photo by Ian Lovell

Wales A face a tough trip to face Ireland at Carlow RFC this Saturday (kick-off 3pm) as both sides aim to build on their opening wins of this season’s Home Nations campaign.

Wales beat Scotland 44-30 in Cardiff last month to head the table while Ireland produced a shock 28-22 win over England.

Welsh chairman Mark Rowley knows that the championship could come down to points difference this year and he is determined that Wales should go into the final game against England with two wins under their belt.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” Rowley said. “We’ve seen the video of their win over England and it looks like they have some big lads in the side who will make it hard for us. They are a very well-drilled side and if Ireland beat us on Saturday then I think they will go on to win the championship. However if we win, then it’s all to play for against England in Blackwood next month.”

Wales, who have five players with Celtic Crusaders experience in their squad, will field just two new caps on Saturday with Valley Cougars’ duo Mark Jones and Anthony Watts making their debuts. Already an under-18 international, Watts is making the step up a grade for the first time.

Wales squad: David James (Blackwood Bulldogs), Paul Emmanuelli (Blackwood Bulldogs), Neil Dixon (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Karl Hocking (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Mark Jones (Valley Cougars), Gareth David (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Christian Roets (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Matthew Entwhistle (Torfaen Tigers), Jason Hill (Torfaen Tigers), Steve Mayley (Torfaen Tigers), Anthony Watts (Valley Cougars), Owen Lewis (Valley Cougars), Joey Davies (Cardiff Demons), Miles Davies (Cardiff Demons), Lee Williams (Valley Cougars), Daniel Blethyn (NPT Steelers), Dean Scully (NPT Steelers), John Bowd (Newport Titans)

Ireland Squad: Alan McNamara (Treaty City Titans), Lemaki Viapulu (Treaty City Titans), Wayne Kelly (Portadown Pumas),  Mike Brodie (Treaty City Titans), Eimhin Griffiths (Athlone Arrows), Steve Gibbons (Carlow Crusaders) Capt, Matt Ashe (Tullamore Knights), Clive Gee (Portlaoise Panthers), Liam Walsh (Siddal), Phil Purdue (North Dublin Eagles), Sean Hennessy (Carlow Crusaders), Russell Armstrong (Carlow Crusaders), Kevin

O'Riordan (Treaty City Titans), Bernard Westman (Tullamore Knights), Brian Rushe  (Tullamore Knights), Mick Harte (Tullamore Knights), Ross Barbour (Carlow Crusaders), Mark Hanrahan (Treaty City Titans), Declan Nash (Treaty City Titans), Barry Sheehan (Treaty City Titans)

Meanwhile back in Wales, the battle for a home draw in the Co-operative Welsh Conference Premier play-offs continues as Blackwood Bulldogs face Valley Cougars at Glan-yr-Afon Park in Blackwood (2.30pm).

Both sides will be depleted on Saturday with arguably their best players playing for Wales in Ireland at the same time.

Three sides are currently battling for the third and fourth positions that will give them the crucial home draws in the first round next Saturday, and it looks very likely that the loser of this Saturday’s contest will be the side that misses out, with Newport Titans favourites to beat West Wales Sharks.

A win for the Cougars, who are a point ahead of Blackwood and Torfaen Tigers, will guarantee them third place and Rowley, who is also chairman of the Cougars, is disappointed not to be there.

“The team are in capable hands,” he said. “Our coach Stuart Williams and team manager Martin Lewis have done a great job this year. We’ll be four players down this weekend because of the Wales game. Obviously it’s a fantastic achievement to have them in the side but they are also disappointed that they can’t play for Cougars. If we win, we’ll have Cardiff home next weekend, if we lose, we could be at Blackwood again. Whatever happens this weekend, we’re all looking forward to the forthcoming play-offs.”

The Titans will hope to end a three game losing streak against bottom side West Wales Sharks knowing that a win will also guarantee them a home draw, however the Sharks will want to end a poor season on a high.

The Sharks are currently in bottom spot and set to miss out on a play-off place altogether but they could still mathematically qualify if they get a 44 point win over the Titans.

Titans Chairman Paul Cooper said: “We have lost our last three games but on each occasion have matched teams on try count only to lose by kicks and the boys are desperate to get back to winning ways on Saturday".

The game will take place at Duffryn High School in Newport as the Titans Pil Harriers home is playing host to a fete on the same day.

article by Ian Golden and Simon Green
12 July 2007