Pontypool RFC v Maesteg Harlequins RFC

It’s back-to-back home games as Maesteg Harlequins RFC visit Pontypool Park in the WRU Admiral National Championship this afternoon.

Pooler welcome the Quins on the back of a hard-fought bonus-point victory over Cardiff Met RFC in which the players looked to shake off the rustiness developed from a five-week break with no action.

However, it will be a first fixture in over six weeks for the visitors so they will have some rustiness of their own to contend with.

It was result over performance last weekend but strength and conditioning coach Gareth Betts is hoping to see some improvement in playing style with a game now under their belts.

“I don’t think the boys were overly pleased with how we played but at the end of the day we won, we got the bonus point against a really good BUCS team,” said Betts.

“We hadn’t played for five weeks so it was going to rusty and clunky.

“We looked fitter and our power game came really well towards the end and got us over the line.

“It’s just making sure we are a little more accurate, passing to the right players on our power plays.

“It was a good game, they came with their strongest BUCS team and it was nice to see us getting back to it, getting the boys carrying again and getting them working.

“We’re not looking too far in front. We take it week by week and that’s one thing we are better at this season, everything comes with a challenge; injuries, the weather.

“Quins have a very big, strong, heavy pack. I think they probably outmuscled us in the contact area [in the reverse fixture] and we are going to have to be far more efficient in that area.

“We also want to play a little bit wider if we can because we’ve got some great backs who can score really good tries.”

Head coach Leighton Jones and his coaching staff have opted to make nine changes.

Peter Lloyd replaces youngster Sam Scarfe at hooker while Garin Price is included in the second row.

Both Mike Herbert and Adam Stratton have been drafted in to support captain Scott Matthews, who has moved to number eight, in the back row.

It’s a first start for Dai Jones and a first start since October for winger Amosa Nove. Mathew Powell comes in on the opposite wing with Dai Langdon and Huw Anderson making up the rest of the changes among the backs.

Duan Thomas is involved for the first time this season, as a replacement.

Elsewhere in the league, Bargoed RFC welcome Neath RFC to Bargoed Park. That means a victory for Pooler could see them pull further clear of the Bulls in third or topple the Welsh All Blacks and move top of the table.