The dominant club sides in Wales in the eighties and nineties, the two teams used to draw huge crowds whenever they met. Having won the Division 1 East title last season, Pontypool will be back in the big time for the first time in two years this season.
As for Neath, they will be bidding for a successful launch to their quest for a fifth successive Principality Premier Division title. Having scooped the double last season, adding the Konica Minolta Cup to their league crown, the Welsh All Blacks are expecting everyone in the division to raise their game against them in the new campaign.
“The stakes are even higher this time. We did have a great season and learn a lot last year but now we have to start again from scratch,” said Neath’s double-winning skipper, and Principality Premiership Player of the Year, Lee Beach.
“It is going to be a huge challenge to try and win the title again and we couldn’t have asked for a tougher start against a team that won 18 and drew two of its 22 matches last season.”
Wales Sevens coach Patrick Horgan is returning to The Gnoll to mastermind the Premiership defence as Head Coach. He returns from Ebbw Vale and takes over from Rowland Phillips, who has become the champions’ Director of Rugby.
“Matches against Pontypool are historically tough games – I know that from first-hand experience – and we expect nothing less than a tough encounter with them in Round 1,” said Phillips.
“It is always good to start at home, but Pontypool had a great season in winning promotion and have since strengthened their squad. Teams always want to beat Neath – and I take that as a compliment.
“We have to just focus on our own game as the Premier Division seasons are getting progressively harder with the improvement all the other clubs are showing.
“Pre-season training is going well and part of that preparation will involve the entire squad running in the Bupa Great Wales Run around Cardiff Bay tomorrow (Sunday 27 July) to raise money for the Gareth Jones Memorial Fund.
“Second row Neil Edwards and back row forward Lee Evans have joined Neath, along with a number of promising youngsters, but it has been more of a case of consolidating what we already had rather than any major recruitment.”
While Neath bid to make it five titles on the trot, Pontypool return to the top flight after a two-year absence and going unbeaten at Pontypool Park in Division 1 East last season.
“You have to test yourselves against the best – and Neath have obviously been the best team in the Premier Division for several seasons – so, while it is a big challenge, it is also one we very much look forward to meeting,” said Pontypool team manager Colin Brennan.
“Pontypool is a big club and we feel it is very important to Gwent rugby that the club is back in the Premiership. Now we can really look forward to the local derbies we will have against Newport, Cross Keys and Ebbw Vale.
“Our first priority, though, will be to consolidate our place in the Premiership and, to that end, we have picked up a number of quality players to strengthen our squad. We also want to turn Pontypool Park into a fortress and make it an intimidating place for opposition teams.”
Llanelli will be the first to resume business at Pontypool Park while last season’s runners-up, Cardiff, will launch their bid to go one better next season when they also kick-off in Gwent, in their case at Cross Keys. The Blue and Blacks did the double over Cross Keys in 2007/08.
Pontypridd finished three points below Cardiff in third place last seson and coach Paul John will be hoping for a repeat of their great start 12 months ago when they won their opening three matches. This time they will kick-off at the fabled “House of Pain” at Sardis Road with another traditional heavyweight Welsh club fixture against Newport.Â
Llanelli had their worst Premiership finish for four seasons after ending in ninth place last term and they have been handed a tough opener at Stradey Park against the much improved Glamorgan Wanderers. Last season the Scarlets edged home 9-3.
Llandovery and Bridgend clung on to their Premiership status last season and will meet in a vital clash at Church Bank on opening day, while Ebbw Vale host Bedwas and Swansea entertain Aberavon.
