Quins second row Pugh to lead Prem XV

CARMARTHEN Quins lock Haydn Pugh will skipper the Principality Premiership XV when they face a Georgia International XV at Bridgend’s Brewery Field tonight (7pm).

The former Wales Under-20 second row has impressed head coach Simon King and his coaching team in recent weeks on and off the field, earning the captain’s armband for this inaugural international match for the Premiership outfit.

“Haydn has been excellent in training, has worn his heart on his sleeve and fully deserves to be captain,” said King. “There are a lot of leaders in the squad including Aberavon’s Chris Davies and Swansea’s Sam Kiley, and all the players involved in the matchday 22 have been 100% committed throughout this training and selection process.”

King has named an experienced starting line-up for the occasion, with Aberavon wing Richard Carter and Newport and former Wales Under-21 centre Scott Williams among the most ‘capped’ Premiership players.

There are a number of other players with international honours to their name, including former Wales Under-20 caps Morgan Allen, Ben Thomas and wing Lee Rees, who is also a Wales Sevens international.

Dragons and Cross Keys outside-half Steffan Jones gets the nod at No 10, while full-back Geraint O’Driscoll (Pontypool) and lock Adam Powell (Llanelli) have also had game time with their respective regions this season.

Cross Keys prop Richard Cornock has been called into the squad to replace Aberavon’s Lloyd Howells who has been ruled out through injury, Cornock completing an all Cross Keys front row.

King added: “We are pleased with the team we have been able to select and we are all looking forward to the experience of playing against an international side like the Georgia XV. Everyone involved is determined to show the Principality Premiership in a good light.

“There are plenty of players who have come through the Premiership and gone on to bigger and better things and, as a vehicle, matches like this are a great indicator of the potential within the division.”

The full Georgia side beat Kingsley Jones’s Russia 46-0 the weekend before last and King expects the Georgia International XV to be an equally tough challenge for the Premiership players.

“Georgia are a very big, physical, well-drilled side so we will need to prepare for that challenge up front,” he added.

“We have had three or four training sessions together so we are going to concentrate on ourselves and on doing our clubs and league proud.”

Former Cross Keys captain Lloyd Burns will present the players with their team shirts at the Brewery Field. Burns, who played the vast majority of his rugby for the Gwent side before being selected for Warren Gatland’s Wales squad, is happy to provide the service.

“I owe the Premiership a lot so it’s great to be able to do this,” said Burns. “It’s fantastic for the Premiership to have international fixtures of this kind, it helps to raise the standard.”

Principality Premiership XV

Geraint O’Driscoll (Pontypool); Richard Carter (Aberavon), Matthew Jacobs (Llandovery), Scott Williams (Newport), Lee Rees (Llandovery); Steffan Jones (Cross Keys), David Pritchard (Aberavon); Richard Cornock (Cross Keys), Gerwyn Price (Cross Keys), Marc Jones (Cross Keys), Adam Powell (Llanelli), Haydn Pugh (capt, Carmarthen Quins), Ben Thomas (Bridgend), James Davies (Carmarthen Quins), Morgan Allen (Aberavon)

Replacements: Andrew Brown (Newport), Will Taylor (Aberavon), Ryan Harford (Pontypridd), Sam Kiley (Swansea), Chris Davies (Aberavon), Jamie Davies (Aberavon), Jason Harris (Carmarthen Quins), Justin James (Llanelli).