On Good Friday, Aberavon (6th – 27 points) travel to the Brewery Field to take on Bridgend (12th – 6 points) in the Indigo Group Premiership, kick-off at 2:30 pm.
In the Premiership this season, the Ravens have won one from eight games. Their win came over RGC 1404 last month when Bridgend won 20 – 8 at home. They have picked up losing bonus points in their games at Carmarthen Quins (17 – 22) and home to Swansea (23 – 27). In the game against the All Whites – the Ravens last match on April 2nd – the home side was winning but an interception in the last play of the game gifted Swansea victory.
In the Indigo Group Premiership Cup, Bridgend finished the pool stage of the competition in fourth place of the West division after winning four of their ten games. They did the double over Llanelli and won at Llandovery and Swansea. The Ravens then lost at Newport in the quarter-finals.
Looking at the Premiership, in “attack”, Bridgend have scored 16.0 points on average per game (ranked 11th) and 1.8 tries (ranked 12th). In “defence” they have conceded 28.4 points on average per game (ranked 11th) and 4.3 tries (ranked 11th). Aberavon have scored 29.4 points per game (ranked 4th) and 4.1 tries (ranked 3rd), and conceded 20.3 points (ranked 2nd) and 2.5 tries (ranked 3rd).
Head-to-head, Aberavon and Bridgend have met each other 40 times in the Welsh National League, with the Wizards leading the series 20 – 18 with 2 games drawn. At the Brewery Field, Bridgend lead 11 – 8 with 1 game drawn with Aberavon winning the last time the sides met in the league at the ground (27 – 26 in 2019-20).
Looking back fifteen years ago to the 2006-07 season, the Wizards won the fixture 24 – 16 taking the spoils in a scrappy encounter in which tries were scored by Robbie Morgan and James Pike. Jamie Davies landed a penalty goal and a conversion, while replacement Gareth Knox landed three penalties to put the game beyond doubt after the home side had threatened to claw their way back into contention. The Ravens points came from a Rhys Webb try, with Gareth David kicking three penalties and a conversion.
The Wizards team that day was: Liam Gadd; Richard Carter, Paul Bamsey, Darren Ryan, James Pike; Jamie Davies (rep Gareth Knox), Chris Morgans (rep Dan Hawkins); Mike Harris, Marc Breeze (rep Christian Richards), Anthony Edwards (rep Ceri Jones), Andrew Fisher, Chris Gittins (capt), Darryl Thomas, Robbie Morgan, James Davies (rep Simon Peters).
The referee for Friday’s game is Ben Breakspear, aided by John Darcy and Mark Butcher.