Cinderford will be welcoming Merthyr RFC this Saturday as the welsh team travels to the Forest of Dean as part as a preseason game which will allow both teams to observe their new signings in action for the first time and equally view the progress achieved throughout preseason as the beginning of the season approaches.
Cinderford, under the control of Director of Professional Rugby & Coaching, Nic Corrigan, have seen a number of new signings joining the club over the summer and having relocating their training centre from Hartpury to Oxtalls Campus as part of a new partnership with the University of Gloucestershire the National 1 league team will have at heart to impress their supporters in their first appearance since the end of last season.
Similarly, Merthyr will make the trip to Dockham Road with most of their new signings including second row Craig Locke from Pontypridd, scrum half Rhys Downes from Ebbw Vales, full back/fly half Matthew Jarvis from Conaught, out half Dannagh McNamara from Munster academy and most notably Andy Powell. Indeed the former British Lions and Wales player joined Merthyr RFC at the start of the summer and the Welsh side’s supporters will surely be expecting him to impress in his first game in green.
“We are looking more at ourselves in this game and I am expecting players to demonstrate their learning from what the coaches have focused on in preseason training so far. The main part for me is looking to get some shape to how we want to play for this season. Results don’t mean that much in preseason however, we are returning to a renovated Club house and we are looking forward to coming home to our supporters.” Nic Corrigan
Cinderford
1. Goodrick–Clarke
2. Baker
3. Bruno
4. Reynolds
5. Scholes
6. Mills (C)
7. Blackmore
8. Shields
9. Shields
10. Moffatt
11. Skipsey
12. Jackson
13. Winchle (VC)
14. Yorke
15. Hawley
There will be an additional bench of 12 players