Principality Premiership 2008-09
6 September, 2008
Cross Keys v Cardiff
Ebbw Vale v Bedwas
Llandovery v Bridgend
Llanelli v Glamorgan Wanderers
Neath v Pontypool
Pontypridd v Newport
Swansea v Aberavon
13 September, 2008
Aberavon v Llandovery
Bedwas v Glamorgan Wanderers
Bridgend v Ebbw Vale
Cross Keys v Swansea
Newport v Cardiff
Pontypool v Llanelli
Pontypridd v NeathÂ
20 September, 2008
Cardiff v Bridgend
Ebbw Vale v Pontypridd
Glamorgan Wanderers v Pontypool
Llanelli v Aberavon
Neath v Cross Keys
Newport v Llandovery
Swansea v Bedwas
27 September, 2008
Aberavon v Glamorgan Wanderers
Bedwas v Neath
Bridgend v Newport
Cross Keys v Ebbw Vale
Llanelli v Llandovery
Pontypool v Swansea
Pontypridd v Cardiff
4 October, 2008
Aberavon v Pontypool
Ebbw Vale v Newport
Glamorgan Wanderers v Cross Keys
Llandovery v Cardiff
Llanelli v Bedwas
Neath v Bridgend
Swansea v Pontypridd
11 October, 2008
Bedwas v Aberavon
Bridgend v Swansea
Cardiff v Ebbw Vale
Cross Keys v Llanelli
Neath v Newport
Pontypool v Llandovery
Pontypridd v Glamorgan Wanderers
18 October, 2008
Aberavon v Cross Keys
Glamorgan Wanderers v Bridgend
Llandovery v Ebbw Vale
Llanelli v Pontypridd
Neath v Cardiff
Newport v Swansea
Pontypool v Bedwas
25 October, 2008Â
Bedwas v Llandovery
Bridgend v Llanelli
Cross Keys v Pontypool
Ebbw Vale v Neath
Glamorgan Wanderers v Newport
Pontypridd v Aberavon
Swansea v Cardiff
11 November, 2008
Aberavon v Bridgend
Bedwas v Cross Keys
Cardiff v Glamorgan Wanderers
Llandovery v Neath
Llanelli v Newport
Pontypool v Pontypridd
Swansea v Ebbw Vale
15 November, 2008
Bridgend v Pontypool
Cross Keys v Llandovery
Ebbw Vale v Glamorgan Wanderers
Llanelli v Cardiff
Neath v Swansea
Newport v Aberavon
Pontypridd v Bedwas
25 November, 2008Â
Aberavon v Cardiff
Bedwas v Bridgend
Cross Keys v Pontypridd
Ebbw Vale v Llanelli
Glamorgan Wanderers v Neath
Llandovery v Swansea
Newport v Pontypool
6 December, 2008
Bridgend v Cross Keys
Ebbw Vale v Aberavon
Llandovery v Pontypridd
Neath v Llanelli
Newport v Bedwas
Pontypool v Cardiff
Swansea v Glamorgan Wanderers
13 December, 2008
Aberavon v Swansea
Bedwas v Ebbw Vale
Bridgend v Llandovery
Cardiff v Cross Keys
Glamorgan Wanderers v Llanelli
Newport v Pontypridd
Pontypool v Neath
27 December, 2008
Aberavon v Neath
Bedwas v Cardiff
Cross Keys v Newport
Glamorgan Wanderers v Llandovery
Llanelli v Swansea
Pontypool v Ebbw Vale
Pontypridd v Bridgend
3 January, 2009
Cardiff v Pontypridd
Ebbw Vale v Cross Keys
Glamorgan Wanderers v Aberavon
Llandovery v Llanelli
Neath v Bedwas
Newport v Bridgend
Swansea v Pontypool
10 January, 2009
Aberavon v Llanelli
Bedwas v Swansea
Bridgend v Cardiff
Cross Keys v Neath
Llandovery v Newport
Pontypool v Glamorgan Wanderers
Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale
17 January, 2009
Cardiff v Newport
Ebbw Vale v Bridgend
Glamorgan Wanderers v Bedwas
Llandovery v Aberavon
Llanelli v Pontypool
Neath v Pontypridd
Swansea v Cross Keys
31 January, 2009
Bedwas v Llanelli
Bridgend v Neath
Cardiff v Llandovery
Cross Keys v Glamorgan Wanderers
Newport v Ebbw Vale
Pontypool v Aberavon
Pontypridd v Swansea
10 February, 2009
Bridgend v Bedwas
Cardiff v Aberavon
Llanelli v Ebbw Vale
Neath v Glamorgan Wanderers
Pontypool v Newport
Pontypridd v Cross Keys
Swansea v Llandovery
28 February, 2009
Aberavon v Bedwas
Ebbw Vale v Cardiff
Glamorgan Wanderers v Pontypridd
Llandovery v Pontypool
Llanelli v Cross Keys
Newport v Neath
Swansea v Bridgend
7 March, 2009
Bedwas v Pontypool
Bridgend v Glamorgan Wanderers
Cardiff v Neath
Cross keys v Aberavon
Ebbw Vale v Llandovery
Pontypridd v Llanelli
Swansea v Newport
4 April, 2009
Aberavon v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Swansea
Llandovery v Bedwas
Llanelli v Bridgend
Neath v Ebbw Vale
Newport v Glamorgan Wanderers
Pontypool v Cross Keys
11 April, 2009
Bridgend v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Bedwas
Ebbw Vale v Pontypool
Llandovery v Glamorgan Wanderers
Neath v Aberavon
Newport v Cross Keys
Swansea v Llanelli
18 April, 2009
Bridgend v Aberavon
Cross Keys v Bedwas
Ebbw Vale v Swansea
Glamorgan Wanderers v Cardiff
Neath v Llandovery
Newport v Llanelli
Pontypridd v Pontypool
25 April, 2009
Aberavon v Newport
Bedwas v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Llanelli
Glamorgan Wanderers v Ebbw Vale
Llandovery v Cross Keys
Pontypool v Bridgend
Swansea v Neath
2 May, 2009
Aberavon v Ebbw Vale
Bedwas v Newport
Cardiff v Pontypool
Cross Keys v Bridgend
Glamorgan Wanderers v Swansea
Llanelli v Neath
Pontypridd v Llandovery
