On Saturday, Aberavon (4th – 60 pts) travel to Cardiff Arms Park to take on Cardiff (2nd – 72 pts) in the Indigo Group Premiership, kick-off at 2:30 pm.
Cardiff have won fifteen of their eighteen league games this season. They have recorded bonus point wins against Bridgend (twice), Llanelli (twice), Swansea (twice), Carmarthen Quins, Llandovery, Newport and Pontypridd, with their other wins coming against RGC 1404 (twice), Ebbw Vale, Merthyr and Pontypridd. They’ve also picked up losing bonus points against Aberavon and Newport.
In the WRU Cup, Cardiff are through to the final having topped their pool after a win over Merthyr but a loss to Llandovery. They then beat RGC 1404 in the semi-final stage of the competition last month and will face Newport in the final on Sunday April 23rd.
Looking at the Premiership, in “attack”, Cardiff have scored 34.5 points on average per game (ranked 1st ) and 4.6 tries (ranked 1st). In “defence” they have conceded 18.5 points on average per game (ranked 2nd) and 2.1 tries (ranked 3rd). Aberavon have scored 28.1 points per game (ranked 4th) and 3.9 tries (ranked 3rd), and conceded 22.4 points (ranked 7th) and 2.7 tries (ranked 7th).
Head-to-head, Aberavon and Cardiff have met each other 40 times in the Welsh National League, with the Blue & Blacks leading the series 21 – 18 with 1 game drawn. At the Arms Park, Cardiff lead 14 – 5 with 1 game drawn and have won the last four times the sides have met at the ground.
Looking back to the 2003-04 season, the Wizards won a midweek league game at the ground 26 – 13 with prop Paul Breeze and outside half Jamie Davies scoring tries for the Wizards. Referee Paul Adams also awarded the visitors a penalty try for a collapsed scrum. Davies kicked three penalties and a conversion. For the home side, wing Jamie Henthorn scored their only try with outside half Gareth McCarthy kicking the conversion and two penalties.
The Wizards team that day was: Ricky Price; Lenny Woodard, Darren Ryan, David Hawkins, Sam Greenaway (rep Chris Perry); Jamie Davies, Daniel Hawkins; Mike Harris (rep Paul Breeze), James Jones, Greg Dix, Dafydd Owen, Chris Gittins, Dean Thomas (rep Steffan Edwards), Jonathan Purnell (rep Jamie Summers), Howard Merrett.
The referee for Saturday’s game is Mike English, aided by Elliot Mayor and Mark Butcher.