Wales take on Ireland in the second match of their Skanska Home Nations Championship campaign at the Brewery Field on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) knowing that, following England’s win over Scotland last week, a victory will take them into a winner takes all contest with the English at Featherstone Rovers on September 10th giving the Welsh a chance to win their fifth Home Nations title in a row.

This is Ireland’s final match in the Home Nations this year having already beaten Scotland 38-30 and losing to England 23-44. The Wolfhounds are still in with a chance of winning the title for the first time but know that they need in a big win over the Dragons to accomplish this. Wales sneaked an 18-10 win in Dublin last year and this year’s results so far signify that we could have another tight contest on our hands this year

Wales have named a squad of 20 that contains five additions to the team who beat Scotland 22-16 in their first match of the tournament last month.

Jeremy Lloyd, who was outstanding in leading Blackwood to the Welsh semi-finals, replaces the unavailable Gareth Jones at stand-off, while his Bulldogs’ team-mate Byron Williams may start on the bench. Aberavon’s Dennis Pugh, who has excelled with Wales and Great Britain students over the last two seasons, makes his debut at this level, Mark Cooke could be West Wales Sharks’ first A international representative if he plays while Cardiff Demons’ Graham Hughes is set to win his first Wales A cap in four years.

The match is the third in a triple header of rugby league. First up is a North Wales v South Wales under-15 clash (kick-off 11.30am). It’s the first time that any North Wales rugby league side has travelled down to the South to play a match and Welsh Rugby League officials are hopeful that we’ll see a North Wales senior select side in the near future with a chance of seeing some of their players in the Wales A line-up. All the North Wales players come from the Rhyl Rugby League club while the South Wales team has been selected from the Welsh Conference Premier clubs.

Following this match, the Ireland under 25s take on the Welsh Presidents XIII (kick-off 1pm). Effectively, this is a B international, is Ireland’s first ever match at this level but is Wales’ second following their crushing 52-12 defeat of Lebanon Espoirs last August. The Wales side for this match contains many of the youngsters who competed in the under-19 European Championships in France last month and they know that a good performance will put them in line for a place in the Wales A side for the England clash in September.

Wales A coach and Welsh Rugby League development officer, Wayne Williams, said: “We’re looking at three exciting matches of rugby league here on Saturday and the main clash is certain to be a thriller. We had to fight hard for our

win over Scotland whom the Irish also beat so we know we’re not in for an easy ride. Ireland beat us three years ago in this tournament and we’ll have to be at our best to ensure it doesn’t happen again as we want to hold on to our trophy.”

Admission is £5 for adults and £1 for children but fans get free entry for all three matches if they turn up before 12:30pm.

The Bridgend Blue Bulls go into their fourth consecutive Harry Jepson Cup campaign this Sunday declaring that the match v South London Storm at Hemel Stags RLFC will be their biggest and toughest ever. The reigning Champions beat the Londoners at the same stage last season but only five of the men who played that day will be in the squad this weekend for the match at Hemel Hempstead after the Bulls lost much of their squad to the Celtic Crusaders and teams abroad.

Bridgend will also be sweating over the fitness of a number of players with many squad members on duty with their Union teams the previous day and have therefore named a squad of 24 players ahead of the match.

Team Manager Simon Green said “Saturday evening is going to be very stressful as we wait to see if all our players are fit and well, its not ideal preparation but its something we have got use to and we always knew that the Union and League seasons would overlap, especially if we got through to the British Cup again. But we have a great squad and not just a good 17 and we know that whoever runs out onto the pitch will give 100%. We are very happy to be here again, especially after most wrote us off at the start of the summer, but we are not travelling all the way to Hemel Hempstead just to make the numbers and are desperate to retain our British title”.

photo by Simon Green

Bridgend will once again be lead by their captain Jon Purnell who has lead from the front and been the main driving force in the Bulls success this season while definitely available will be wing Arran Warner who scored the late winner v Blackwood in the Welsh Conference semi final and Fijian 2nd row Tevita Manaseitava who has been in awesome form over the past few games.

Whatever happens on Sunday it has been a very successful season for the Blue Bulls but will not want it to end this weekend.

BLUE BULLS SQUAD: Matthew Hutchings, Arran Warner, Owen Strong, Ed Tooley, Gerwyn Cape, Tylon Mafi, Ryan Morgan, Steve Hearne, Michael John, Carle Ellis, Allan Bateman, Gareth Hopkins, Marc Bennett, Lloyd O’Connor, Dan Williams, Jon Purnell (capt), Matthew Wareham, Tevita Manaseitava, Griff Davies, Ross McGraw, Kyle Coulter, Matthew Channel, Simon Mustoe.

article by Ian Golden and Simon Green
17 August 2006