After a quick turnaround, Steve Law’s men travel to West Wales to face thirteenth place Carmarthen Quins in a rescheduled fixture between the two at Carmarthen Park, before hosting Swansea next Thursday.
The Blue and Blacks were scheduled to travel to the Park at the beginning of December last year but it was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Cardiff will come into this game on the back of two defeats on the road to Gwent sides Newport and Pontypool. Unlike last week’s third meeting between the Black and Ambers this season, Friday night will be the first time these two will go head-to-head in this year’s Indigo Premiership.
It will be the 36th meeting between the two and Cardiff have won 22 of the 36.
The hosts for tomorrow night come into the game on the back of a strong second-half performance against RGC 1404, where they pulled the game back to within five points after RGC went into a 20-0 lead at halftime.
The Quins were victorious at the Park against Aberavon where they won 56-17 at the beginning of March.
The last time The Blue and Blacks faced Carmarthen at The Park was back in April of last year, when they had to work hard to earn a 23-14 victory.
On that day Alun Rees and Ryan Wilkins both scored with the trusted boot of Harrison James keeping Carmarthen adrift on that occasion.
Carmarthen’s last victory over The Blue and Blacks was back at the start of 2022 when they won 27-25.
Player Chat:
James Beal who joined The Blue and Blacks back in 2016 as a Cardiff Met student will make his 100th appearance tomorrow evening.
He gave me his thoughts before Friday’s encounter with the Quins, he said: “We’ve had a tough last month against quality opposition in Llandovery, Pontypool and Newport but we’ve had glimpses of some really good rugby so it puts us in a good position going ahead for these next remaining matches.
“The mood was obviously disappointing but generally the feel was that we were actually the better side against Newport.
“We just weren’t clinical enough in the important part of the pitch, and a bounce here or there going towards Newport favoured them in the end.
“Steve (Law) said he was proud of our effort and endeavour which is the main thing we have as a non-negotiable when we play,” he added.
On tomorrow night’s opposition, Beal said: “Carmarthen is always a tough place to go, particularly being on a Friday night.
“We’re looking forward to building what we did at Newport but just being that little bit more clinical in the important moments.
“We’re expecting a physical match as we usually have against them.
“Weather dependent it could be a good night for running rugby but you never know playing at the Park.
“A win down there would mean a lot for us. All of these final 5 or 6 games are important so a win would put us back on the track,” he concluded.
Team News:
Steve Law makes a handful of changes to his side that faced Newport last time out with James Beal making his hundredth appearance in a Blue and Black shirt as he switches to the right wing.
There is one change in the front row as Alun Rees comes back in for Joey Tomlinson. In the back-row after making his full debut last time out, Evan Rees moves to blind-side as Morgan Allen returns and captains The Blue and Blacks at eight.
Craig Hudd moves to open-side in replacement of brother Nathan Hudd.
Harrison James makes his first start since the Pontypool match and joins Tom Habberfield to complete the halfbacks.
Joe Goodchild returns to the starting XV and replaces Jason Harries who moves to inside centre in replacement of Arron Pinches.
Jacob Lloyd remains in the starting XV as he starts at fullback, as he replaces Dewi Cross who went off injured last weekend.
Cardiff RFC:
15. Jacob Lloyd
14. James Beal (100th appearance)
13. Luke Pollock
12. Jason Harries
11. Joe Goodchild
10. Harrison James
9. Tom Habberfield
1. Cam TylerGrocott
2. Alun Rees
3. Freddie Barnes
4. Sean Moore
5. Ethan Phillips
6. Evan Rees
7. Craig Hudd
8. Morgan Allen (C)
Replacements:
16. Connah Vaughan
17. Ollie Evans
18. Christian Brooke
19. Tom Fitzpatrick
20. Ioan Pascoe
21. Joe Williams
22. Tom Hughes
23. Ben Roberts
Words By Harry Tovey
HTSPORTSNEWS 