Pontypool RFC v Pontypridd RFC

Peter Lloyd says confidence in the camp is high following their recent good form.

A last-gasp victory over Merthyr last weekend made it four consecutive wins in the Indigo Premiership and Pooler will be hoping to keep that going with the visit of Pontypridd this weekend.

Pontypool began their pre-season preparations with a defeat at Sardis Road but the squad has come a long way in a short amount of time and it is likely to be a very different game this time around.

Victories at The Wern and Talbot Athletic Ground have added real belief and assurance to the players coupled with strong performances at home against Swansea and Carmarthen Quins.

The players are now relishing every opposition and challenge they come up against when they take to the field.

“The boys are believing that they can go to any place, not just our home patch, and get a win,” said front row Lloyd.

“Some places are harder to get a win but at the end of the day, it is just a pitch.

“It’s the same ball and it’s just different opposition.

“You’ve got to believe you can play your game and beat the opposite side.

“We could have gone for the draw [against Merthyr] and get two points.

“We were already set for a losing bonus point so if we tried to go for the try and it didn’t come off, we still had one point so for the sake of one point, why not go for it?

“We played Pontypridd in pre-season and only just lost.

“It was a new squad coming through, we hadn’t played the Premiership style, it is a different level.

“Coming up to the Premiership from the Championship and only losing within 10 points [against Pontypridd] shows how strong we are as a squad.

“It’s just building that experience and over the last four games, we’ve built that and proved we can dominate teams.

“It’s going to be a different game, it’s going to be wet with the weather coming up.

“We’ve got a strong side with strong supporters and our home is a fortress.

“Every game is important and we never want to lose, home or away.

“We’re trying to give back to the club and the fans what they have given us.”