Line-Up | |
---|---|
1 | Morgan Williams |
2 | Jack Gillard |
3 | Peter Lloyd |
4 | Will Gregory |
5 | Ashley Sweet |
6 | Adam Stratton |
7 | Callum Davies |
8 | Scott Matthews |
9 | Owain Leonard |
10 | Matthew Jarvis |
11 | Mathew Powell |
12 | Joel Mahoney |
13 | Pat Lewis |
14 | Amosa Nove |
15 | Matt Bancroft |
Substitutes | |
---|---|
16 | Tomoya Adachi |
17 | Sam Cochrane |
18 | Marc Thomas |
19 | Dan Hill |
20 | Michael Herbert |
21 | Matthew Flanagan |
22 | Walker Price |
23 | Ben Moa |
Matthew Jarvis is hoping to sign off the season at home with a strong performance and victory over former club Merthyr.
Not only would a bonus-point victory over the Ironmen secure a top-five finish for Pooler on their return to the Premiership but it would also be the perfect send-off for the 33-year-old, who is set to depart this summer.
The expert kicker joined the club in 2021 and has gone to amass an impressive points haul of 672 in just 59 games in the famous red, white and black jersey.
After missing the first few games of his Pooler career with a throat injury, Jarvis quickly became a mainstay in the team and was the architect behind many Pontypool victories.
The outside half was instrumental last season as the club completed a historic unbeaten double-winning season and he has taken that form into the Premiership where he has booted 221 points in 22 games.
Having helped the club acclimatise to a new level of rugby, Jarvis feels now is the right time to say goodbye to the club.
“It will be an emotional night for me as it will be the last time I run out at Pontypool Park in a Pontypool jersey,” revealed Jarvis.
“I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve loved every minute of it, I’ve made some great mates, the supporters have been outstanding and it’s been great to play for Pontypool.
“I’d like to thank Peter [Jeffreys], Leighton [Jones], the management, players and supporters for a great two-and-a-half years.
“It’s disappointing not to reach the play-offs.
“We had a good spell and it was looking good for us but we lost a few key and crucial games, which have cost us.
“But ultimately it has been a wonderful season for the club.
“It’s been a long time coming for the club to be back in the Premiership and finishing in the top five or six is a great achievement for everyone, especially coming up from the Championship last season.”
It is quite poetic that a frozen pitch in January has allowed Jarvis to bow out at Pontypool Park against his former side, with whom he lifted the Premiership title and National Cup.
“It will be quite fitting to do so against Merthyr, my old side, and against a few boys that I know really well.
“Merthyr will be tough opposition.
“They’ve been on a good run and made the cup final.
“They’ve had two disappointing results in their last two fixtures so they will be coming at us all guns blazing to put those defeats right.
“I know of a few of their players and I know they’ll be wanting to make a statement and put a few wrongs right.”
Pontypool will be wanting to make a statement of their own following last week’s narrow defeat at the CiNER Glass Community Stadium last week.
“Thursday was disappointing,” Jarvis added.
“It was a close game and probably one that we could have pipped in the end.
“On a personal level, it was probably the worst performance I have had in a Pontypool shirt.
“That was disappointing for me but some of the boys fronted up well, there was a lot of effort and commitment but we couldn’t get the win sadly.”