After their British & Irish Cup interlude, Neath get back to basics and the Principality Premiership when Newport visit The Gnoll on Saturday (kick off 2.30pm).
The Welsh All Blacks were decidedly unlucky at Meadow Lane where they came within minutes of pulling off a shock win over third placed English Championship Nottingham last week; now they take on the Welsh Premiership’s second-placed team in the first of six consecutive home games.
Neath produced a fighting display that deserved reward last week and, for the first time in ages, they have named an unchanged side, the replacements’ bench again featuring a 5-2 split of forwards and backs.
Head Coach Patrick Horgan said: “The British & Irish Cup is a good competition and we have really enjoyed the challenge of taking on new opponents in the last fortnight. But now it is back to the bread and butter of the Welsh Premiership.
“I was very proud of the performance at Nottingham as were our supporters who made the long journey and saw us more than match the home side who included several players on a salary that equates with what the WRU give us to run the whole club for a year !
“We missed 3 cracking scoring opportunities in the first-half and, had we taken them, we could have provided the first big shock of this new tournament. We did not deserve to lose to two late tries, the second an interception that on another day could just as easily have seen us regain the lead.
“The boys fought to the bitter end, we finished on the attack and we were all very pleased with a traditional, passionate, never-beaten Neath display.
“Now we must re-focus our energies for the challenge of Newport who have themselves done well in the British & Irish Cup with a win over Exeter and a draw against Plymouth. Their style is not unlike Nottingham’s, they overpowered Llanelli in their last league game by keeping it very tight in the forwards and we will need to be in the same combative frame of mind if we are to succeed – which we must in order to leapfrog them in the table.”
Neath:
G.King; K.James, S.Thomas, W.Mitchell, K.Phillips; A.Thomas (captain), K.Farrell; N.Downs, G.Price, M.Jones; E.Evans, N.Edwards; L.Evans, J.Bowd, G.Gravell,
Replacements: A.Jenkins, T.James, A.James, J.Reeves, P.Sidoli, H.Pugh, A.Whitney
Referee : Mr. Nigel Owens (Pontyberem)
