The only way is up!

[PontypriddRFC] Pontypridd continue with their Welsh League campaign this week, desperate to secure points to haul themselves away from the basement zone of the premiership table, with an away trip to St Helens to play Swansea tonight.

The match kicks off at 7 pm. A crippling injury list continues to dominate the squad's preparations for this important clash, with seven players still sidelined.

Centres Sonny Parker and Jon Bryant, with a broken forearm and torn hamstring respectively, winger Emyr Lewis with a fractured rib, outside half Neil Jenkins with a broken thumb, props Gethin Jenkins and Duncan Bell both with shoulder damage, and lock Brent Cockbain with a badly bruised leg, are the current absentees.

Coach Lynn Howells has recalled winger Richard Johnston from his loan spell with Llanharan in the first division, and retains centre Neil Boobyer on permit from Llanelli, while a call up is also given to highly promising loose head prop Geraint Morris from the Pontypridd Academy under 21 squad. The Pontypridd team named to face Swansea on Tuesday evening is as follows...

15.Brett Davey. 14.Gareth Wyatt. 13.Shaun James. 12.Jason Lewis. 11.Richard Johnston. 10.Ceri Sweeney. 9.Paul John. 1.Neil Hennessy. 2.Mefin Davies. cpt. 3.Sven Cronk. 4.Robert Sidoli. 5.Michael Owen. 6.Nick Kelly. 7.Richard Parks. 8.Geraint Lewis.

subs: Geraint Morris; Matthew Rees; Dale McIntosh; Wayne O'Connor; Gareth Baber; Neil Boobyer; Matthew Nuthall.

Six Ponty players have been named in the initial Welsh senior squad to prepare for the forthcoming six nations championship, namely outside half Ceri Sweeney, prop Gethin Jenkins, hooker Mefin Davies, lock Robert Sidoli and back rowers Richard Parks and Michael Owen.

Due to a combination of weather conditions and international and European commitments, Ponty now have a significant backlog of fixtures to sort out in the Welsh League. Games away to Bridgend, away to Llanelli, at home to Caerphilly, away to Cardiff and at home to Neath have all to be re-arranged from the original fixture list. The away game at Llanelli has now been given a new date of Friday evening 28th March, both clubs agreeing to this in the knowledge that their squads will be depleted due to international commitments, as the France v Wales six nations match takes place the following day, Saturday 29th March.

Ponty's home league game against Bridgend on Saturday 1st March has been given a kick off time of 5:30 pm due to live television coverage on S4C, whilst the dates and times for the Parker Pen European Challenge Cup semi finals against Wasps have also been confirmed. The away tie at Wycombe Wanderers FC's Adams Park will be played on Saturday 12th April with a 5:30 pm kick off, the home tie at Sardis Road on Friday evening 25th April with a 7:05 pm kick off, both games screened live on television, on S4C and BBC 2 respectively.