News Roundup - 3rd April

• Five for Heineken?                                                              Next season all five of the new Regional teams in Wales may be participating in the Heineken Cup. It had originally been thought that the WRU would ask for four Heineken Cup places and once place in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup but today WRU Group Chief Executive David Moffett has said that the WRU are requesting five Heineken Cup teams for next season. Whilst it is a good thing that five teams may take part in Europe's premier competition, some supporters have fears that a number of the provinces may not be able to have an influence on the tournament and people may rebel against the regional teams as a result.

• New Provincial Jobs up for grabs!                                       Club coaches in Wales will soon be battling it out for jobs with the new provincial outfits. A panel consisting of Steve Hansen, Terry Cobner, new general manager Steve Lewis and Cardiff chief executive Bob Norster. Over the next week they will assemble a list of candidates to be interviewed and then make their decision as to who will be in charge of the teams. It is likely that Gareth Jenkins and Dai Young will keep their jobs and Lynn Jones is likely to get the Swansea-Neath job. However, things are far more complicated for Pontypridd-Bridgend and Newport-Ebbw Vale. Leigh Jones and Mike Ruddock could be given joint control but another possibility will be to give the Bridgend-Ponty job to Ruddock who is highly regarded by the union. Alternatively, they could give the job to the man who has changed the fortunes of Pontypridd over the last year, Lynn Howells. All will be revealed by the end of next week!

• Cardiff vs. Pontypridd                                              Pontypridd travel to Cardiff on Friday evening to take part in the first of this seasons Principality Cup quarter finals. The big news for Cardiff is that prop Ben Evans has signed for them after being released from Swansea last week. Evans, who had been training with Pontypridd earlier this week will make his Cardiff debut this Friday in a team which contains all of Cardiff's Wales internationals. 

The Cardiff team reads:   R Williams; N Walne, J Robinson, P Muller, C Morgan; I Harris, R Powell; K Fourie, P Rogers, B Evans, H Senekal, J Tait, R Sowden-Taylor, E Lewis, M Williams (capt). Replacements: J Yapp, G Woods, L Tait, J Brownrigg, R Smith, N Robinson, M Allen.

• After losing the race to sign Ben Evans, Pontypridd now look set to lose their tighthead prop Duncan Bell. Bell who has spend two superb seasons with Pontypridd will return to his hometown club Bath at the end of the current season. Whilst many Ponty fans will be sad to see Bell leave, they are sure to understand his reasons for leaving and will undoubtedly wish him every success across the border.

• And finally don't forget to make Your nomination for the Red Dragon Rugby Welsh player of the six nations. Simply follow the link below and make Your nomination. Place Your nominations here

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