Pontypool RFC v Beddau RFC

Pontypool welcome Beddau to Pontypool Park this evening in what will be the final home game of the season.

The fixture was originally scheduled for tomorrow but due to player availability issues, it was agreed between the two clubs to pull it forward by a day.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Pontypool with hard-fought victories over Bargoed, Ystrad Rhondda and Narberth.

Pooler fell behind in all three games but were able to turn things around by emptying their bench and relying on their superior fitness.

Finishing the final quarter of games strongly has been a prominent feature of Pooler this season and that has coincided with the arrival of strength and conditioning coach Gareth Betts.

“They are pretty fit boys anyway,” explained Betts, who earned his 50^th Pontypool appearance earlier this season.

“I wouldn’t put it down to me, they are a good group of players.

“They take S&C quite seriously.

“I do think it has helped, especially in the harder games.

“It has played a key role but the boys do a lot on their own as well.

“If you make them enjoy it they’ll start doing a lot more on their own and that’s what they should be doing.

“We don’t have them that long, twice a week for an hour and a half.

“So it’s just a matter of energising them and making sure they do a fair bit on their own as well.

“Conditioning wise we have worked hard but that is down to coaches allowing us to have more time, generally before the session.

“During the Six Nations we put a good shift in, it’s always good to periodise parts of the season.

“In relation to the Six Nations, we had almost a mini pre-season where we worked that little bit harder and kept them away from contact with more stuff on the legs.

“We probably have looked stronger towards the end of a lot of games, but again that’s not just down to me. It’s down to the players putting a lot in on their own as well.”

A bonus-point win today would leave Pontypool one victory away from a long-awaited promotion to the Premiership.

And while that was the objective set out at the start of the season, the current aim is crystal clear for Betts.

“We want to go unbeaten, we want to beat everyone,” he said emphatically.

“We’ve done the cup and it’s surprising how much it takes out of you.

“I’ve done it with Brynmawr before and it was very hard after that to keep the boys energised because it is such a big occasion mentally and physically.

“That’s our aim now, to go unbeaten all the way through now so it’s a matter of dusting ourselves down and getting on with it.”