Pontypridd away Friday night.(TEAM NEWS)

Merthyr make the short trip to Sardis road on Friday night for a live indigo premiership game against local rivals Pontypridd. Earlier in the season the ironmen won a first round WRU Cup victory over their rivals 39-19 at the wern and no doubt the home side on Friday will be looking to reverse the result. Captain Craig Locke returns to lead the side, and their is also a change at scrum half were Rhys Downes also returns. Center Arron Pinches also returns as a replacement.

MERTHYR: 15 MATTHEW JARVIS,14 SAM JONES,13 HARLEY THOMSON,12 ADAM THOMAS,11 ASHLEY NORTON,10 RHYS JONES,9 RHYS DOWNES,1 CHRIS PHILLIPS,2 RHYS WILLIAMS,3 JACK GUILDING,4 CRAIG LOCKE(C), 5 DAMIAN WELCH,6 JAKE THOMAS,7 JACK PERKINS,8 PHIL REES, 16 RYAN B THOMAS,17 SAM EVANS,18 RHYS LEWIS, 19 JAMES DOWN,20 HEMI BARNES,21 JAMES SOANES,22 ARRON PINCHES,23 CHRIS CZEKAJ.