Pontypridd v Merthyr – Matchday Preview

Next up for Pontypridd RFC is a huge Valleys Derby clash against Merthyr RFC at Sardis Road. The Admiral Premiership match between the two clubs takes place this Saturday 2nd May and kicks off at 2:30pm.

This Saturday’s game will be Ponty’s first at Sardis for no fewer than eight weeks having just completed a run of four consecutive away games.

Merthyr visited Sardis Road twice last season, the last match being the Mid District Premiership final on the 17th May last year – the Ironmen triumphed by a 26-14 scoreline that afternoon. Prior to that Ponty and Merthyr faced off in last season’s Admiral Premiership on on Saturday 22nd March, tries from Dale Stuckey, Oli Shepherd and a penalty-try wasn’t enough as the Valley Commandos succumbed to a 19-33 reverse.

The last time the two sides met was earlier in this season’s league campaign at The Wern on Saturday 13th December 2025. A strong second half performance wasn’t enough for Pontypridd, and despite a spirited comeback the team eventually fell short by 38 points to 28. However, a brace of tries from Joe Davies and scores from Iwan Griffith, Connah Hughes and Jordan Coxley saw Ponty head back to Sardis with a four-try bonus-point.

 

To the present, Ponty fell to a 29-21 defeat away at Beddau on Saturday with that result leaving the team’s title aspirations hanging by a thread. Mathematically the Valley Commandos can still lift the trophy as winning both their remaining matches with bonus-points would see the team finishing on 101 points. But they would be reliant on Beddau losing their last match and Merthyr losing their last two matches away at Bargoed and away at Cross Keys. But there’s one thing Pontypridd RFC will always do and that’s fight right until the very end!

 

Aside from Premiership points being up for grabs, there’s also the added incentive of Mid District Premiership Cup points on offer ahead of May’s showpiece final – there’s still much to play for as we head into the final month of the 2025/26 season.

SUPPORTER INFORMATION:

Tickets – Admission on Saturday will be £12 full, £10 concession access-all-areas and under 16’s free if accompanied by a paying adult. You can purchase tickets on the day or to save time (which is recommended to miss the queues) you can use our online e-Ticket system, here’s the link which includes all our different packages – e-Tickets – Pontypridd v Merthyr 2/5/2026

Supporter access is via the Clubhouse end of the ground only – the ground and bars will be open from midday onwards.

RCS Club Shop – New Club merchandise partners RCS will be present from 1:00pm in the ‘sizing room,’ which is the old club shop. They will have some 150th Anniversary Ponty RFC merchandise available for supporters to purchase, and any orders placed by individuals when RCS were last in attendance can be collected.

150th Anniversary Ponty RFC Pin Badges – For supporters who have ordered and paid for commemorative badges, you can collect them from the Can Bar next to the main Grandstand during the match.

Player(s) of the Year Voting – Ponty fans who are unable to vote for the individuals they feel are their player(s) of the season in the respective categories online, you can via paper slips in the Clubhouse – please read our recent article with all the relevant information: Pontypridd RFC Player(s) of the Year 2026

We look forward to welcoming both sets of supporters to Sardis Road on Saturday.

 

 

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