The opening round of the 2012/13 Principality Premiership sees last season’s champions Pontypridd travel to Pandy Park to face SWALEC Cup holders Cross Keys. Pontypridd lost to Cross Keys in the final of the Cup competition, but were crowned Premiership winners after topping the league and then pipping Llanelli 15-13 in the Play-Off Final at Sardis Road.
Ponty head coach Dale McIntosh insists he is happy to be travelling to Cross Keys on the opening day.
“After the Cup final, this is a good way to start the league campaign,” said the former Wales flanker.
“It’s a tough place to go away and win, but it’s a good calibre of game, especially with Cross Keys’ success not only in the SWALEC Cup but in reaching the final of the British and Irish Cup and if we can get a result there, it will set us up for the rest of the season.”
Following the trip to Pandy Park, Ponty host Bedwas before travelling to Carmarthen, their bogey team.
“Bedwas are a bit of an unknown at the moment after changes in their playing and coaching personnel but we won’t underestimate them, and then there’s Carmarthen. We have never won there, plus we lost to them in a Cup semi-final at Bridgend, but that has to change sometime.
“Although we have had a minimal break, we have had a good pre-season and are happy with how we have strengthened the side with some key signings including Scott Roberts and Keiron Jenkins in the front row, Dai Flanagan with join Simon Humberstone who has returned from injury at outside half and Geraint Welsh and Tom Pascoe join in the centre.
“We are raring to go. Last year we put ourselves in a good position to do the double but it didn’t happen for the right reasons. This year we again have ambitions to do as well as we can in both the Principality Premiership, the SWALEC Cup and the British and Irish Cup.”
Aberavon are hoping by boosting their back room staff, they can push for honours. Former Wales centre Mark Taylor and ex-Wales A fly half Craig Warlow bring a wealth of experience to the outfit with head coach Simon King saying the duo have already made an impact.
“They have settled in straight away,” he said. “We are looking forward to the start of the season but it’s a competitive league. There are lots of the players who went to Australia with the senior squad who have played Premiership rugby and we have a number of players who could come through the ranks.
“We came third last season but it’s difficult to convince people how good an achievement that was. We’ll be taking each game at a time and the squad is well so we are looking forward to a good start.”
September 1, 2012
Neath v Swansea
Cardiff v Llandovery
Aberavon v Newport
Bedwas v Carmarthen
Bridgend v Llanelli
Cross Keys v Pontypridd
September 7, 2012
Newport v Llanelli
September 8, 2012
Neath v Llandovery
Swansea v Aberavon
Carmarthen v Cardiff
Cross Keys v Bridgend
Pontypridd v Bedwas
September 15, 2012
Llanelli v Neath
Bedwas v Swansea
Llandovery v Bridgend
Cross Keys v Aberavon
Carmarthen v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Newport
Wednesday September 19, 2012
Neath v Carmarthen
Swansea v Cross Keys
Pontypridd v Llandovery
Aberavon v Llanelli
Bridgend v Cardiff
Newport v Bedwas
September 22, 2012
Cross Keys v Neath
Llandovery v Swansea
Carmarthen v Newport
Bedwas v Llanelli
Pontypridd v Bridgend
September 23, 2012
Cardiff v Aberavon
September 29, 2012
Neath v Pontypridd
Swansea v Cardiff
Llandovery v Newport
Aberavon v Bedwas
Bridgend v Carmarthen
Llanelli v Cross Keys
October 6, 2012
Bedwas v Neath
Pontypridd v Swansea
Llandovery v Llanelli
Carmarthen v Aberavon
Cross Keys v Cardiff
Bridgend v Newport
October 27, 2012
Neath v Bridgend
Swansea v Carmarthen
Aberavon v Llandovery
Cardiff v Llanelli
Cross Keys v Bedwas
October 28, 2012
Newport v Pontypridd
November 3, 2012
Cardiff v Neath
Llandovery v Bedwas
Bridgend v Aberavon
Carmarthen v Cross Keys
Llanelli v Pontypridd
Newport v Swansea
November 17, 2012
Neath v Newport
Swansea v Bridgend
Cross Keys v Llandovery
Aberavon v Pontypridd
Bedwas v Cardiff
Llanelli v Carmarthen
November 23
Swansea v Neath
Llandovery v Cardiff
Carmarthen v Bedwas
Llanelli v Bridgend
Pontypridd v Cross Keys
November 25, 2012
Newport v Aberavon
November 30
Carmarthen v Neath
Cross Keys v Swansea
Llandovery v Pontypridd
Llanelli v Aberavon- Scarlets
Cardiff v Bridgend
Bedwas v Newport
December 22, 2012
Neath v Llanelli
Swansea v Bedwas
Bridgend v Llandovery
Aberavon v Cross Keys
Pontypridd v Carmarthen
Newport v Cardiff
December 26, 2012
Aberavon v Neath
Llanelli v Swansea
Llandovery v Carmarthen
Cardiff v Pontypridd
Cross Keys v Newport
Bedwas v Bridgend
January 4, 2013
Newport v Llandovery
January 5, 2013
Pontypridd v Neath
Cardiff v Swansea
Bedwas v Aberavon
Carmarthen v Bridgend
Cross Keys v Llanelli
February 8,2013
Neath v Cross Keys
Swansea v Llandovery
Aberavon v Cardiff
Llanelli v Bedwas
Bridgend v Pontypridd
February 10, 2013
Newport v Carmarthen
February 23, 2013
Bridgend v Neath
Carmarthen v Swansea
Llandovery v Aberavon
Llanelli v Cardiff
Pontypridd v Newport
Bedwas v Cross Keys
March 2, 2013
Neath v Bedwas
Swansea v Pontypridd
Llanelli v Llandovery
Aberavon v Carmarthen
Cardiff v Cross Keys
Newport v Bridgend
March 9, 2013
Newport v Neath
Bridgend v Swansea
Llandovery v Cross Keys
Pontypridd v Aberavon
Cardiff v Bedwas
Carmarthen v Llanelli
March 30, 2013
Neath v Aberavon
Swansea v Llanelli
Carmarthen v Llandovery
Pontypridd v Cardiff
Newport v Cross Keys
Bridgend v Bedwas
April 20, 2013
Llandovery v Neath
Aberavon v Swansea
Cardiff v Carmarthen-Blues
Llanelli v Newport
Bedwas v Pontypridd
Cross Keys v Bridgend
April 27, 2013
Neath v Cardiff
Bedwas v Llandovery
Aberavon v Bridgend
Cross Keys v Carmarthen
Pontypridd v Llanelli
Swansea v Newport