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Vale's French Test
10 January 2003, 12:14 pm
By WRU
The match of the round. Ebbw Vale are flying high after their stunning upset over Pontypridd last weekend and Mike Ruddock's men will look to take that form into the first leg against French heavyweights Pau.
The Steelmen are the only Welsh Premiership side without any Wales internationals, but Ruddock has moulded the squad into a dangerous outfit - as Pontypridd discovered when they fell 6-10 at Sardis Road in the upset of the season.
Fly-half Scott Mitchell bagged the crucial try against Pontypridd and is a key player for the Steelmen, while Richard Davies has impressed at fullback all season and converted scrum-half Andrew Bevan is proving a revelation on the wing.
Pau can call on prolific points-scorer David Aucagne to keep them in touch, while international backrower Imanol Harinordoquy is one of the hardest men in Europe to stop.
Ebbw Vale will rate their chances of victory at Eugene Cross Park, but will want to win by plenty of points to make their trip to Pau's Stade du Hameau more comfortable.

Ebbw Vale: R Davies; A Takarangi, R Shorney, E Binham, A Bevan; S Mitchell, B Shelbourne; A Black, L Phillips (capt), M Jones, P Sidoli, N Edwards, C Billen, T Morris, K Tuipulotu
Replacements: D Penisini, J Evans, O Booyse, W Thomas, N Walley, M Meenan, G Betts


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