Neath open the 2024/25 campaign with the first of three warm-up games when Cambrian Welfare pay their first-ever visit to the Gnoll on Friday evening (kick off 7.15pm).

Cambrian Welfare earned promotion to the Championship by winning the strong Division 1 East Central last season and capped their triumphant year by adding the Mid-District Cup for good measure.

Neath have been training hard in preparation under new coaches Tim Ryan and Ryan Evans who, with several new players on board to reinforce the bulk of last year’s unit, have named an interesting starting line-up which will be led from the back row by newly-appointed captain Ben Williams.

Scrum-half Rhodri Cole makes a welcome return to The Gnoll with centre Rhdodri Wall and ex-Army outside-half James Dixon also in the starting line-up. New faces up front are former Royal Marine lock Dan Watkins and Tata Steel No.8 Sam Gardner.

Last year’s top points scorer Steff Williams is at full back with try-getters Llewellyn Hawkes and Ryan Griffiths on the wings and Kieran Charles at centre. Jack Powell, Evan Kneath and Tarik Dabeh comprise the front row with regular Jacob Blackmore at lock.

Coach Tim Ryan said, “We are holding back a couple of players for the Swansea and Talywain games and others are unavailable due to holiday commitments etc. but we are looking to settle into our patterns early after all the hard work that the squad has put in at training.

“We are not the complete article yet but the boys have genuinely put in a lot of effort and are raring to go now that the action starts.”

The weather forecast is for a warm, sunny evening so Neath supporters are urged to come along for a first sighting of the Welsh All Blacks 2024/25.

Neath v Cambrian Welfare (Home)

15 Steff Williams; 14 Ryan Griffiths, 13 Rhodri Wall, 12 Kieran Charles, 11 Llewellyn Hawkes; 10 James Dixon, 9 Rhodri Cole; 1 Jack Powell,  2 Evan Kneath,  3  Tarik Dabeh; 4 Dan Watkins, 5 Jacob Blackmore: 6 Ben Williams (captain), 8 Sam Gardner, 7 Gethin Tremlett