photo by Ian Lovell

The Welsh Rugby League Conference goes into its third week on Saturday with all eight teams again in action.

The Valley Cougars currently lead the way with two big victories and they welcome the Neath-Port Talbot Steelers to their Nelson RFC home. The Steelers will be hoping to claim their first win after consecutive loses to the Demons and Titans.

At Blackwood RFC the Bulldogs host the Bridgend Blue Bulls. Blackwood have never beaten Bridgend but their last two encounters have been close affairs and it will be the first time the Bulldogs will have home advantage.

The Blue Bulls will be without their inspirational captain Jon Purnell but they welcome back forwards Ross Megraw and Tevita Manaseitava, and are expected to give a first start to 17 year old prop Rhys Hawkins who impressed when coming off the bench last week.

There will be a tense local derby at Pontypool when the Torfaen Tigers host the Newport Titans, the Titans had a big win over the Steelers last week and contain lots of good youngsters in their team while Torfaen will hope to bounce back after last weeks home defeat to the Cougars.

The final game sees the Cardiff Demons play the West Wales Sharks at St Peters RFC. Last years fixture saw the Sharks overturn a 30-6 first half lead. In one of the most dramatic games in Welsh Conference they eventually ran out 33-32 winners.

Both the Demons and Sharks made late comebacks in their games last week but just failed to overall their opponents leads and both will be desperate for victory.

article by Simon Green
29 May 2008