypridd welcome Phil Davies' Leeds to Sardis Road where both sides will be competing for the advantage before the return leg of this round two encounter up in Leeds on the 14th December. The teams met each other last season however, Pontypridd were going through a dreadful run of form winning only three times before the two encounters and Leeds were near the bottom of the Zurich premiership table. Things have changed this season and Leeds are up in third position in the Zurich premiership, ahead of the likes of Leicester, Northampton and Bath and despite an 18 - 15 defeat at home to Wasps last weekend, they have won seven of their twelve matches.

Pontypridd find themselves in a similar position to Leeds after winning nine consecutive competitive matches and then putting in a dismal performance against Neath at Sardis Road last Friday evening. Owing to that poor performance, Pontypridd got knocked out of the Celtic League and so they will be hoping to maintain their interest in this knockout competition this season.

Preparations for this weeks match didn't seem to be going too well for Ponty with news of injuries for several key players. However, Lynn Howells has taken the unusual step of naming his team a couple of days before the match. Injury doubts Jonny Bryant and Sonny Parker both appear in the midfield whilst Ceri Sweeney and Paul John form the half back partnership in place of Neil Jenkins and Gareth Baber. In the forwards, Brent Cockbain replaces Dale McIntosh and Geraint Lewis comes back into the starting fifteen replacing the injured Michael Owen.

Lasts seasons clash between the two sides at Sardis Road saw Ponty come out on top by 28 points to 16 thanks to a try from Jonny Bryant and a conversion and seven penalties from Brett Davey. I'm sure the boys will settle for a similar result this weekend when they come up against the boys from Leeds.

For the Pontypridd team and other match details check out "Next Fixture"

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